GM-GUY
NES Member
Cedar Knoll Hunting Lodge
Experience the thrill of the kill when you visit our hunting lodge in Fairfax, SC. Contact us today to learn more about our deer and boar hunting services.
www.cedarknoll.com
My Father-in-Law, my son and I went there last week (left on Tuesday night and got back Monday night); we got in on Thursday for a PM hunt and had an AM & PM hunt on Friday & Saturday and an AM hunt on Sunday. I shot video and my FiL & Son hunted. Cost per person is about $2300 for hunters, ~$200 for non hunters.
Very nice people, very good food, good accommodations.
So, it's open hunting, but they put corn down (three spots per stand - and they have a lot of stands to move you around to). Stands are not to be left until they come back to pick you up, you cannot go confirm your kill, cannot get closer to finish it off, cannot get out of your stand unless there is lighting. Range varies from ~100yds to 150yds from the stands my FiL and son sat in. My FiL (80yo) was in the same ground blind for 6 sittings - not an issue...…..you would think. My son moved around between 5 different stands (took Friday AM off - tired). Hunting license & tags per person is $248.
Results, out of us and 9 others there (that is 11 hunters (x6 sits less one for my son) so 65 times in the stands, in 11 different places AM & PM the grand total of seen game:
Less than 12 hogs, less than 15 deer (all non shooters does/button bucks/spikes). Two hogs were taken and no deer. One person shot 'a big hog', but through the leg and it got away.
My son got big hog seen and harvested at 115lbs and 150yds, one 308, 165gr Accubond put it down and he followed up with 2 more to be sure (can't get out of the stand). Another guy got a piglet, probably 50 lbs. My son saw non shooter deer at 200-225 yards (way out past the bait in another field for another stand) and my FiL saw two squirrels (fox squirrels), a bobcat and a rabbit. Overall rather a depressing week for ~$6000 + hotels/gas on the way down. Hayward (owner) did offer a return hunt at the observer rate so ~$750 + ~$500 license/tags + hotels/gas for another go.
Personal Note:
My FiL had spinal fusion surgery with a 10% chance of survival this year after I booked this (almost a year ago), his Significant Other is having serious medical problems, and his heart is starting to act up. I really wanted this to be a great hunt but I fear I was misled and may have missed the opportunity to get my FiL a great hunt. They claim 70 deer/sqmi but Anacosti quotes 50 deer/sqmi and my FiL saw 200 deer in 4 days of hunting there with no bait maybe 25 years ago. Hogs - I can't figure it, they are supposed to be a nuisance, invasive and taking over the south; not in that corner of South Carolina I guess.
Will I go back with my son? probably yes; will my FiL go back? probably not. How do I know I'm not throwing another $1750 into the same bad hole with a return trip?