Of the many dogs Junior Dobson hunts at Barnsley is "Jackson," a lab used primarily for flushing. However Jackson points and backs as well as most true bird dogs.
photo by Richard Simms
The jeep splashed as Ray Larson tried to navigate this Quailmobile around mud puddles left behind by recent rains. Today however, no rain, just a comfortable overcast that painted the rolling fields a muted October golden brown. While there were scattered pines, the rolling hills looked more Midwest than they did North Georgia.
Beneath my padded bench seat, several bird dogs whined in nervous anticipation... especially when they heard gunshots in the distance.
"I wanted you to see this view," Ray said as he rolled the modified jeep to a stop. "Junior has done every bit of this clearing and planting work himself."
The Barnsley Gardens Shooting Grounds includes 1,200 acres of intensively-managed property on the 2,200 acre Springbank Plantation.
"Junior" is Junior Dobson, Springbank Plantation Manager, the hunting ground owned by Barnsley Gardens in Adairsville, Ga.
Junior Dobson, Springbank Plantation Manager
Dobson is retired from the State of Ga. He was an officer with the Dept. of Natural Resources. However for the last 15 years of his career he says he was assigned to the Georgia Drug Task Force.... and he was inspired to retire in 2001 after he was shot the second time. This man knows his way around both ends of a gun.
He makes no secret of the fact that he enjoys his new career much more than the old.
"I get paid, I get to train a lot of dogs and I get to hunt a lot," he said with a smile.
The well-known Barnsley Gardens Resort expanded its operation to include hunting grounds three years ago. Dobson said however, this is really the second bird season in full operation. Like most people from Chattanooga, I have driven by the "Barnsley Gardens" sign on I-75 about an hour south of Chattanooga hundreds of times... but never visited. This time quail hunting inspired me to take Exit #306.
Guide Ray Larson chose to put "Maggie" on the ground first. Of course it didn't take Maggie long too long to get the first whiff of quail in the air.
This was only the second time in her life that Tiffany Simms, my daughter, had waded into a covey of quail. She was nervous, but probably not as nervous as I was for her.
I learned something that morning... good guns and good instruction make a world of difference.
Junior Dobson offers Tiffany Simms a few shooting tips.
Unlike other quail preserves I've visited, to promote safety Barnsley Gardens "requires" the use of breach-loading shotguns only. Since I don't own a breach-loader, Tiffany and I were forced (insert sarcasm here) to use a pair of Barnsley's Italian-made Ceasar Guerini over & unders.
Inexpensive Ceasar Guerini's start at about $2,100... and you can work your way up to $10,000. Good guns do good things for shooters, experienced and novice alike. Neither Tiffany, nor I, did very much missing.
"Most of your high-end guns are not made in the United States," Dobson said. "There's certainly nothing wrong with Remingtons and Winchesters. But there are some guns that are really made for bird hunting and there are some that are just good guns."
Dobson says hunters can, and do, show up at Barnsley without a single piece of their own equipment. Barnsley can take it from there.
"We've got chaps you can wear, ammunition of course," he said. "We rent out Ceasar Guerini shotguns for $30 a day... a little cheaper than buying one," he added with a smile.
"There was so much interest (in hunting) at Barnsley because we have the sporting clay course, shooting schools... and we were already selling shotguns and upland game apparel," said Dobson. "They had all this land and approached me to ask what to do with it. I said, 'Let's quail hunt it."
"My goal last year, our first true bird hunting season, was to do 200 bird hunts," said Dobson. "We did 279 so I went over my goal and it made me look like a hero. Now this year I project to do 500, and we've already done 85 since Oct. 1st."
Of course what that means is that if you want to hunt Springbank Plantation, you better make reservations in advance.
Besides high-end guns, high-end accomodations and high-end treatment, Dobson said he wanted to create a plantation different from others.
"I wanted this to look like Kansas if you went out West bird hunting, as far as the grasses," he said. "But I wanted the pines like South Georgia... so in my eyes I've tried to bring Kansas and South Georgia together in Northest Georgia."
Dobson said this year everything is ready and Barnsley is really beefing up their marketing efforts.
"We're doing a lot of advertising this year," he said. "We're trying to get in the major quail hunting magazines, the Atlanta paper and we're hosting two major Quail Unlimited field trials here this year. That will probably cost us some money, but it will sure help get the word out."
As for the birds, true quail hunters know that preserve birds can never measure up to wild birds. Dobson however says he gets quail from a North Carolina, flight-pen rearing facility... even though he could find cheaper quail much closer to home.
Besides guided hunts, Barnsley offers non-guided hunts for folks who want to bring their own dogs, as well as season memberships to the shooting grounds.
The hunting grounds are set apart a few miles from the original Barnsley Garden Resort and golf course. Dobson says Barnsley is preparing to develop additional land surounding the traditional golf resort and sell lots for homes.
"There are people standing in line, they've already got their places picked out," he said. "They're just waiting until they can sign on the dotted line."
At $375 for a Half-Day, the price for a quail hunt at Barnsley Gardens Resort is competitive with most quality hunting preserves in the area. If you want to spend the night at the world-famous resort, and you will find it is not a place for the "faint of wallet."
They offer a comprehensive package that includes two half-day hunts, guides, Jeeps, dogs, license and 30 birds & lunch on day of arrival, accommodations, breakfast, morning hunt, and then lunch before departure for $1,096. The food and service at Barnsley's Woodland Grill isn't quite like anything you'll find elsewhere.
Until recently Barnsley has been primarily for folks who enjoy gardens and golf. Now they're catering to folks who prefer the smell of wet dogs and burnt gunpowder. If you appreciate quality you'll find it just a short drive down I-75.
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(l-r) Junior Dobson, Springbank Plantation Manager at Barnsley Gardens and Guide Ray Larson. Larson is a retired professor from Berry College.
photo by Richard Simms