Cambridge, Nebraska: Medicine Creek Reservoir and Waterfowl Hunting

Cambridge is the Furnas County seat with a population around 1,000, sitting along the Republican River in southwest Nebraska. The town is small and quiet, but Medicine Creek Reservoir just north of town is one of the more productive waterfowl staging areas in the region. Combined with solid deer and pheasant hunting in the surrounding agricultural landscape, Cambridge offers a surprisingly well-rounded hunting experience for its size.

The Town

Cambridge is a one-main-street town with the essential services: gas station, grocery store, a few shops, and a strong community identity. The downtown is compact and well kept, and the people are the kind of friendly that comes naturally in small-town Nebraska. Cambridge is the kind of place where the waitress at the cafe asks where you are hunting and offers suggestions.

Where to Eat

Dining in Cambridge is limited to a small number of local restaurants and cafes. The food is hearty and home-cooked, which is exactly what you want when you are spending long days in the field. Do not expect a menu longer than one page, but do expect to be satisfied. McCook is about 30 minutes east for more variety.

Where to Stay

Cambridge has limited motel options. A small motel in town serves hunters during season, and Medicine Creek Reservoir has camping facilities. Booking ahead is important given the small inventory. Some hunters base out of McCook and make the drive to hunt the Cambridge area.

Where to Hunt

Medicine Creek Reservoir is the centerpiece. This 1,768-acre reservoir draws significant numbers of ducks and geese during fall migration. The reservoir sits on the Central Flyway, and the combination of open water, mudflats, and surrounding agricultural fields creates ideal staging habitat. Waterfowl hunting around the reservoir can be excellent during peak migration in late October through November.

The Republican River corridor through Furnas County provides bottomland habitat for whitetail and turkey. The timber along the river is not as extensive as in eastern Nebraska, but the cottonwood galleries and brush provide enough cover to hold deer. Turkey populations have been growing in the river corridors of southwest Nebraska.

Furnas County's agricultural landscape of irrigated corn and soybean fields interspersed with CRP grassland creates solid pheasant habitat. The county is part of the broader southwest Nebraska pheasant belt and produces reliable bird numbers most years.

Why Cambridge Punches Above Its Weight

Cambridge is tiny, and the amenities are minimal. But Medicine Creek Reservoir gives this little town a waterfowl hunting asset that puts it on the map. Add in the Republican River deer and turkey hunting and the surrounding pheasant habitat, and Cambridge offers a diverse hunting experience that belies its population of 1,000. For waterfowl hunters especially, Cambridge is a destination worth the drive.