Point!”, I hollered over my shoulder to the rest of the field. Gunner was locked up, waiting for us to make our way over. The sun was hanging low on the western edge of the Keyhole field, one of my favorite spots at Orapax. As Egon, our young cocker pup leapt forward bouncing from in the broom sedge, the lump in the back of my throat began to well up. A hen pheasant burst from the cover, taking flight across the soft, grey sky. A bevy of shot rang out around me and the hen cartwheeled to the ground. Gunner rocketed off for the final retrieve of the day. The final retrieve of an era. I quietly brushed back a few tears and swallowed the lump.
Orapax Hunting Preserve shut their doors officially on Sunday, November 17, 2024. In one last hoorah hunt, VSS and friends booked just about every available field. My group was one of the last to come up to the clubhouse. That hen pheasant, contrasted against the setting sun was indeed the last retrieve.
Neal Kauder, NK9 Training and Punto Blanco Gun Dogs continue to operate out of the main house for training but the preserve operation did not survive the sale. Situated in Goochland County just 30 minutes west of Richmond, it was an ideal location. Best of all, it was only 15min from our farm making it perfect for a quick hunt or training session before a field trial. The VSS beginner hunts were a large part of our winter activities. Over the years, we’ve shared the excitement of upland hunting with countless students and clients. We’ve even had students use our hunts as 1st dates and one couple is now married! Magic happened every time we went out.
So, the big question is where can we find that magic now that Orapax is closed? This is a great opportunity to explore and discover new properties. VSS will be splitting most of our hunt operations between Bacon Farms (Lunenburg) and Forest Green Preserve (Partlow). We will also offer select opportunities at PriestView Preserve (Nelson) with their breathtaking views!
Do you have your own dog? Woodcock season is in! There are WMAs all over the state. Quail is also on an upward trend so be sure to join your local Quail Forever chapter to keep the population going. Looking for a great preserve to set out some birds? Here are a few fantastic options and what you can expect.
Bacon Farms Upland Hunting and Gun Dog Training in Lunenburg offers 200ac of the most incredible switch grass, milo and native grass strips you could ever want to hunt. Jacob has personally taken several dogs to the national championship level and knows what it takes to throw a great hunt. The property boasts several fields with nary a briar and can accommodate very large corporate groups. He even offers tower shoots with the next one mid-January and another in the beginning of February.
Forest Green Shooting Preserve in Partlow is over 700ac and has several fields, 2 amazing options in pine savannahs, a pond and fabulous clubhouse with overnight accommodations. David Sutter and his son Billy have been hosting bird hunts since David purchased the property over 50yrs ago. They will also happily set birds for someone wanting to work their own dogs and even have a great 5-stand to brush up on your shooting before your hunt!
PriestView in Nelson County is about 400ac and nestled in the bucolic, rolling hillsides under Priest Mountain. The views are second to none and Tim Costello and Gabe do an amazing job. They are also happy to set for anyone with their own dogs. As are most all the preserves.
Other preserves include Hunt’s Game Preserve (Jarratt), Rose Hill Preserve (Culpeper), Virginia Gamebirds (Berryville), Blandfield (Essex), Crooked Run (Botetourt), Dundee (Hanover), The Preserve at Crooked Run (Troutville), The Preserve at Dundee (Hanover) Primland (Meadows of Dan), Cumberland Estate (New Kent), and Sailor’s Creek (Rice) just to name a few.
There are plenty of places to go and explore and with a preserve season that goes until the end of April, have a great time exploring as many as you can. Be sure to take a friend or family member to share the experience!
Kate Ahnstrom, owner of Virginia Shooting Sports is a certified, professional instructor of the Paragon School of Sporting, pro staff Syren/Caesar Guerini, resident pro Orapax Hunting Preserve, Artemis ambassador for Virginia and field staff member of the Sisterhood of the Outdoors. Her tireless dedication to her students’ success is obvious in each and every lesson.
