Ogallala, Nebraska: Cowboy Capital Hunting on Lake McConaughy

Ogallala is the Keith County seat with a population around 4,500, sitting along Interstate 80 where the South Platte River feeds into Lake McConaughy, the largest reservoir in Nebraska. The town bills itself as the Cowboy Capital of Nebraska, and the Old West heritage is genuine. More importantly for hunters, Ogallala sits at the center of some of the most diverse hunting habitat in the state. Whitetail, mule deer, waterfowl, pheasant, and turkey all thrive in the surrounding landscape.

The Town

Ogallala's history runs through the cattle drives of the 1870s and 1880s, when the town served as a raucous end-of-trail destination for cowboys driving herds north from Texas. Front Street, a recreated Old West streetscape downtown, preserves that history with shows and shops during the summer season. Boot Hill Cemetery on the edge of town holds the remains of cowboys and gunslingers who did not survive Saturday night. Today, Ogallala is a friendly, practical town that serves as the gateway to Lake McConaughy.

Where to Eat

Ogallala has a good selection of restaurants for its size. Local steakhouses serve Nebraska beef at fair prices, and several family restaurants along the main highway serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During Lake McConaughy's busy summer season, additional seasonal eateries open near the lake. In fall and winter, the year-round restaurants keep hunters well fed.

Where to Stay

Hotels and motels along Interstate 80 and Highway 61 provide a range of options from budget to comfortable. During pheasant season and deer rifle season, rooms book quickly, so reservations are recommended. Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area offers camping for those who prefer to stay near the water.

Where to Hunt

Clear Creek WMA is one of the largest and most productive WMAs in Nebraska, covering over 3,200 acres of riparian woodland, wetlands, river channel, and upland grassland near Lake McConaughy. The diversity of habitat means you can hunt whitetail in the timber, jump-shoot ducks in the wetlands, and walk up pheasant in the grass all in the same day. This is a destination-quality WMA.

Lake McConaughy and the associated Lake Ogallala draw massive numbers of waterfowl during fall migration. The reservoir sits on the Central Flyway and serves as a major staging area for ducks and geese. Waterfowl hunting on and around the lake can be exceptional during peak migration.

Keith County as a whole offers excellent mule deer hunting in the breaks and draws west of town, strong whitetail numbers along the river corridors, and reliable pheasant populations in the CRP grasslands and crop field edges.

Why Ogallala Is a Top-Tier Destination

The combination of Clear Creek WMA, Lake McConaughy's waterfowl, and the surrounding upland and big-game habitat makes Ogallala one of the most well-rounded hunting destinations in Nebraska. Add in Interstate 80 access, comfortable lodging, and a town with genuine character, and you have a base camp that works for every type of hunter. Whether you are on a solo mule deer trip or a group pheasant hunt, Ogallala has the goods.