Big Red Oak Plantation Shooting Preserve is a premier, nationally recognized 3,000-acre facility located in Gay, Georgia. Set amidst a beautiful certified forest featuring rolling hills, towering pines, and oaks, it caters to everyone from absolute beginners and families to elite competitive athletes. The standout feature of this location is the world-class shooting instruction led by sporting clays world champion Wendell Cherry, making it a top-tier destination for shooter development.
The preserve offers exceptional infrastructure and state-of-the-art equipment designed to provide stable, yet highly challenging target flights. The core shooting facilities include:
Five distinct sporting clays courses tailored to different skill levels (Pheasant, Quail, Back 40, Walking, and Sub Gauge).
A specialized FITASC parkour equipped with 12 premium Promatic trap machines.
Classic disciplines including a covered 5-Stand, as well as standard Skeet and Trap fields.
Automated systems with delay timers and Super Sporting layouts designed for complex multipull challenges.
Thanks to its extensive layout, Big Red Oak serves as a central hub for major competitive shooting events. It regularly hosts prestigious national and international tournaments, such as the US FITASC Grand Prix, the NSCA Southeast Regional, and the Georgia State Shoot. Beyond professional sports, the facility is highly equipped for private gatherings, offering a 6,000-square-foot climate-controlled pavilion complete with a commercial caterer's kitchen. This makes it an excellent choice for corporate team-building events, banquets, and fundraisers.
The complex also places a massive emphasis on education and the future of the sport. Key training and developmental benefits include:
Personalized instruction for all levels, spearheaded by Wendell Cherry, the club manager, and local NSCA-certified coaches.
Youth development programs, serving as the official home base for multiple Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) school teams.
Financial support for young athletes, offering deeply discounted target rates specifically designed to encourage youth participation.
Returning to its roots as a traditional Southern sporting estate, the plantation offers extensive hunting and overnight lodging options. Guests can participate in guided quail and pheasant hunts, or engage in whitetail deer hunting governed by strict Quality Deer Management (QDM) standards with severe penalties for harvesting underage bucks. For multi-day visits, visitors can stay at the Rustic Lodge, which accommodates up to 12 guests and offers authentic Southern meals, or utilize one of the 40 RV sites equipped with water and 30/50 amp electrical hookups.
Ultimately, Big Red Oak Plantation is a highly versatile destination. It perfectly suits beginners needing friendly targets, competitive athletes seeking complex terrain, youth teams requiring a supportive practice environment, and corporate groups looking for an all-inclusive outdoor retreat. It seamlessly combines elite sporting clays technology with authentic Southern wildlife conservation.
