Quail Hunting

[paulH]

I. have an English setter that I try to hunt each year. We usually go to Red Oak Plantation because it is only 45 minutes from my house and they will let you bring your dog. My question is has any one gone to South Fork Preserve in Danielsville near Commerce and hunted? They will also let you use your own dog and put out 10 quail for you to hunt. Unfortunately pen raise quail for your own dog is about as good as it gets. Had someone close that raised quail and we would turn them lose on our farm but he quite. Any input would be great. Thanks.

[dink]

Never been to the locations you mentioned.You may want to check out Noontoola Creek Farms. You can bring your dog and hunt unguided.They will put
as many quail and pheasant as you want. Beautiful place to hunt.Also they have a sporting clays to..

Hope this helps.
dink

[huntfish]

Buckeyes Plantation in Jersey (between Monroe and Social Circle). Was $8/bird and self hunt.

[theosprey]

I'm interested to see the replies this thread gets.

I'd love to find an affordable place to take my German Shorthair that wasn't a direct put and take operation... Something like an early release or continual release operation where you pay by the bird.

I've heard good things about Buckeye's. I'm pretty sure it is a same day put and take type place.

Search South Fork on craigslist for a review of their dove shoot. I've never been to South Fork, so let us know what you think of their operation if you go.

I plan to take 2 trips to the delta this winter for woodcock. I wanted to shoot wild birds over my dog, but decided I didn't have the dog power for a long trip to Texas, Oklahoma, or Kansas.

Additionally, I'll be running three Johnny Houses this year to keep the dog happy.
Here is a video explaining what a johnny house is. Maybe the link will work.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QUe8Ket-m8o" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUe8Ket-m8o

[Counslrman]

...I used to (back in the 60's-70's) hunt a lot down in Alma and East of Albany...knew some guys who had farms / land there...beautiful terrain...flat...some marshy areas...rattlers...lots of natural birds...don't know if you want to travel to S Ga, but there's some fine bird hunting...I think nowadays, unless you connect with some farmer or private landowner, most of the Quail "Plantation" operations are pretty high $$...

Blessings!

Jimmy

[paulH]

Quail Hunting

I may try South Fork firsnt it was only $100.00 for ten birds. Noontootla is very pretty since I have passed it fishing many times but they want $175 for 12 birds. If someone ever would want to split a trip I might be interested. Need to get her out by myself first this season to make sure her behaves. We did not get to hunt last year due to me having a job out of town. Thanks for the help and will post once I get this done.

[wspanic]

...I used to (back in the 60's-70's) hunt a lot down in Alma and East of Albany...knew some guys who had farms / land there...beautiful terrain...flat...some marshy areas...rattlers...lots of natural birds...don't know if you want to travel to S Ga, but there's some fine bird hunting...I think nowadays, unless you connect with some farmer or private landowner, most of the Quail "Plantation" operations are pretty high $$...

Blessings!

Jimmy

My family's farms are all just east of Alma the wild bird populations have vanished over the years there

We only do our own put and take hunts these days, if we stumble on a wild covey we are so excited to see it we wouldn't dare shoot any of them

I don't know if it's the predators, habitat, farm chemicals or all of the above but the wild birds are gone and it's heart breaking

[cjones]

I don't know if it's the predators, habitat, farm chemicals or all of the above but the wild birds are gone and it's heart breaking

Probably a combination of all of the above. The economic push to turn every square inch of ground under to squeeze in a few more rows of crop have pushed a lot of the habitat out. Even CRP ground seems to have fewer weeds (habitat) than my lawn. Add to that the ease at which landowners can load up a small sprayer onto their ATV of choice and blast Grazon (or other weedy/brushy herbicide) onto fence rows to keep them clean, and there just isn't habitat left for birds.

I'm not pointing fingers - I grew up on the farm. Growing up, we had a covey that stayed within 100 yards of the house. Over the years, urban sprawl has turned the open land that grandad and I use to run his rabbit dogs through the cotton fields into fine burmuda lawns and ping flamingos.

[fishnpreacher]

I saw a wild covey of 10~12 birds about 1/4 mile from my house. I had not seen a covey in over 10 years, so I was pleasantly surprised. My son heard them in the evenings. Grandson (who’s ten) wanted to know whst kind of bird made those sounds. He’s never seen a wild quail.
Too many skunks, cats, other varmints around.

[narcodog]

You might look at Owltown Outfitters in Blairsville.

[Captain]

Call T at NCF and book a cast and blast. Hunt in the morning and fish in the afternoon. Wild trophy Bows and Browns and Quail and Pheasants that fly like wild birds. You will enjoy the experience!

[mb90535im]

I was walking my dog weekend before last and flushed a pair of grouse. Almost gave me a heart attack because they let us get right on top of them before they flushed. I can't remember ever seeing more than one at a time. Encouraging though because I've seen several now around the cabin in the Cohuttas, but have yet to spot a single quail.

[paulH]

Grouse

My wife and I were walking our dogs up the roads in our community in West Jefferson and had one fly across the road in front of us. The setter and Boykin both went crazy and took us a while to get them back. Might be hope in moving north, was afraid I was giving up a something I love. Hope these old bones can hold up to walking up hill chasing birds.

[Windknot]

This is sad. 20+ years ago I was busting a covey every morning on my way to a creek bottom deer stand. Since that time, zilch point squat.

[paulH]

Bird hunt

Months later finally got to go hunt quail. Visited McCranie Plantation in Eastman, Ga. Fantastic people who love dogs and love to hunt birds and farm also. Birds did not fly as well on first day but next morning they did much better even though it was getting warm that day. Got into a true wild covey on second morning and would not let dogs get within 20 feet before flying. Only got one of them but quite a difference in size from pen raised we had been hunting. Smaller feet, body and neck feathers were lighter brown not white. Dog did well and I was not embarrassed to much considering she does not get to go like she deserves. Plan on Noontoola Farms next after talking with them yesterday at fly fishing show. Great deal for $175 plus 12 birds and any others still out there.