Micajah Plantation
Carter Brittany Kennel's
Carter Brittany Kennels is located in the heart of pristine and authentic south Georgia quail country. Our plantation and training grounds consist of over 1300 expertly managed, richly preserved, biodiverse acres of towering pines. Our native quail population is thriving along with many endangered species that call this delicate and threatened, coniferous habitat home. There is nothing more beautiful than the peace we find in working our dogs from horseback in this idyllic setting. The wind causes the broomsedge and wiregrass to gently dance ad wave while the sun casts patches of diffuse light that is reflected and glistens from the blooms of bluestems. The distinct hammering of giant, pileated woodpeckers can be heard echoing in the distance before softly fading away. On the hills, the gopher tortoises lazily munch on grass close to their burrows and indigo snakes drape themselves elegantly over fallen tree trunks and shimmer as they warm themselves in the sunlight. The black and silver-backed Sherman's fox squirrels quietly watch from the branches as we pass and busy themselves by feeding on pine nuts. Whitetail deer pick their heads up in interest before bounding gracefully and unafraid towards the dense thickets of the low areas where the small bunches of pitcher plants add exotic bursts of color. They briefly stop to turn around to look at us once more and slowly disappear. On occasion, we see the bald eagles that call the plantation home flying high above and it seems like their wings touch the clouds. The dogs are enthusiastic and it's exciting to watch them work as they effectively cover the grounds in fluid movement, bounding over brush and combing the native grasses and feed strips during their hunt. With their heads and tails held high, the dogs point staunchly with intense style. We dismount our horses and flush the quail who burst into flight unharmed, leaving scattered remnants of intricately colored feathers in their place. The blank pistol is fired to simulate the sound of a shotgun just for show. We mount our horses once more and blow the whistle, and the game begins one more. As the sun goes down, bobwhites call out sweet and clear through the pines as the sun gently sinks below the horizon, turning the sky brilliant shades of red, pink, orange and purple. As the quail slowly reform their covey, we head back to the campgrounds to call it a blissfully perfect day.
A Family Rich In History and Tradition
In the late 1600's, the Samuel Paulk, Sr. family crossed the ocean from England to begin a life in the New World that was full of hopes and dreams. A few years after arriving, Samuel met Joanna and took her as his wife and they settled in Concord, Massachusetts. Their great-grandson, Micajah Paulk, Sr. was a preacher. Micajah Paulk, Sr. and his uncle, Reverend Daniel Marshall, and their wives and children, decided to travel throughout the south to spread the Gospel. Micajah Paulk, Sr. and Daniel Marshall were Congregationalists who became Separatist Baptists during the Great Awakening. They were leaders in establishing the Baptist religion and worship services in Virginia, the Carolina's, and Georgia. In his support for the cause of religious freedom, Daniel Marshall was arrested for preaching when he first arrived in Georgia and was imprisoned. However, he didn't allow this to stop his work. Daniel Marshall and Micajah Paulk, Sr. led in establishing the state of Georgia's very first continuing Baptist church on the Little Kiokee in 1772. This very first Baptist church of Georgia still remains operational to this day with a strong congregation and weekly worship services.
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Micajah Paulk Sr. and his wife, Rebecca Stearns, had ten children, They named their fifth child Micajah Paulk, Jr. and he served in the Revolutionary War against the British. He received certification for Revolutionary War Service in February of 1784. As a bounty for his service, he received a parcel of 287.5 acres of land. By 1846, he owned 3450 acres in the 5th district census of what was Irwin County, Georgia at the time. Today, Micajah Plantation's 1300+ acres rest in the center of the original 3450 acres held by Micajah Paulk, Jr, who was our grandfather.
After the civil war and the death of Micajah Paulk, Jr, life had changed dramatically. By the early 1900's, the entire 3450 acres were split up and sold off in parcels. Over 100 years later, in 2016, we purchased a little over 1300 acres of the original property of Micajah Paulk, Jr's plantation. For the first time in over 100 years, the land was once again back in the original Paulk family hands. Jim's father, Carroll, had always wanted a pristine property like this as he loved the outdoors. He was a banker by day, but loved nothing more than exchanging his business suit for overalls and enjoying life on the farm. When he passed away, we used Jim's inheritance as a down payment for the plantation to honor his father's memory and dream of owning such a property. When we purchased the plantation, there was a lot of work to be done to turn it into the property it had the potential to become - the property of our dreams. The beauty it has today would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Drew's father, Dennis Paulk. Like Carroll, he too enjoys the outdoors and the farm life. He has many decades of experience in maintaining pine forests, and he enjoys the work of transforming this gorgeous property. The words "thank you" could never convey how very appreciative we are for him and what he has done. For many reasons, this property tugs at our heartstrings. We thoroughly enjoy every day we are blessed enough to be able to spend time as a family in the beauty of an authentic South Georgia wildlife preserve.
Dogs and Horses
Through this property, we combine two of our favorite things. Drew has loved horses since she was very small and still loves to ride as one of her favorite pastimes. She also has a degree in environmental health science and intensely studied the long leaf pine ecosystem and it's maintenance in school. Jim has always had a passion for wildlife and has studied managing wildlife in the long leaf pine ecosystem just as intensely. Jim loves dogs just as much as Drew loves horses and enjoys working and training them in his free time away from the veterinary clinic. AKC Horseback Field Trials enable us to have something we enjoy doing together as a family. The kids love it. too, and they like to make the birds fly, shooting the blank pistol, riding the horses, rolling in the grass, and enjoying the fresh, outdoor, South Georgia air. Jim has mapped out over 2 miles of trails that are marked and maintained that travel through the most beautiful parts of the property. We also have camping hookups which enable us to host AKC field events and trail rides. Micajah Plantation helps make our life whole and it reminds us of the importance of family and to make each and every day special.