A Relaxing Weekend at River Bend
August 24, 2020
Hunting,SCA Articles
Spend an afternoon watching dogs hunt ’em up, shooting shotguns at fast-flying quail, breathing the cool air of an October afternoon at River Bend Sportsman’s Resort.
Sometimes, you need a “work stoppage.”
Shut down the damned computer, turn off the phone and bolt. Spend an afternoon watching dogs hunt ’em up, shooting shotguns at fast-flying quail, chukar and pheasant, breathing the cool air of an October afternoon under clear blue skies, walking rolling hills adorned with a thousand shades of autumn…sometimes you just have to get the hell outta Dodge and travel to an outta-the-way place and turn yourself loose for a couple of days.
My wife Kathy and I, along with my stepson Jay, decided to make our escape this past weekend to River Bend Sportsman’s Resort in the foothills of South Carolina. River Bend has 525 acres of mixed hardwoods and pines, along with numerous openings where the aforementioned birds tend to congregate. While the pheasant, quail and chukar are pen-raised, they fly very well in the cool temps, and survivors of past hunts turn wild and wily in no time.
Of course, watching dogs work is half the fun of upland bird hunting. Frank, an English setter, and Pearl, an English pointer, were a blast. Pearl moved almost constantly at high speed while Frank tended to let the wind do more of the work. Both worked tirelessly, breaking occasionally to take a drink from, or in Pearl’s case a bath in, the water pails set here and there in the fields.
Our English guide, Nigel Gibbens, worked well with his British counterparts, never showing bluster or fluster over errant shooting or canine hardheadedness. He seemed set on locating every single, which we were all thankful for, as we rarely get the opportunity for such a hunt.
After an afternoon of following the dogs through brush and woods, we’d covered several miles. It left us worn out and ready to count birds, snap some photos and head back to the lodge.
If you enjoy busting clays, River Bend has both a five-stand and a sporting clays course. There’s a rifle and pistol range too. Should your preference be deer and turkey hunting, the place is loaded with both. Located on the Pacolet River, wild hogs show up on occasion and provide bonus sport.
The crowning touch to all this outdoor nirvana is the 6,000 square-foot lodge. The rustic log structure has a classic stone fireplace in the spacious great room, a pro shop and a game room with big screen TV, pool table and bar. A large dining and conference area are served by a full kitchen. Manning the grills and griddles are chefs Mike Simpson and Terry McClees. Our dinner was prime rib to order with delicious sides and dessert. A little wine, a little Jack, a few games of pool, football on the big screen and a crackling fireplace—an evening that’s hard to beat.
Our cozy cabin, just a few steps away, had its own fireplace, bar, big TV and four bedrooms, each with its own shower. There’s lodging enough for 28, and conference space for 175. The kitchen can feed up to 500.
The following morning, we enjoyed a full breakfast of cheese omelet, bacon, sausage, grits, fresh-brewed coffee and juice. Afterwards, we bid farewell to Mike, Nigel, Ralph and his right-hand man Gary, and drove back to a less ideal world and w-o-r-k.