Behind the Scenes at River Lodge Outfitters

The Shooting Sportsman Endorsed Lodge Program goes “behind the scenes” of its newest member, River Lodge Outfitters, in Overton, Nebraska, where Isaac Brown is the lodge’s co-owner and general manager, overseeing all of the hunting conducted on 60,000 acres in the heart of the Central Flyway. Here is what Mr. Brown had to tell us....

SSM: How long have you been involved with River Lodge Outfitters, and what compelled you to get involved with the lodge?

Our operation is run on a combination of family-owned and neighboring properties in the Platte River area that my family had been hunting for 80 years. At the beginning it was just recreational hunting for our family and friends, but in 2018 we officially opened as a wingshooting business. I grew up on the property where our business is located and therefore knew all of the ins and outs regarding both the hunting and the 14,000-square-foot lodge facility, so I was naturally suited to develop and manage the business.

SSM: What is a typical day of hunting like at River Lodge?

The exact times might vary based on the proximity of the properties we are hunting on a given day, but a typical day will begin with a waterfowl hunt that kicks off with coffee and snacks at 5 AM and a 5:30 departure for the hunt. The hunt will take place roughly between 6:30 and noon, with a nice breakfast having been served in that period. After that, hunters return to the lodge for lunch and a siesta. At about 2:30 we head out to shoot pheasants for a couple of hours. The guests will return from the upland hunt with enough time to wash up and enjoy a cocktail prior to sitting down at 6:30 for an exquisite three-course dinner. After the meal we’ll have the fires stoked and the ballgame going on the TV so that guests can round out their day with some high-quality R&R.

SSM: What aspects of your operation seem to impress guests the most?

We get tons of comments on how beautiful the lodge is and how incredible the meals are; and sitting in the heart of the Central Flyway, we are able to offer some of the best hunting most guests have ever experienced. But I would say that guests are the most impressed with our attention to detail and organization. Waterfowl hunts are big orchestrations that include tons of logistical details both great and small, and we pride ourselves on accounting for every one of those details. Everything is scheduled so guests know the exact times various events occur. We color coordinate the guests’ gear, to ensure that everybody grabs the right gun or waders or whatever. If we go from a field shoot for geese to a water hunt for ducks, we switch out cartridges to ensure the guests have the optimal ammo for a specific shoot. When guests arrive at the blinds in the morning, we have all of the decoys already spread and the blind preheated (all of our blinds are heated) for them. We think and plan for all aspects of a hunt so the guests don’t have to. While it’s all a lot of extra work for us, it’s 100% worth it when we see how much the hunters appreciate it.

SSM: What is your favorite item on the dinner menu?

Without hesitation: tomahawk steaks. The steaks are local Nebraska beef—dry aged, perfectly seasoned and served with homemade chimichurri sauce. Second place would be the duck tacos, and the pheasant risotto would take the bronze.

SSM: What part of the job do you find the most gratifying?

The most gratifying part of running River Lodge is when we are able to deliver an experience that meets a guest’s “bucket list” expectations, which we are very consistently able to do. And while we are able to accommodate every experience level of wingshooter, it is particularly gratifying when veteran worldwide travelers—the most discerning wingshooters of them all—tell us we delivered a world-class hunt.

SSM: What has you the most excited about the coming season?

We added some new properties that we are developing into unique, super-fun places to hunt. We love showing our guests a wide range of waterfowl hunts, so that every outing is a novel experience. We are in an amazing part of the flyway where one morning can feel like you are on a Saskatchewan goose hunt and the next an Arkansas duck hunt. We will have the new properties ready for next season, and they are going to be very cool places to hunt.