When I was roughly nine years old, my father took me to Primland Resort. However, this was before the word “resort” could really be associated with the name. We were going on a deer hunt and to enjoy some time together in the woods.

We arrived at the rural Virginia mountain late at night, as we left our North Carolina home after my father finished work. The entire ride he would continue to work from his Blackberry phone, speaking into his recording device. Once we arrived we were directed to a small cottage-like bungalow that was situated hanging on the side of a cliff. The cabin was nothing to impress. It was small, relatively new, yet still very bare bones. There was a small tv and a basket full of John Wayne VCR tapes. We each ate half a sandwich, shared a can of weenies, and went to bed.

I do not recall much from the morning hunt, as I was probably groggy, but I do remember sitting in our stand. Dad had cut apples and put them in a zip-lock bag for me to snack on. Looking back, I know how annoying I must have been... fidgeting and not wanting to sit still, when sitting still is all I was supposed to do. We did see does on a hilltop ahead of us, and before the property manager came to get us, my dad had climbed down to see if he could cut them off.

Although we did not harvest a deer that morning, another hunter did, and we drove over to see it. This was my first experience with a dead buck. I remember the smell and how heavy it was to lift the antlers for a picture.

Fast forward six or so years, and Primland was, indeed, transformed into a fine resort. My parents planned a vacation weekend, and I was lucky enough to tag along.

At this point there was a golf course and a massive club house. There were, and are, houses for rent of all sizes, much more luxurious than the one I had stayed in years ago. Primland began offering a long list of outdoor activities: horseback riding, sporting clays, 4-wheeler tours, mountain biking, fly fishing, turkey, bear, deer, and other forms of hunting. They are now even listed as an Orvis Endorsed location.Overall, boredom is not an option.

Dad signed us up for a morning pheasant hunt. The field was tall with briars and tall grasses wet with dew. This type of hunting moves quickly, as you walk from one side of the field to another. The guide had two dogs which he was training, and I enjoyed watching them work. By the end we had harvested a few ringnecks and called it a day.

This was a great way to spend a morning, and the more I experience outdoor activities and especially hunting experiences, I long for the time to experience wild birds in the Dakotas. (If you want to know the difference between “wild” and “placed’ birds, check out “The Invite” on my blog.)

Overall, Primland is a fantastic vacation resort, and I do recommend visiting their website listed below:

https://primland.com/