Posts earlier re Disney world and Southwind and Libby's in Maine.
The only qualms I had about deciding to visit Southwind was the Disney factor - it may indeed be just a tad over the top for me since I don't like resorts in general and do not like fake stuff but I'll give it a try.
Libby's in Maine is NOT the least bit Disney. It is truly a North Woods hunting lodge. I have a "regular" cabin that I get every time I go and it was built in the 1930s. It's real ruffed grouse and woodcock shooting and you may or may not limit out. They can fly you out to outlying camps and then come back and pick you up a week later if you wish. The fly-fishing is superb. Most of the people are repeats and they don't wear baseball caps to dinner.
My father, a New York businessman, had friends who would go "up to the North Woods" and as a lad I always imagined what that was like. I discovered it the first time I went to Libby's. One can now drive in via logging roads (don't try it after dark) but until fairly recently one had to either fly in on floats or canoe in with a couple of portages.
Not concerned about the 20 ga - I have three of them and shoot them well (at least well for me!) and I took a 20 ga on my Ptarmigan hunt up north.
The whole issue of wild vs planted birds is unfortunate - up here there are no wild pheasant. Period. A planted pheasant might make it a couple of days before a predator gets it. Locally our grouse are way down.
Yes, the face of shooting is certainly changing.
