News

Check here frequently for the latest updates on hunts at SLR as well as other activities and updates on the ranch.

Top Stories

Adam and Trevon speak at the Republican Valley Archery Club (McCook Daily Gazette) 4/7/11

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Republican Valley Archery Club's second annual banquet featured three speakers on Saturday night at the Republican Valley Event Center; Brian Perks, a wildlife biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks, and Trevon Stoltzfus and Adam Wells of Outback Outdoors. Read More...

Fishing on the Big Water 6/12/10

Adam Wells has fly-fished rainbow trout in Colorado, bonefish in Belize, and barramundi in Australia, to mention just a few - but was looking for a good introduction to warm-water fishing right here in Nebraska. This summer he and Tom Tolkacz headed out for some action on Swanson Lake. Tom said afterwards "We had an epic afternoon. Limit of walleye in less than one and a half hours. Twenty five bass on top-water. Adam had seven in a row, I think. Probably forty to fifty fish from 3 to 9 p.m. Guess I introduced him to warm-water fishing well."

Upland Bird Restoration Work 8/22/09

SLR is in the final weeks of a four month pilot program launched to help reestablish a strong upland bird population on the ranch. While the wild pheasant population in our area has been healthy in recent years, the quail numbers, while increasing, remain lower than in previous decades, possibly impacted by the drought conditions that persisted in Nebraska from 1999 to 2006. In an effort to help reestablish more quail and further strengthen the pheasant population, SLR is working with Wildlife Management Technologies of Wichita Kansas, to raise and release chicks capable of surviving in the wild. In the video, below, four week-old pheasant chicks are being released to hopefully thrive and breed with our existing wild birds.

Gobblers Up Close and Personal - Story by Paul Berg 5/3/09

Sarah and I got to SLR about 1:00 pm on Friday, May 1. We patterned Dugie's 20 gauge, and made sure my 12 gauge was working, and were off. We walked down the fence line to the river, carrying the double bull blind. We followed it to TS2, and headed into the woods. We got to the slough that seemed to be a good area as the turkeys head to roost. We found a spot and set up the blind and put out two hen decoys. Sarah was to stay behind with the blind as I went to get the chairs. I only went about 20 yards back toward the river when I spotted 3 gobblers, about 90 yards away, directly to towards the river. Read More...

Wetlands Restoration Project 4/1/09

SLR is pleased to announce that its long-awaited wetlands restoration project, in conjunction with the NRCS' Wetlands Reserve Program, is underway. The project involves a comprehensive removal of Russian Olive and other water-intensive and invasive tree species and a dredging of the nearly mile-long slough that runs east-west on the ranch. The dredging will remove a large quantity of cattails, allowing for a restoration of native wetland grasses which should greatly improve SLR's habitat for migratory waterfowl. In addition, a portion of the displaced soils will be used for future food plots.

Sporting Clays Update
10/19/08

Work is underway to construct a multi-station sporting clays course for SLR Hunting Club members. Equipment selection has been made and course lay-out will be completed before month-end. Members will be notified when the course is open.

Dogs Bag a Buck
8/24/08

Sad news to report. Adam and Mike came upon a coyote kill, weeks before the open of Archery deer. The 2 year-old 8-point was dead less than 48 hours and probably fought like hell before being taken down. We are told the bite marks on the buck's throat are typical of a coyote's attempt to asphyxiate the deer. [Note to dogs - please stick to does from now on. Thanks - the Management]

Aeration Work on Duck Blind Pond
8/16/08

The 2007 waterfowl season got off to a great start but shut down early on us as winter set in fast and furious. It wasn't long before the reservoir and our ponds were frozen solid and the greenheads were headed to Mexico. With that unfortunate experience, SLR contracted with Cabelas partner Absolute Natural Resources this summer to install aeration equipment at Duck Blind Pond. The new installation should both improve the aquatic habitat of this particular pond as well as help the migrating and resident waterfowl maintain open water for a longer duration during the winter. If all goes well, future aeration and aquatic habitat work may be done at other ponds.

Inaugural SLR Rifle Deer Hunt 2007
11/16/07

My bother-in-law, Jay Podorsky, and father, Jean Dugas, both of Prairieville, Louisiana, joined me for what turned out to be a very successful deer hunt at Swanson Lake Ranch. The bayou hunters arrived Thursday afternoon, in time to get into the stands before the evening hunt. I hunted with my father, on the west side of the property, while Jay hunted the east. It was a calm and quiet Nebraska evening, but things got busy in a hurry. Read More...

Horseshoe Pond gets a New Look
10/4/07

7-acre Horseshoe Pond is home to a new fishing & canoe dock. On Thursday, SLR completed installation of a covered, 20'x18' EZ-Dock which will provide a convenient launch for small boats & canoes and a relaxing and shaded place for summer picnics and shore-side fishing. Installation went well thanks to the Team from EZ-Dock, Eric and Todd. For more on EZ-Dock, contact Todd Stone at tpstone2002@yahoo.com.

Inaugural Dove Shoot
9/10/07

Jean Dugas, visiting from balmy Louisiana, joined his son Mike for a first crack at SLR's dove shooting opportunity. The scouting report prior to the trip was very encouraging but the guys were not able to get out opening weekend, as planned. In fact, they did not make it out to SLR until a week after opening day, when average temperatures had already declined almost 30 degrees from the summer peaks. Still, they were not disappointed. While the doves most certainly had begun to move south, Mike and Jean bagged 25 birds and had opportunities on more than 40 (please, no calculation of shooting percentages!). Best opportunities for shooting were found near the tree line just north of the western ponds, as well as the CRP field on the eastern border. A reward of Cajun-style dove stew was enough to convince Mike he will gun for opening day next year. No excuses.

Spring Turkey a Success
4/16/07

Trevon Stoltzfus, Andy Thomas, and Kevin Groeneweg joined Mike & Adam for Spring Turkey archery and shotgun at SLR - and the ranch's inaugural hunts were a huge success. All birds taken were large jakes, as the big, elusive toms were just out of shooting range, but the experience was spectacular, with birds and action in all directions. Mike wrote of his (first turkey and first archery) experience: Read More...

Press Releases

McCook Daily Gazette 3/21/07

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SWANSON LAKE RANCH, LLC A NEBRASKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice is hereby given that Swanson Lake Ranch, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its registered office at 101 West C Street, McCook, Nebraska, 69001. The general nature of its business is to engage in a general agricultural related farming, livestock and ranching business, both on its own account and as agent for others; to produce, grow, cultivate, harvest, pick, clean, assort, ship and buy and sell agricultural farm products, grains and crops, both on its own account and as agent for others; and to feed, range, graze, manage, herd, control, brand, care for, purchase, market, and buy and sell livestock of every kind, both on its own account and as agent for others; to take, buy, exchange, lease, or otherwise acquire real property and any interest or right therein, and to hold, own, operate, control, maintain, manage and develop such property and interests in any manner that may be necessary, useful or advantageous for the purposes of the company, and to engage in and to do any lawful act concerning any and all business, other than banking or insurance, for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska and for all other purposes authorized by law, to the same extent as natural persons might or could do. The limited liability company was formed on March 14, 2007, and the company's existence shall be perpetual, unless terminated sooner. Its affairs shall be conducted by the Members pursuant to an operating Agreement adopted by the Company.

D. Eugene Garner

Registered Agent

101 West C Street

McCook, NE 69001

(308) 345-1600

Mousel & Garner Attorneys & Counselors at Law

Published March 21, 28 and April 4, 2007