Norfolk, Nebraska: Northeast Nebraska's Hunting Gateway

Norfolk is the largest city in northeast Nebraska with a population around 24,000, serving as the commercial and medical hub for a wide region of rural communities. While Norfolk itself is a city, its location on the Elkhorn River and proximity to excellent WMAs and hunting areas make it the natural staging point for hunters exploring northeast Nebraska. The city offers full amenities, and you can be in prime hunting country within 20 minutes of your hotel.

The Town

Norfolk is best known as the birthplace of Johnny Carson, and the Johnny Carson exhibit at the Elkhorn Valley Museum celebrates his legacy. The city has a revitalized downtown with restaurants, shops, and a brewery. Norfolk is large enough to have everything a hunter needs, from sporting goods stores to veterinary clinics for hunting dogs, while still maintaining a genuine Nebraska community feel.

Where to Eat

Norfolk has the best dining selection in northeast Nebraska. Steakhouses, Mexican restaurants, Asian cuisine, and locally owned diners give you plenty of choices. Several spots downtown have earned loyal followings. After a week of small-town cafes, Norfolk feels like a culinary upgrade, and the prices remain very reasonable.

Where to Stay

National chain hotels along Highway 275 and Highway 81 provide reliable, comfortable rooms. Several locally owned motels offer budget-friendly alternatives. Norfolk has enough hotel inventory that finding a room during hunting season is rarely a problem, unlike smaller surrounding towns.

Where to Hunt

The Elkhorn River runs through Norfolk and provides miles of bottomland timber habitat that holds whitetail, turkey, and waterfowl. Public access points along the river allow wade-in access to some productive hunting areas.

Grove Lake WMA northwest of Norfolk in Antelope County covers over 2,000 acres of mixed timber, grassland, and lake habitat. It is one of the most popular WMAs in the region for deer, turkey, and upland birds. The rolling terrain and timber draws create excellent archery hunting opportunities.

Madison County and the surrounding counties in northeast Nebraska produce consistent whitetail numbers. The agricultural landscape of corn and soybean fields interspersed with timber corridors along creeks and rivers creates ideal deer habitat. Pheasant numbers have been improving in recent years as CRP enrollment has stabilized.

Why Norfolk Makes Sense

Norfolk is the smart choice for hunters who want comfortable logistics without sacrificing hunting quality. You can eat at a real restaurant, sleep in a comfortable hotel, and be sitting in a treestand over the Elkhorn River by first light. Northeast Nebraska is strong whitetail country, and Norfolk puts all of it within easy reach.