The Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory is located in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills in Grant, Hooker and Cherry counties. In 1978, Elmer “Pete” and Abbie Gudmundsen gave the former Rafter C Ranch to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln leased the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory from the Foundation in 1981.

Since Gudmundsen’s inception, research and educational programs have become more ecologically diverse and team oriented. Joint projects with animal, range, soil, veterinary, economics, entomology, geology, hydrology, forestry and wildlife have increased our understanding of the Sandhill’s ecosystem. This has resulted in advances in range livestock nutrition, beef cattle reproduction, grazing systems, rangeland ecology, cost-effective cattle management, groundwater issues and wildlife management.