Guided Hunts and Hunting Lodges

[Parkerman]

Robin
I would suggest Riverview Plantation in GA (Quail Hunting at Riverview Plantation | Southwest Georgia ...)
Contact is Cader Cox 111 or IV.
Quail is hunted, they had 200 dogs the last time I was there.
Large lodge where meals are served, several smaller lodges on the property for guests
You can hunt morning and afternoon or pretty much any combo. There is a large trout pond on the premises if you need more relaxation
First class service. Gun safety is a priority with the family. Game is packaged for you to take with you. Airport pickup is available. This is the best place that I have ever hunted!

Linn

[Mills]

While on the subject of quail hunting, my wife and I go to Morrison Pines Plantation in Moultrie, Ga, every year and we highly recommend it.

http://www.morrisonpines.com/

[Craig Parker]

http://www.falconsledge.com/
http://www.pvhunting.com/

I'm thinking a cast and blast would be a great getaway, passing this on.
I moved from the area last year and do miss this place a lot, did even use there birds during the open bird seasons to keep dogs seeing birds to improve there drive or maybe it was just me. They have fields to fit each guys fitness and needs, the birds are strong, dogs might have to pin a bird and/or hunt him up. I did not try the fishing but planning a trip back up in couple weeks and maybe then. Keith and Brent are really good guys. Might have look for work while there cause it's damn hot here in Okla,had been gone for 4yrs and enjoyed them highs in the 85's there.

Craig

[6pt-Sika]

My first guided hunt was in 1991 to Zortman Montana . We killed mulies on the C.M.Russell NWR . The guy who guided us there was a transplanted Virginian and to be honest I don't even know if he's alive anylonger !

My second guided trip was with a fellow in Lincolnville Maine for deer . I know for a fact he is no longer in the buisness as he has since sold his bear hunting operation he had around Old Towne to another fellow .

My next semi guided try was White Oak Plantation in Tuskegee Alabama . They have also closed up shop as of a couple years ago now .

After that I hunted with a couple fellows in Dorchester County Maryland for Sika deer . One bunch has closed down but Muddy Marsh is still going but bowhunting only . These Sika deer guys I like , they take you to a treestand tell you where the deer typically come from and then leave you to yourself . I mainly deerhunt now and hunting to me is alot about solitude and being to myself .

I suppose my days of guided hunting are past . Nothing against it I just don't want some stranger sitting beside me in a blind or treestand . Now I opt for do it yourself or paying a tresspass fee to hunt on some place or what I call semi guided where they tell you whats what and send you on your merry way .

Now if I ever get the inclanation or the time to shoot an elk or moose that WILL BE guided as I don't wanna have to worry about getting that big SOB outta the where ever by myself !

[Larry the Gun Guy]

For guys who haven't hunted too much, I think it's necessary to get them into a lot of shooting. They need to see what this hype is all about. They don't want to go on a nature walk with a gun in their hands and not see or shoot anything. To me, to do that you have to go to South Dakota on an "out of this world pheasant hunt". You have limited time and you can't go on a 2 week scouting trip first. Some of my friends try to do the "do it yourself thing" by getting the state publications and finding the walk in areas, but they are mildly successful. You want to go to the operations that have wild birds and lots of them, and they advertise that way. It really is unbelievable if you've never done it. It's something that they'll never forget and it will hook them. The great thing is you can shoot these Parkers that we're all wrapped up in and really experience what they were meant to do. Go to Dakotawildhunt.com or look at their ad on pg. 138 of the Sept/Oct Shooting Sportsman, that's no exaggeration of what it's like. A lot of the other commercial places like Firesteel Creek Lodge or Buffalo Butte or a host of others that have ads in this magazine or in Sporting Classics and are just as good. This really isn't hunting, it's shooting. But for people new to the sport they need to get a full injection right up front and these places will do it. I grew up in Idaho and I’ve hunted all kinds of game, trust me this will be a hit.

Good luck and please report back as to how it went, whatever you decide to do.

[Mills]

Very helpful information. We have been looking for a good pheasant hunting operation in South Dakota

[Craig Parker]

Maybe this is for the Mid-Con guy's. Headed to up Utah for upland and fishing in the Uintah's in 1 week but looking for maybe some prairie chickens on way back. Thanks Robin for starting this thead. So N.Kas, S.Neb and Bruce, Calvin and PGCA guys any help would be great. I'm going to try to get my Dad to come up and meet me for the hunt back, he just will not leave for very long, damn he should retire but that's him. Left Utah last year and enjoyed the 3 yrs there, I'm going to make this run so next year I can load up grandson's to add to the enjoyment, which they only made it up during spring break so bird farm and ice fishing was the norm. And yes I'll have to work on there Mom's being school is runnig but this is School too= right, Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks, Craig

[charlie cleveland]

craig some of the best schooling i ever got was in the woods and wilds of our great land... with a little help from others... charlie

[Craig Parker]

Charlie,
That's the how I look at it too, the times in the field on quail hunts w/ dad and grandpa was things that hang w/ me. And the holiday hunts w/ family well seem to be gone as they say but sand hills and plum thickets are always there. But I plan to leave my kids and grandkids w/ some thoughts of times gone bye or to think on later. My son and daughter are in busy part of there life but if I can steal the grandkids away I do. So not leaving till dove season starts on the 1st and we get a couple day in.

Craig

[Double Lab]

Just to add to Jent's post about Sandy Cedars these are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. I've hunted S. Dakota for 15 years now and I started with a group of 16-17 hunters in a typical pheasant drive where 14 or so walkers course the field, usually standing corn, sorghum or CRP and flush the birds to 3 or 4 blockers. Ok if you don't have a dog. But if you have a dog as I do you want to work your dog in a more controlled setting. That's when I found Sandy Cedars and Mike and Jim Puffer. These are all wild birds, no planted or released birds as there was in the prior operation I had hunted. You don't rely on sometime 100yds away flushing a bird and maybe you'll get a shot at it. It's you and your dog. If your dog does his job and you do yours you will end up with a bird. That's bird hunting in it's truest form whether it's pheasant, woodcock, grouse, etc. We hunt at our own pace on small parcels of cover. The lodge is very nice, food is great. Tell them Daryl sent you.