North America, Photography

Eating with Dead Animals in Paxton, Nebraska

Erica

This is part of the #WinosOnTheRoad trip series with Diana of D Travels ‘Round as we drive across country to start her new chapter in life.

things to do in nebraska

“Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse is a MUST!” If you’re looking for things to do in Nebraska, this should be at the top of your list.

We had been tweeting like mad-women since we had left Colorado in the morning to figure out must see spots in Nebraska on our way to Omaha.

Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge in downtown Paxton, known for six decades as a place where good friends gather, enjoy each others company, grab a bite to eat and spin a yarn or two. More than 200 big game trophies and countless momentos of Ole’s worldwide safaris. – RoadsideAmerica.com

Our eyes bulge. We look at eat other, waiting for a reaction.

“Oh that’s awesome.” “Let’s do it!” we blurted out at the same time.

Oh look, I found another weirdo that appreciates the “finer” things in road trip life. Hell, little did I know she was willing to flip a U-y and grab a picture of a T-Rex on the side of I-80 later on in the evening…

Oh man, I didn’t really realize what we were getting ourselves into.

I mean, I guess we should have taken a hint from the front.

things to do in nebraska

things to do in nebraska

So, while I do not condone big game hunting, these animals have been dead for 50-70 years. Hell, the bar opened up in 1933 (right after Prohibition ended) so I guarantee there are taxidermy-ed animals older than that.

So, while we were sitting there giggling like crazy over the absurdity of the number of dead animals in the place, I started coming up with back-stories of the animals involved.

So enjoy:

things to do in nebraska
Chuck: The only person to try and escape Canada, Chuck found himself scared and alone in cornfields of Paxton, Nebraska. He volunteers as the official greeter at the bar (because he can’t legally be paid).
things to do in nebraska
Pat: Coming from big potato money in Dublin, Ireland, Pat spends time at his vacation home on the prairies of Nebraska during the summer to work on the up and coming “Big Horn Potato Winery”.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-8
Fannie May: Nobody f*cks with Fannie May. She shot her husband twice and still walks freely to talk about it… if she so desired? She is not only loud, but quite the force to be reckoned with.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-9
Bruce: Both pop warner and varsity football coach extraordinaire, Bruce likes to spend his off times, drinking a cold stout beer and giving advice to traveling football coaches that seek his wisdom.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-10
Fran: The 1968 Miss Nebraska Quilting Bee Champion turned hair stylist, Fran gets her gossip on with the tenured bartender.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-11
Pedro: Escaping the life of a petting zoo entertainer, Pedro followed his dreams of becoming an insurance salesman.Best in Nebraska 2002.

OlesPaxtonNebraska-12
Ethyl: Reliving her days as a golden girl of dentistry, Ethyl spends her day handing out toothbrushes to the local children. On weekends you often find her knocking back mint juleps in hopes of re-tasting the past.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-13
Felipe: Inconspicuous and always well dressed, Felipe is the town’s one and only private eye. Using his long neck to put it into other people’s business, he gets the job done… most of the time. He spends his Monday afternoons at Happy Hour watching Ellen on the TV.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-15
Paulie: Known for his short fuse (especially when asked, “Why the long face?”), this retired MMA fighter likes being the town badass.
OlesPaxtonNebraska-16
Stevenson: In between tours with his grunge rock fusion band, Stevenson comes home to Paxton for the star treatment, but never a haircut.He. Will. Rock. Your. Face. \m/
OlesPaxtonNebraska-17
Bobo: Allergic to animal dander and snow, Bobo had to retire as the World’s Greatest Hunter and now has to live his life in a glass chamber. He now relives his glory days as a minor league baseball player by flirting with the Paxton High School cheerleaders.

OlesPaxtonNebraska-18

OlesPaxtonNebraska-19

Published by Erica

Your resident adventure geek, and travel photographer extraordinaire, Erica likes to keep life interesting. A few of her favorite things to do include Burning Man, Diving, Downhill Mountain Biking, and laying by the beach with a good beer.

44 thoughts on “Eating with Dead Animals in Paxton, Nebraska”

  3. I have often wondered what type of personality likes to have disembodied heads of fellow animals on the wall. I know it exists but it is more than a little weird.

  4. Hahahaha “big potato money!” I think Pat and Ethyl are my favourites. What a great idea for a post, Erica! And what a bizarre place – love it! Nebraska is sounding more and more appealing…

  7. Apparently this guys does! I freaked out over the lioness more than the zebra! Who shoots a lioness?!

  8. Got really weird looks from our roomies as Shaun and I sat there laughing so hard I was crying.

    “Hey now. We’re doing work!”

  9. I know a few hunters but I’ve only really seen deer… since they are local and there are a million of them.

    But giraffe heads? CREEPY!

  10. Damn skippy! Shaun and I took turns making up back stories for each animal. Too much fun. I mean, since they are permanent decor in the bar, why can’t they be patrons as well? 😛

    I think Nebraska has a lot to offer if you have the time to dig.

  17. After dating a hardcore Texan (he was “a bit” different than Shaun), I am used to … you know … the “t” word.

  18. Thats pretty much like how the kings used to put them up in their palaces in India!!!

  19. Yikes – that’s kinda creepy. Not a big fan of stuffed animals, especially ones that big

  23. This place kinda looks like the sportsmen’s club where Erica Rose is planning her wedding/reception. Didn’t see a wild white turkey though.

  27. HAHAHA!

    I’m not sure he is much different than Shaun unless he was a cowboy. Shaun is VERY Texan with many things. I can’t wait to do my post on “Shooting Shit in Texas” when we bring out the arsenal.

  30. A goldmine is EXACTLY what I thought. While I definitely don’t support it, I couldn’t help myself and wanted portrait style pictures of the animals.

  32. This looks like it belongs in TEXAS, but umm yeah I don’t think I could have ate there… no way. That’s just too man dead animals.

  35. Holy crap, Fannie Mae is terrifying! I don’t think I’d be able to digest my meal in this restaurant…

  39. Isn’t it? The expressions are what made me want to take portrait pictures of them. They really look like they are thinking something.

  40. LOL! Fannie Mae is apparently ruffling some feathers.

    Honestly the food was so good you stop paying attention to the heads staring at you.

  41. Taxidermy simultaneously cracks me up and freaks me out (the latter mainly because I can’t imagine killing an animal for sport). My sister’s ex and his family were big hunters–the type who go on safari in Botswana to come back and mount a wildebeest on their wall–and it was always kind of eerie to me.

  43. I can’t imagine killing one for sport either. Freaks me out. At least with deer they eat the meat.

    Did they name the wildebeest?

Leave a Reply