Falls City, Nebraska: Far Southeast Corner Trophy Deer

Falls City is the Richardson County seat with a population of about 4,000, located in the far southeast corner of Nebraska where the state borders both Kansas and Missouri. This corner of Nebraska produces some of the biggest whitetail deer in the state, benefiting from the Missouri River bluff timber, the Big Nemaha River corridor, and a landscape of rich agricultural fields and mature hardwood forests. Falls City is a genuine sleeper destination for serious deer hunters.

The Town

Falls City has a well-established downtown with local shops, restaurants, and services. The town has a working-class character and a community that takes care of its own. The location in the extreme southeast corner means Falls City is somewhat isolated from Nebraska's larger cities, which gives it a self-reliant quality. For hunters, that isolation means less competition in the surrounding countryside.

Where to Eat

Several restaurants in Falls City serve traditional Midwest comfort food. Local diners handle breakfast duty with large portions and strong coffee. Steakhouses and family restaurants offer dinner menus built around Nebraska beef. The dining scene is honest and unpretentious.

Where to Stay

Falls City has a few motels that cater to hunters and travelers. The accommodations are basic but functional. Rooms can book up during the November rifle season, so early reservations are recommended. The town also has some bed-and-breakfast options that offer a more personal experience.

Where to Hunt

Indian Cave State Park extends from the Auburn area south toward Falls City along the Missouri River bluffs. The park's southern sections are accessible from Falls City and offer the same rugged timber-bluff terrain that makes the park one of the best public deer hunting destinations in the state.

The Big Nemaha River runs through Richardson County, providing a corridor of bottomland timber and brush that holds whitetail, turkey, and other wildlife. The river's banks are lined with cottonwoods, walnuts, and oaks that provide both cover and mast crops for deer.

The Rulo Bluffs Preserve in the extreme southeast corner of the county protects a unique landscape of loess bluffs and native forest along the Missouri River. While the preserve itself has limited hunting access, the surrounding private lands in this area hold exceptional deer. Richardson County consistently produces some of the heaviest-antlered whitetails in Nebraska.

Richardson County's deer quality benefits from several factors: the rich agricultural soils produce high-quality food sources, the mature timber provides year-round cover, and the county's location at the convergence of two river systems creates diverse habitat. The relatively small number of hunters who make the trip to the far southeast corner means the deer population faces less pressure than counties closer to Omaha and Lincoln.

Why Falls City Is for Serious Trophy Hunters

Falls City is not a destination you stumble upon. You have to intentionally drive to the far southeast corner of Nebraska, and that effort filters out casual hunters. The reward is access to some of the best whitetail habitat and highest deer quality in the state. If you are willing to make the drive, Richardson County will reward you with big-bodied, heavy-racked bucks in a setting that feels like a well-kept secret.