Accommodations & Meals

Fishing

From March through June, the waters of Lake Seminole and the natural ponds in the surrounding area are home to some of the best Trophy Largemouth Bass Fishing in the southeastern United States. There is nothing like dragging a rubber worm across the lily pads or fishing with top water rigs adjacent to tree structure… when all of a sudden you get at strike from a 10 pound largemouth bass that has been lurking in the structure.

In April through August, the bream and bluegill fishing (or shell crackers as the locals call them) can be absolutely incredible. Fishing over a shell cracker bed with a cane pole and a bobber… pulling in one fish after another of the pan frying size… until you fill the cooler. Then you have the opportunity for a fish fry while sipping one of your favorite beverages with your friends and family.

Hunting

Quail Season:  Mid October to Mid March

There is nothing more exhilarating and challenging for shotgun wingshooters than to see a covey of 15 to 20 bob white quail flush all at once. We want you to be challenged by mother nature… when 20 birds get up at once… and your stomach jumps up into your throat… and your adrenaline is pumping… and then you try to pick out the right bird for the first shot… in hopes of getting a chance to get to a second shot… and bag the double off the covey rise.

So, what does it take to have great authentic wild quail habitat?

Long Term Commitment
We are passionate about preserving the history and tradition of plantation style quail hunting… and sharing it with avid wingshooters!

But those traditions and the ability to experience the history are quickly disappearing. Development is consuming land that was once open and available to hunt bob white quail in their natural wild habitat. Horses and mule-drawn wagons have become all but eclipsed by trucks and jeeps as technology and high production farming takes its toll on a passing era, in a time when things moved at a slower pace.

It is our passion that keeps us committed and investing millions of dollars to preserve the opportunity to hunt the way it was done in the Golden Days of Vintage Georgia Quail Hunting!!

Your traditional quail hunt provides authentic bobwhite quail hunting exclusively from horseback and mule-drawn wagon.

Experience Georgia quail hunting as it has been done on most of the private plantations for over 150 years. If quail hunting is anything, it is driven by tradition. And for those who believe in traditions, there is only one way to hunt quail… from horseback and mule-drawn wagon. Quail hunting from horseback is as deeply embedded in the southern plantation psyche as grits and cornbread, and the mule-drawn wagon is an iconic symbol of the grand plantation quail hunting social experience.

Located in deep in the heart of south Georgia quail country, we provide our guests with an authentic experience that does justice to the history and tradition. We manage over 6000 acres of longleaf pine forest with wiregrass understory… the original quail habitat as it was more than 200 years ago. These forests are some of the finest habitat in all of south Georgia and they are native home to hard-flying wild quail that have to be hunted and are not merely shot.

When groups of friends and guests go out for the day in search of quail, there is a lot of ground to cover – the need for fresh dogs, lunch in the field, refreshments – all of which is traditionally borne by horse and mule. Though it may be far more expedient these days to substitute the internal combustion engine, there is something ethereal about the long horseback procession moving slowly through the stands of longleaf pine, the huntmaster in the lead watching for the point, and the big mule-drawn wagon jangling along behind, with fresh dogs in the wagon’s dog boxes and the more comfort-minded plantation guests enjoying the social aspects of the hunt from the padded wagon seats.

The quail hunting here is a true wild bird experience. Extensive work is done to optimize quail habitat on the over 6000 acres of longleaf pine habitat with wiregrass understory and interspersed with crop fields. Because we release young birds in late summer to supplement the wild quail population, these birds have time to become assimilated into the wild quail population during the fall shuffle. Thus, the quail flushed fly like bobwhites should, with explosiveness and speed. Sometimes the quail are out moving and easy to find, other times they are shy and aloof. But, they are there… and when they flush with lightning speed, it brings an excitement and challenge that reminds you of why you love this wingshooting sport!

For quail hunters, the pursuit of a revered little bird permeates every aspect of the lifestyle of those who pursue it. This plantation preserves that lifestyle with no compromise. Short of owning your own plantation or being invited to a private plantation, there are few places where quail hunters can experience the lifestyle that has enthralled wingshooters for two centuries. With its hospitality, genteel de’cor, and traditional horseback and mule-drawn wagon hunt, this is south Georgia’s finest quail hunting destination.

Quail hunting parties are normally 4 shooters per wagon hunt-party to provide personal attention and to gear the bird hunt to your desires. Three experienced guides (a huntmaster, a dog handler and wagon driver) will accompany your party and work our proven pointers, setters and retrievers to help you find the quail. A dog kennel of over seventy pointing dogs with exceptional bloodlines will earn your respect as they run their courses. The Labs and Cockers off the wagon will flush covies and retrieve the quail from where you drop them.

Conservation Hunting Practices
Our goal is for high-challenge covey rise shooting… and wild resident quail coveys are key. We carefully manage our hunting rotation because hunting an area too often can pressure coveys to leave.

Taking too many birds from a covey too often can pressure coveys to leave… so we will not allow you to shoot more than 3 birds from a covey… unless both shooters shoot doubles off the rise. We do this to assure the quality of that authentic covey rise shooting… for you… for the next hunt group… and for the next season.

