Crawford, Nebraska: Fort Robinson and Oglala Grassland Hunting

Crawford sits in the northwest corner of Nebraska with a population hovering around 900, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in public land access. Fort Robinson State Park and the Oglala National Grassland put tens of thousands of acres within easy reach, making this one of the most underrated hunting destinations in the state.

The Town

Crawford has the feel of a place where time moves a little slower. The downtown is small and quiet, with a handful of shops and restaurants that cater to visitors exploring the Pine Ridge and the surrounding parklands. The Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson houses paleontology exhibits including mammoth and rhinoceros fossils found in the area. The town's history is deeply tied to the military, as Fort Robinson served as an active Army post from 1874 through 1948.

Where to Eat

Dining options in Crawford are limited but genuine. The local cafes serve hearty ranch-country meals, and you will not leave hungry. If you want more variety, Chadron is only about 25 minutes east on Highway 20 and offers additional restaurants including Pocketful of Rye. Many hunters staying at Fort Robinson take advantage of the park's own dining facilities when available.

Where to Stay

Fort Robinson State Park is the premier lodging option, offering historic officer quarters, cabins, and lodge rooms right on the grounds of the old military post. Waking up in a stone officer's quarters built in the 1800s and walking out to hunt is an experience you will not find anywhere else in Nebraska. The park also has campgrounds for those who prefer to rough it. A few small motels in town round out the options.

Where to Hunt

Fort Robinson State Park allows hunting in designated areas during specific seasons. The park covers over 22,000 acres of buttes, canyons, and pine-covered ridges. Mule deer thrive in this terrain, and whitetail occupy the creek bottoms and timber edges.

The Oglala National Grassland to the north is a vast expanse of mixed-grass prairie and badlands formations. This is prime pronghorn country, and the grassland also holds mule deer and sharp-tailed grouse. The terrain is open and rolling, requiring a different approach than the timbered Pine Ridge.

Crawford also falls within the Pine Ridge elk unit, where limited-draw permits offer one of the only elk hunting opportunities in Nebraska. Even if you do not draw an elk tag, the mule deer and whitetail hunting here is excellent and far less pressured than most of the state.

Why Crawford Stands Out

Crawford offers a hunting experience that feels more like Montana or Wyoming than typical Nebraska. The combination of Fort Robinson's historic lodging, the Oglala Grassland's wide-open spaces, and the Pine Ridge's timbered canyons gives you three completely different landscapes to hunt within a short drive. If you want a remote, uncrowded Nebraska hunting trip with a sense of history, Crawford is hard to beat.