Take Five: Southern Hunting Lodges and Plantations

So much more than the thrill of the chase
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Caryonah
Caryonah

Roger Woods

Caryonah
Crossville, Tennessee
The oldest and largest family-owned hunting lodge in the Southeast, Caryonah shines in its attention to detail, from the Italian-tiled bathrooms to the assemblage of Indian artifacts on display. Before a hearty dinner, patrons can admire the gold-plated Winchester .30-30 among the patriarch’s antique gun collection. Boar, the main game of the Cumberland Plateau, are hunted year round, and Caryonah also tends populations of exotics for hunting, including rams, elk, and buffalo.

 

Flat Creek Lodge
Flat Creek Lodge

Flat Creek Lodge

Flat Creek Lodge
Swainsboro, Georgia
This sustainable farm and lodge offers outstanding game hunts and catch-and-release fishing. And gourmands will gush over the seasonal menu, featuring fresh ingredients grown or caught on the property and paired with award-winning, artisanal cheeses from the on-site dairy. Exemplifying the rustic-meets-luxurious spirit of this hideaway, guests may indulge in spa treatments and stay in private, rough-sawn pine cottages that include access to the Japanese mineral bathhouse.

 

Honey Lake Plantation
Honey Lake Plantation

Honey Lake Plantation

Honey Lake Plantation
Greenville, Florida
Honey Lake’s well-rounded slate of activities, from kayaking and horseback riding to spa treatments and pontoon boat cruises, makes it an ideal family retreat. Enjoy hunting waterfowl and white-tailed deer, or catch largemouth bass in spring-fed lakes while the kids splash in the pool or play yard games. Stay in the stunning Trophy Lodge, the twenty-four-room inn, one of the deluxe cabins, or the Pansy Poe Cottage, named for the plantation’s founder.

 

Salt Grass Outdoors
Salt Grass Outdoors

Andrew Hinkebein

Saltgrass Outdoors
Buras, Louisiana
Saltgrass, a beneficiary of the rich Mississippi River Delta, boasts some of the world’s best duck hunting and in- and offshore fishing—even offering nighttime bowfishing by airboat. Catering to upscale tastes, the lodge allows personal aircraft to land on the property, and staff can arrange golf outings. The fresh pot of jambalaya in the foyer, glittering waterfront views, and stories from owner Raymond Schmitt and his seasoned, Delta-raised guides will beckon you back.

 

Wynfield Plantation
Wynfield Plantation

Terry Allen

Wynfield Plantation
Albany, Georgia
Since the Gilded Age, the elite have journeyed to southwest Georgia, the quail-hunting capital of the world, to test their precision against bobwhite coveys exploding out of the wiregrass brush. Wynfield and its attentive staff proudly continue this tradition with personal touches, like stocking your favorite whiskey brand before you arrive. Reminisce about the day’s hunt around the poker table or on the lakeside pavilion before retiring to well-appointed, private cabins.

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