July 2019 • Nebraskaland 23
captive bison and elk herds, the property has evolved along
with the public's wishes.
Visitors realize they are in a special place as they walk into
the Nature Center, the park's headquarters, and encounter
the branches of a replica 27-foot ponderosa pine tree rising
from the garden level through a hole in the main floor to the
vaulted ceiling.
While the property maintains wilderness appeal, the
center's wide range of indoor interpretive displays and
programs also highlight nature.
Spearheaded by a team of local visionaries, the Wildcat
Hills Nature Center was constructed in the early 1990s.
Building on the success of that venture, donor support led to
a major expansion of 8,720 square feet, more than doubling
the size of the original 5,300-square-foot structure. The
expanded facility, with new areas for meetings, instruction
and displays, opened in spring 2017.
Taking a Shot
Early this decade, Commission officials recognized an
opportunity, and a need, to promote and facilitate shooting
sports in a family-friendly environment. The adjacent
wildlife management area had become a popular place for
area residents looking for a place to practice shooting.
The Wildcat Hills Shooting Sports Complex, which opened
fall 2016 and is easily seen and accessed from the highway,
features targets for a variety of firearms and archery equipment.
The offerings include a small-bore range for rimfire rifles and
approved handguns, a pellet range with bull's-eye targets and a
state-of-the-art shooting gallery, an archery range with bull's-
Children collaborate on a scavenger hunt at one of the Nature Center's displays.
