Quail Hunting

Our dad, Butch Houston, spent more than 40 years breeding and campaigning exceptional bird dogs. His greatest success came with English setter Shadow Oak Bo, the only setter to win the National Bird Dog Championship twice.

Today, that tradition continues in the field at Shadow Oak, where guests have the opportunity to hunt behind Bo’s offspring and some truly exceptional bird dogs.

Great bird dogs are part of the Shadow Oak tradition.

Meet Our Dogs

Bobwhite Quail hunting in the Southern tradition is what Shadow Oak is all about. 

Morning and afternoon quail hunts are of approximately three-hour duration.

Our experienced and attentive guides and dog handlers know every corner and covey of Shadow Oak and will do everything to put you into an abundance of birds providing great upland shooting.

Best of all, at Shadow Oak we invite you to shoot your limit with no overkill fees to take your mind off the fun!

What to Expect

  • You will need typical upland gear including a blaze orange hat or vest, a hunting vest or shell pouch, field shirt, jacket, rain wear, waterproof boots or a pair of rubber boots for damp mornings and leather boots for afternoons, brier pants or chaps, and shooting glasses. Shotgun and shells. Dinner is casual at the lodge; no formal attire is required.

    Shadow Oak Plantation offers upland vests and field shirts, t-shirts, shell pouches, hats and more for sale in the pro shop. For those who prefer not to transport their shotguns, we offer rentals of 20 gauge over and under shotguns at $50/day as well as 12, 20, and 28 gauge shotgun shells for sale.

  • You are required to purchase a GA hunting license available online through the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources. To save time, we suggest you purchase your hunting license prior to arrival.

  • A hearty, home-cooked breakfast is served in the dining room of the main lodge at 8:00 am. At 8:30, your guide(s) arrives in the specially designed and equipped hunting rig or “Bird Buggy” and will go through a safety talk before you embark on your morning quail hunt. W

  • We’ll have you in the field by 9:00; dogs released searching for their first covey. You will hunt with your group of guests with one guide. We do not mix hunting parties in the field. For safety reasons, a maximum of only two shooters are allowed on the ground at one time and will rotate allowing all gunners to have equal shooting opportunities.

  • A delicious lunch is served back at the lodge at noon, followed by a short relaxation time or a quick round of Wobble Trap before we head back for the afternoon hunt at 1:30 or 2:00.

  • At the end of your afternoon quail hunt, we’ll bring you back to the lodge where you can enjoy the late afternoon rocking on the porch or in front of a warm fire on the back porch, cocktail in hand awaiting your scrumptious home-cooked Southern dinner, casual style!

    After dinner, our great room is a wonderful place to relax, read, or watch television. Enjoy the privacy of the screened in back porch or play a game of pool in the Bunkhouse before retiring to your bedroom.

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Safety is always first, assuring all our guests can focus on the hunt and have an enjoyable time.

  • • We limit the number of shooters on the ground to two for each time dogs point and birds are flushed. Shooters take turns giving equal opportunities to all shooters.

    • For safety reasons, we prefer you use an over-and-under or side-by-side shotgun.

    • Your gun must be unloaded and the chamber open when you are around the lodge area. If you have a double barrel or over-and-under shotgun, please have them broken open.

    • Do not load your gun in the field until your guide has indicated you to do so.

    • While in the field, always keep your safety on until birds are flushed and you are readying to shoot.

    • Your gun’s safety can fail. Be sure the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction, away from people and dogs. Always have your muzzle pointed in a safe direction (normally straight up) even if the gun is unloaded.

  • Alcohol consumption is absolutely not permitted before or during any hunt or while trap shooting. At the end of the day, we welcome you to enjoy our open bar for cocktails.

  • No one under the age of 12 is permitted to handle a shotgun.12–15 year old hunters must be accompanied by a supervising adult and have completed a Hunter Education Course. Only one young gunner will be permitted on the ground at one time.

  • Your guide has the authority to end your hunt if he deems it a safety risk for guides, other hunters, or the gundogs.

Each spring after quail hunting season, our plantation pine forests undergo the traditional quail habitat management tool of prescribed burning.

Feed strips of sorghum, millet and milo are planted in early July and come September blocks are mowed to get ready for the coming quail season.