Imperial, Nebraska: Southwest Nebraska's Best Pheasant County

Imperial is the Chase County seat with a population around 2,000, sitting in the heart of what many consider the finest pheasant hunting county in southwest Nebraska. Chase County's combination of irrigated cropland, native grassland, and CRP fields creates textbook ring-necked pheasant habitat that produces strong bird numbers year after year. If you are planning a Nebraska pheasant trip, Imperial belongs at the top of your list.

The Town

Imperial is a clean, well-maintained small town that serves as the commercial center for Chase County's agricultural community. The downtown has the essential businesses and a community that appreciates visiting hunters and the economic activity they bring. The pace of life is slow and genuine, and the people are welcoming.

Where to Eat

Imperial has a handful of restaurants and cafes that serve solid food. Local diners open early for breakfast, and family restaurants handle lunch and dinner. The selection is small but reliable. Most hunters I know bring a cooler and supplement with restaurant meals.

Where to Stay

A few motels in Imperial offer rooms for hunters. Demand is high during pheasant opener and the peak of deer season, so early reservations are essential. Enders Reservoir and Champion Lake State Recreation Area offer camping facilities for hunters who prefer to stay closer to the field.

Where to Hunt

Chase County is the main attraction, and the entire county is the hunting ground. The landscape is a patchwork of irrigated corn and sunflower fields, CRP grassland, native rangeland, and shelterbelt tree rows. This diversity of habitat means pheasants have food, nesting cover, and escape cover in close proximity throughout the county. Walking the edges where CRP grass meets harvested crop fields is the classic approach, and it works.

Champion Lake State Recreation Area south of Imperial provides public access to grassland, wetland, and lake-edge habitat. The area holds pheasant, quail, and deer, and the lake itself draws some waterfowl during migration.

Enders Reservoir northwest of Imperial is a 1,700-acre lake surrounded by grassland and agricultural fields. The reservoir area provides additional public hunting access and camping. Waterfowl use the reservoir during fall, and the surrounding uplands hold pheasant and deer.

Chase County also produces good mule deer numbers. The breaks and draws along the creek drainages hold bucks that use the rougher terrain for bedding and travel between agricultural food sources.

Why Imperial Is Pheasant Hunting Headquarters

Chase County has earned its reputation as one of the best pheasant counties in Nebraska through consistently strong bird numbers backed by excellent habitat. Imperial puts you right in the center of that county with enough services to keep you comfortable during a multi-day hunt. If rooster cackling at daybreak is what gets you out of bed, Imperial is where you need to be.