We are a 17,000 acre working cattle ranch and farming operation. We are located on the Niobrara River in north east Nebraska. On the map located between Napier and Newport Nebraska where the Niobrara River crosses highway 137. Because of our farming of corn, wheat, CRP grass and alfalfa there is always plenty of left over feed for whitetail deer and Nebraska Merriam’s turkeys. The main river bottom, its many tributaries and canyons that they flow in provide ample cover for wildlife to live through the winter months and flourish through the summer months. Much of the property is sprinkler irrigation which provides the moisture to increase the crop growth. We leave some feed in the fields for the wildlife to have additional feed so we are assured that they can even make it through the hardest winters.
Whitetail Deer
Large whitetail deer travel up and down the river bottoms during the rut to the point that we see deer one day that we have never seen before. The next day they are gone and replaced by other bucks. We keep a large doe herd which provides the “bait” to keep these bucks coming on the property and searching out the does.
The gun season is right during the rut and we allow a limited number of hunter so we can manage the herd for better than average bucks. The Muzzleloader season is all of the month of December. The archery season begins in September and continues until the end of the year. We have almost a 100% success rate from the hunters that we accept on the property. There are 6 tree stands posted throughout the property in what history has proven are good travel routes between feed and bedding areas. We also welcome hunters to bring ground blinds for the time that the food source or bedding areas change and the deer patterns change to match it.
Nebraska is a 2 license, 2 buck area so see me if you are interested in shooting the second buck for half price.
Turkeys
The large hardwood and cottonwood draws provide ideal roosting locations for the turkeys. The corn left in the field provides a 7% protein source for the turkey to greet spring in prime condition. In the winter it is not unusual to see 100 turkeys by the house, junipers and corrals picking the ground like barn yard stock. They are whittling away the winter finding seeds, silage, and being safe from predators. In spring they quickly spread out onto the property into each flock’s territory and last years jakes come into their own taking on the old veteran toms. With things greening up there is feed everywhere and as far as the toms are concerned never enough hens, which makes this like hunting Mickey in Disneyland for the avid turkey hunter.
Our fall turkey season is all of the month of December and like spring allows archery and shotgun shooters to pursue these wily birds. With a 4 turkey limit in Nebraska it is widely know that we have a lot of birds available for the avid turkey hunter. Ground blinds are always welcome and a very successful tool to bring and use.
We cater to the mature hunter by allowing them to get a motel room in town and meals, then to be one of the few hunting our large ranch. I will give you a map of the ranch with fences and the locations I normally see game while farming and ranching. I will also sign a permission slip so that if you are contacted by a Game Warden you can prove that I gave you permission. This assures that no other hunters will disturb your hunt and you can be free to pursue a special buck in the many bucks that are available.
We like having hunters enjoy our property and high volume of game but to do so we have extremely limited the number of hunters on the property per year. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis with a deposit. Make you reservations early so that you don’t miss out hunting in Disneyland.
Any questions feel free to call me.
Tommy Higgins
Twin River Hunts
(402)-832-5238
90679 467th Avenue
Naper, NE 68755
or Contact
Greg Merriam
RCS Outdoor Writers Inc.
(303)-746-1214
http://rcsoutdoorwritersinc.com/default.aspx