Hunting is a longtime tradition in the South, both as a pastime and a way of controlling the populations of certain game species in order to manage and preserve one's land. These days, hunting clubs are king when it comes to having thousands upon thousands of natural acreage. But to get in on the Southern shooting tradition you don't have to cozy up to club members or throw down thousands of dollars to join - if you're even able to secure one of the few memberships available. A weekend (and yes, a bit of money) is all you need to get sporting at the following Southern resorts.
Barnsley Gardens
Barnsley Gardens Resort's sister property, SpringBank Plantation, offers upland quail and pheasant hunting and one of the most extensive shooting clays facilities in the Southeast. SpringBank's 1,800 acres include both rolling hills and flatlands.
Quail hunts, pheasant releases and mixed-bag hunts are offered in season, mid-November through February, with turkey hunting in the spring. Professional guides are included along with custom-built Jeeps and world-class hunting dogs, and loaner guns are available. SpringBank also offers dove hunting memberships for the season, with specified hunting dates from September through January. The Caesar Guerini Wings & Clay School offers shooting instruction year-round for all skill levels. The plantation features a 26-station sporting clays course with a diverse layout of shots, plus a new five-station course ideal for first-timers.
The expanded clubhouse offers a relaxing refuge after a long day in the field. Women should consider the Syren Shooting & Spa Package, a two-night package which includes shooting instruction, rental of a Syren gun designed especially for women and a $100 spa credit.
Along with sporting pursuits, the resort boasts activities such as horseback riding, fishing, golf, spa treatments and biking. The resort's interesting history can be explored in a small museum attached to the ruins of the mansion, which Godfrey Barnsley stopped building for his wife Julia when she died of a lung ailment in 1845.
Guest rooms and one-bedroom suites with wood-burning fireplaces and private porches are available in cottages arranged in an English-inspired village setting. The resort also offers multi-bedroom estate cottages with common areas, each with its own unique character. Early next year you'll be able to book a room at the Inn at Barnsley Resort, a new addition that's intended to make visitors feel like a guest at a country estate.
Primland
Primland's 12,000 acres contain varied landscapes and an abundance of managed wildlife.
Guided wing-shooting hunts for pheasants, bobwhite quail and chukar, including both upland shoots and European-style driven pheasant shoots, are offered September through April. The lodge is endorsed by high-end hunting and fishing retailer Orvis for meeting high standards for staff and service.
Primland's whitetail deer herd numbers more than 1,000. Fair chase hunting is permitted during Virginia's hunting season, which typically runs November through January. Guides transport hunters to their hunting areas and blinds, as well as help track and recover downed game. Meat cooling and processing services are available, but if you choose not to transport your venison, Primland partners with Hunters for the Hungry, which will process and distribute the meat to the less fortunate.
Fair chase wild turkey season is during April and May, when guests have a good chance of taking home a trophy long-beard.
The resort's mile-long sporting clays course is open year-round and features 14 stations that simulate hunting for pheasant, quail, grouse, duck and rabbit. You can also polish your skills at the resort's bow and air rifle range, which boasts a variety of bull's-eye, animal and spinner targets. Shooting lessons can be arranged, and loaner guns, ammunition and hunting licenses are available through the resort.Beyond shooting ports, Primland guests have access to a range of other activities, such as renting mountain bikes or ATVs and hitting the resort's extensive network of trails, reaching new heights with a guided tree climb, playing a round of traditional or disc golf, indulging in spa treatments, going fly fishing, horseback riding, kayaking or stargazing from Primland's observatory dome.
Accommodations include the main lodge, cottages, mountain homes and even tree houses for a truly unique mountain getaway.
Montage Palmetto Bluff
Located on the May River between Hilton Head and Savannah in Bluffton, South Carolina, Montage Palmetto Bluff features boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation in the beautiful Lowcountry region, along with some of the most luxurious accommodations found in the Southeast.
While you won't find any actual hunting, Palmetto Bluff Shooting Club boasts 13 sporting clay stations within a 40-acre forest, as well as an elevated, covered five-stand station and a wobble deck field. The resort's lagoon offers more than just great views; you can try your hand at catching one of the largemouth bass that call it home.
If you tire of sporting pursuits, try a treatment at Palmetto Bluff's acclaimed spa, play a round on the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, take a spin on the resort's luxury yacht or saddle up at Longfield Stables. For more active pursuits, you can also paddle a fresh or saltwater kayak, or take a ride on one of the resort's cruiser bikes, which serve as the main mode of transportation along with golf carts.
Palmetto Bluff also boasts four restaurants and 24-hour room service at the inn as well as the 50 homey cottages and cottage suites, which feature fireplaces and screened porches.