One of the key survival techniques for bob white quail is “safety in numbers”. When a covey of 20 birds flush, it is a lot harder to pick a single bird to shoot… a whole lot harder than if only 1 or 2 or 3 birds get up. The same is true for a predator when it goes after a covey. Therefore, mother nature has wired wild quail so that when a covey of wild bob white quail gets below 6 or 8 in number… they are going to leave that area and search for another covey to join where they can have 15, 20 or so birds in the covey.

It is Expensive… It is Authentic… and if you want the Real Thing… It is worth it!
When hunting authentic habitat from horseback and mule-drawn wagon a successful hunt requires 8 to 10 times the amount of habitat… and land is not inexpensive. If the dogs cover 8 to 10 times the amount of habitat… then you have to have more dogs.

A hunt party of 4 horses, 2 mules, a wagon, 10 to 12 pointing dogs, a retrieving dog, a wagon driver, a dog handler / assistant huntmaster and a huntmaster costs multiples of what it costs to hunt from a jeep with 4 to 5 multi-purpose dogs and a single hunt guide.

This experience is expensive to produce… it is Authentic… and for avid wingshooters who revel in the lifestyle of plantation quail hunting… it is worth every penny of it!!

Resident Wild Quail Populations
Our natural habitat and our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico assure us a great opportunity for wild bob white quail populations… but that alone doesn’t do the trick in today’s ecosystem. Quail today have many unnatural enemies from large scale farming practices and pesticides to predators that are out of natural balance such as coyotes, feral cats and hawks.

Resident wild quail populations are absolutely key to authentic quail hunting and all of our habitat management efforts are geared towards continual improvement to the survival, growth and prosperity of our wild quail populations.

What makes this south Georgia’s finest quail hunting destination?

1. Authentic south Georgia plantation quail hunting experience from horse back & mule drawn wagon.
2. Private, luxury plantation lodges
   • Ultimate privacy… only your group in your lodge.
   • Lodges as nice as any private plantation.
   • Private house staff… to serve you in your lodge.
   • Private dining… in your lodge… prepared to your selection (chosen in advance from our ala carte menu) by your private house staff under the guidance of our Chef.
   • We make Pine Hill feel like your plantation for the duration of your stay.
3. Georgia’s best wild quail and early-season release quail hunting… with lots of covey rise shooting opportunity, but you better be quick if you want to bag some of these bird
   • Over 6,000 acres of natural quail habitat – long leaf pine timber with wiregrass understory
   • Extensive habitat management

Duck Hunting As Part Of Your South Georgia Quail Hunting Trip

A morning duck hunt is the perfect addition to your Georgia quail hunting trip. Test your skills at shooting ringneck ducks, teal & wood ducks as they come screaming into the ponds located on our private bird hunting land at speeds of over 70 miles per hour. In colder weather you will see the occasional mallard or canvas back duck. Experience the dawn of a new day while duck hunting over one of our many private ponds – then retreat to the lodge for a relaxing breakfast. After you have spent the morning in the duck blind, it’s off to the pine forest for a day of South Georgia’s best quail hunting.

All ducks are wild. A typical hunt will last about 45 minutes following shooting light and will consist of pass shooting as ducks are circling to land. Harvests vary with natural conditions and shooting skill.

Turkey Hunting:  Late March through mid May

Some of the best eastern wild turkey hunting that south Georgia has to offer. The eastern wild turkey that we hunt were found in Georgia’s forests long before Columbus ever landed in the “New World.” Wild turkeys were originally hunted and utilized heavily by Seminole Native Americans and these same turkeys still roam the Georgia fields to this day.

Quail habitat management and predator control produce excellent wild turkey habitat as well. Your turkey hunting guide will scout the best turkey hunting locations well in advance of your arrival and will position you with decoys and call the turkeys in for you – or if you prefer, you may do your own turkey calling. One guide is provided for two hunters.

Spring time in south Georgia is also peak time for trophy largemouth bass fishing and brim (or “shell cracker” as the locals call them) fishing on one of our private ponds. When the shell crackers are bedding there is no greater fun than the nonstop action of bringing in one after another. Largemouth bass fishing, shell cracker fishing, skeet shooting competition on our 5 stand and horseback riding on the property make great activity additions following a morning turkey hunt. Contact us for customized group pricing.

After spending an enjoyable day turkey hunting and largemouth bass fishing on some of south Georgia’s finest private turkey hunting land and private lakes, treat yourself to world class lodging and a gourmet dining experience.

Length of Stay / Itinerary

Travel Details & Location

Internet & Communications

AT&T cell service works very well and Verizon is good. All lodges have Wi-Fi for your convenience.

Rates

Pricing:

2023/24 Season: Oct 13, 2023 – March 19, 2024

Private group rate with full day hunt/ overnight stay with no extra bird fees: $8,800 for up to 4 hunters.

Trip Insurance & Cancellation Info

Trip insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment on this trip. We will assist you with trip insurance upon booking. See links at the bottom of this page for the two providers we suggest for our clients.

Family Expeditions, LLC confirmation and refund policy:

If your trip is more than 90 days out from date of departure, a 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your reservation and must be received within 10 days of booking to confirm your dates. All trips must be paid in full at least 90 days prior to the departure date. If your trip date is within 90 days, FULL payment for the trip is required. All payments to Family Expeditions are non-refundable. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your trip, we will do everything in our power to assist you in finding a suitable substitute or transferring your dates per the lodge/providers/government requirements. Trip insurance protects your investment!