Scottsbluff, Nebraska: Western Gateway for Hunters

Scottsbluff is the commercial center of the Nebraska Panhandle with a population around 14,500. While it is larger than most towns on this list, it serves as the most important staging point for hunters heading into the Wildcat Hills, the North Platte River valley, and the surrounding mule deer and pronghorn country. If you need to stock up on supplies, grab a good meal, or find a comfortable hotel before heading into the field, Scottsbluff has everything you need.

The Town

Scottsbluff sits in the shadow of Scotts Bluff National Monument, one of the most iconic landmarks on the historic Oregon Trail. The massive sandstone bluff rises 800 feet above the North Platte River valley and is visible for miles in every direction. The town itself is a working agricultural community with a downtown district that has seen genuine revitalization in recent years. New restaurants, breweries, and shops have opened alongside the longtime fixtures.

Where to Eat

Scottsbluff offers the widest dining selection in the Panhandle. You will find steakhouses serving Nebraska beef, authentic Mexican restaurants run by multigenerational families, and a growing craft beer and cocktail scene. Several spots along Broadway and the main commercial corridors are worth checking out after a day in the field. For a quick and filling breakfast before an early hunt, the local diners open before dawn and know how to feed a hungry hunter.

Where to Stay

The Scottsbluff and Gering area has a full range of lodging from national chain hotels to locally owned motels. Rooms are generally affordable and easy to book outside of summer tourist season. Several properties along Highway 26 and Highway 71 are convenient to the hunting areas south and west of town.

Where to Hunt

The Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Wildcat Hills Nature Center are located about 10 miles south of Gering. This rugged escarpment of pine-covered buttes and canyons is prime mule deer territory. The terrain is steep and challenging, which keeps pressure low and bucks big.

The North Platte River corridor running through the valley provides excellent whitetail habitat in the timber bottoms and cottonwood galleries. Several WMAs along the river offer public access, and the river itself draws waterfowl during fall migration.

Surrounding Scotts Bluff County is open agricultural and rangeland country that holds pronghorn, pheasant, and sharp-tailed grouse. The county also borders Banner County and Morrill County, both of which are strong mule deer units with lower populations and less hunting pressure.

Why Scottsbluff Is a Smart Base Camp

The advantage of basing out of Scottsbluff is logistics. You get full-service amenities, including a regional airport if you are flying in, while being within 30 minutes of genuinely wild hunting country. The Wildcat Hills alone are worth the trip for mule deer hunters, and the North Platte River valley adds whitetail and waterfowl opportunity. Scottsbluff puts all of western Nebraska's best hunting within easy striking distance.