The Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project (NCORPE) https://www.ncorpe.org/ has opened up an additional 960 acres to hunters! NCORPE is a joint project of four Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) that helps the State of Nebraska and NRDs meet interstate and intrastate water obligations. In 2012, the Upper Republican, Middle  Republican, Lower Republican, and Twin Platte NRDs purchased 19,500 acres between the Platte and Republican River Basins in southwest Nebraska. The wells on this previously irrigated ground can be used to augment stream flows into the Republican and Platte Rivers to meet flow requirements. 

Bow and shotgun hunting has been permitted on portions of the NCORPE land for years and Nebraska Backcountry Hunters & Anglers had been in contact with NCORPE starting in early 2025 checking on the potential to open up some additional land to hunters. Indeed BHA volunteers had picked up trash on access points in past years. In January of 2026 NEBHA sent a letter to one of the NCORPE Board members introducing the Chapter and asking for an increase in access. Based on that letter NEBHA was invited to attend the NCORPE Board meeting in May 2026. Chapter Board members Kyle Broadfoot and Loren Smith traveled to Curtis, Nebraska to meet with the NCORPE Board on May 20th. After briefly summarizing the goals of Backcountry Hunters& Anglers, and their personal regional connections, Broadfoot and Smith went over maps of particular sites that might be agreeable to open. NCORPE and NEBHA focused particularly on a piece of land in the eastern portion of NCORPE managed land. The NCORPE Board voted that day to allow access for archery and shotgun gun hunting on that additional 960 acres (green outlined area in the map)!!! 

NCORPE lands open for hunting have a variety of game species that hunters can pursue. Game birds include mourning doves, greater prairie chickens, ring-necked pheasant, and bobwhites. Both mule deer and white-tailed deer are available for archery hunters. Please remember to always clean up any trash you might encounter, whether it’s yours or not,  so we can continue this privilege.  Moreover, as always, if you witness any illegal activity immediately report that to the local game warden and/or sheriff. 

NEBHA sincerely thanks the NCORPE Board and staff, and the four NRDs (Twin Platte, Upper Republican, Middle Republican, Lower Republican) for their continued support of Nebraska’s Outdoor Heritage!!!