The Valley of the Three Eagles Ranch is a pristine, rare piece of Nebraska wilderness located 20 miles from O'Neill, Nebraska in some of the most beautiful country the state has to offer. Enriched with history of outlaws and vigilantes, Native Americans and the Town of Ray, stepping onto this property is like stepping back into the time when living off the land was the only way to live. Untouched by development, yet meticulously managed for cattle production and a hunting outfitter business, this 502 acre piece is accessed by a mile-long easement, which makes it truly secluded and hidden from any county roads or highways. If you're looking for a picturesque place to build your dream home or getaway cabin, away from the eyes of neighbors and passersby, it doesn't get much better than this. But if you're also a hunter, you'll find that this property is quite possibly second to none when it comes to managing a herd and growing trophy deer. The foundation is already there, because its been professionally managed for trophy Whitetail deer for decades. The Eagle Creek is a clean, clear, spring-fed river that flows year-round through the center of the property, making it the ultimate water source for healthy cattle and wildlife. Besides that, the Eagle Creek holds several different fish species that thrive in cold spring water. You'll find several of the springs that feed the Eagle Creek flowing out of the hills and bluffs within the borders of the ranch, however it actually starts as 3 different branches within Holt County, converging just a half a mile South of the property. Terrain The ranch terrain consists of hills and bluffs, long sloping meadows and flat bottom ground. It has significant tree cover for habitat including oaks and cedar, cottonwood, linden and walnut. The soils are predominately the sandy loam type, conductive to pasture and hay production. Income The primary income source is obviously cattle production, and assuming 7 acres per cow/calf pair, you're looking at 70-75 pair for roughly 5 months starting in the Spring. The fences are well maintained and in great shape. Hunting Located in the Keya Paha unit, the ranch has a large healthy herd of whitetail deer as well as the occasional mule deer. Past-harvested bucks have typically scored in the 150-180 class, however 200 deer have been seen on the ranch in the past and have been taken on neighboring properties in the Eagle Creek valley. Niobrara East is the Elk unit the ranch is located within, and although an Elk has never been harvested on the ranch, they do pass through it so the opportunity is there. The turkey on the property are Eastern and Merriam breeds, which inevitably produce beautiful hybrids of the two. The population is large and strong due once again to the management of the ranch owner and his predator control tactics, such as trapping and predator calling. As far as predators go, the ranch is home to several different predator species including coyote, bobcat, red fox, and even Mountain Lions. If trapping, calling, or running coon dogs is a passion of yours, this ranch will keep you engaged year-round. History When exploring this property, its hard not to get an overwhelming sense of history. For hunter/gatherers the abundance of game and fish, clean spring water, wild forages, and the shelter of the valley makes it easy to imagine a village of tepees on the meadow near the river. The area was known to be inhabited by Ponca, Pawnee, and even Sioux tribes, but (per the historical society) they believe the ranch itself was once home to a small band of the Apache tribe, and the encampment site itself is thought to be at least 1000 years old. There's an Indian burial ground roughly 2 miles North of the ranch believed to be from a battle between the Sioux and Pawnee, meaning the territory had been fought over for centuries due to its richness in life-sustaining resources. Naturally during the pre and post-Civil War era the Eagle Creek valley was also very sought after, which led to the establishment of the town of Ray, NE. When the first bridge was built to cross Eagle Creek in 1883 (which is also on the property,) the town of Ray was established near the bridge on the South side of the river. The stagecoach road ran through the ranch back then, and (per the historical society) 42 people got their mail delivered to Ray. There are still remnants of the town today, such as an old cellar and some fencing materials. The Civil War produced some hard men that came back to the area in those times. Names like Kid Wade, Black Bill, Doc Middleton, and Curly Bill ran these hills and valleys as outlaws, cattle rustlers, and horse thieves, but the equally fascinating stories of the vigilantes looking for justice are the stories that tie directly to the ranch.