Golden Ranch Plantation

Opportunity on the quail courses starts in October and ends in March. You are taken to the shooting courses in modern hunt vehicles. The dogs, all trained at Golden Ranch, are eager to get you placed on birds as quickly as possible. Birds are a combination of wild and released; all fly fast. You are not in a longleaf pine stand in South Georgia; you are in southern Louisiana where cover coverts are numerous, and you better hone your shooting skills so the birds donÕt out maneuver you. Quite frankly, hunting quail in October can be hot. Most of the vegetation is green and scenting conditions are mediocre. But dogs that have grown up in the swamp seem to adapt. The hunting in the winter months is more like the classic quail hunting Ñ cool weather with much better scenting conditions. The edges of some of the quail courses open into relatively open hardwood stands. It is not unusual to pursue quail into these areas. It is a different but challenging experience. Because of the new continental pheasant shoot being offered, a pheasant or two on the quail course that was missed on the pheasant shoot may surprise you. This adds another dimension to your wingshooting outing.

The continental shoot is laid out with 10 shooting stations in a circle and a tower in the middle. Guests are transported to the course in air-conditioned comfort. Shooters move around the circle so everyone gets an opportunity at a similar presentation to the birds. The Golden Ranch continental is unique in that it has both woodland shots as well as open field shots. The pheasants are scooting when they are released from the tower. Trained retrievers pick up downed birds. Escaped birds are either hunted in a cleanup hunt or, as they disperse throughout the Ranch, they find their way to the quail courses and give the shotgunners another chance.

Duck hunting on Golden Ranch is an incredible experience. From getting to the blind in a mudboat before sunrise to calling in the birds, the guides will show off their skills. Some days you will limit out, other days you wonÕt. Invariably you will have a great time. Shooting from a boat blind or a marsh blind, you will be presented with some challenging flight patterns. The season and limits are set each fall and vary depending on how the duck population looks coming off the breeding grounds. Warm winters in the North have had a negative effect on duck migrations into the South. Even with these problems, hunt tallies have been fairly consistent at Golden Ranch for many years. The great duck hunting is part of the reason Golden Ranch Plantation is an Orvis-endorsed wingshooting lodge.

Deer hunting on Golden Ranch continues to be a favorite. The quality of the habitat leads to good quality deer. Deer stands are modern and comfortable and are placed in safe, productive areas. You have the option of hunting in the woods, over greenfields or in the marsh. Each is a unique experience that has the potential of producing a trophy. Many hunters like to try their skills on more than one wildlife species. A deer and duck combo hunt is a good example. Some will also add a quail hunt or continental shoot. If options are available, people usually like to try them out. After the hunt, the staff handles the details on all types of hunts. Taking home some meat will allow you to share your adventure with friends.

Many people like to hone their shotgunning skills on clay birds. Furthermore, learning to shoot at clay birds is a good way for beginners or youngsters to start their wingshooting habit. Golden Ranch has skeet, sporting clays and five-stand that can help the beginner or expert. These activities can be an excellent promotional tool for a hunting preserve. For example, in March of 2004, Golden Ranch hosted the Houma OilmenÕs Sporting Clays Invitational that resulted in thousands of dollars raised for charity and the exposure of the plantation to several hundred people.

As an Orvis-endorsed wingshooting lodge, Golden Ranch has a reputation to live up to in the field as well as back at the lodge. The lodge is actually the original plantation house, built in the 1860Õs, that has been completely modernized. The lane leading up to the house is lined with live oaks that were thriving prior to the Civil War. Many success stories are told in the trophy room in front of the beautiful fireplace that can come in handy in southern Louisiana in the winter. The five-star Cajun cuisine served in a casual atmosphere is the perfect finale to adventures on Golden Ranch Plantation.