Spring Hill
Taylor & Schley Counties, Georgia⁞620± ACRES
Arguably, one of the finest trophy deer hunting properties in South Georgia under 1,000 acres
- 620 +/- acres in the heart of Georgia’s big buck country
- Located in corner of Taylor, Macon & Schley Counties, some of the most prolific big buck counties in the South
- Exceptional amount of merchantable timber
- Rolling topography, big draws, numerous spring creeks starting on the property, mature upland hardwood bottoms
- 1.5 miles of spring creeks & 3,100 feet on Cedar Creek itself
- 28 existing food plots!
- Feeders and stands
- Camp/lodge 3 BR/2BA, full kitchen, dining room, living room with oversized carport & covered back porch
- 2BR/1BA Bunk House, living room & handicap accessible bathroom
- Historic Hill homestead
- Two newer storage barns, one with spray foam insulation
- Exceptional mature timber value both pine and hardwood
- Conveniently located off four-lane U.S. 19 & Prosperity Church Rd
- Local grocery stores are within 15 minutes of the property – either north to Butler, GA or south to Ellaville, GA
- Just 26 minutes north of Americus, GA and it’s restaurants
- Macon, GA is just over an hour drive to the east and Columbus, GA, (Georgia’s second largest city) is just an hour drive to the west
Spring Hill is one of the finest deer/turkey properties under 1,000 acres to come on the market in quite some time. Located at the edge of Macon, Taylor and Schley Counties this property offers quality deer genetics found only here and a few other counties in South Georgia. These areas lead the south in B&C registered “book” bucks. Today, the market for top deer hunting properties located in the right areas is as strong as the quail plantation market - or stronger. We have closed numerous trophy deer properties in the $5,000+ per acre range and the demand continues to rise for well managed land in the right location.
However, that was not always the case. In 1927, Ranger Arthur Woody personally began a lifelong campaign to reestablish whitetail deer in Georgia. His initial efforts and continued passion led to a formal stocking program that spanned 46 years. A few areas, like here, were lucky to receive the Wisconsin strain and most of these areas were lucky enough not to have any native deer to dilute their genetics.
This is why in Georgia, as is some areas of North Florida and Alabama, the original source of the initial release matters over a half a century later.
“In our business the different genetic influence is quite obvious. What these top Georgia areas have in common is a one-time limited release from one superior source, Wisconsin. When we are valuing land to deer hunters this matters. There is no question that Spring Hill has the hardest of the “big three” to achieve…Genetics, Nutrician and Age. Thus, they have everything it takes to make a world class deer property.” - Jon Kohler
"Taylor and Macon Counties had no deer in 1962, until the Georgia Game and Fish Commission released 41 deer less than 20 miles from here. They didn’t plan on creating a world-class trophy buck destination; it was just too much time and labor to catch the few remaining Georgia coastal deer and relocate them. It was much cheaper to simply pay Wisconsin $35 a head. Regardless, this is what they accomplished and today these two counties have 10 official B&C bucks to their credit and help lead Georgia as one of the top trophy Whitetails destinations in the country.“ - Jon Kohler
“School children in Georgia should be taught more about Ranger Woody and how he started our modern deer restocking than about Johnny Appleseed.” - Jon Kohler
The current landowners have taken this genetic base and run with it. They feed deer year-round, have installed 28 large food plots, they have corn feeders, protein feeders and fruit trees of all types. The ground here is fertile and can grow about anything one wants. They have even experimented with irrigation on a limited trial basis. They have installed roads and trails throughout to allow access without disturbing game. I can tell you by driving through the place that game is well distributed, both deer and turkey. The last of the “big thee” criterial is age. They very infrequently harvest a deer here. They really are about growing big bucks.
Spring Hill boasts some wonderful water features as well. The property has 3,100 +/- feet on Cedar Creek along with 1.5 +/- miles of spring creeks. The clear sand bottom spring creeks start on the property. There is also a potential lake site as well as the site of an older lake that may be repaired.
To complement the terrific hunting and outdoor experience, the current landowners have refurbished two farmhouses which provide a camp atmosphere for the property. “You’re not going to find an enormous South Georgia mansion here. This is more of a camp feel. This is a place for folks to get away, share camaraderie and enjoy God’s great outdoors.” The first is a 3BR/2BA with a full kitchen, dining room, and cozy living room. It also has an oversized carport and a spacious covered back porch perfect for parking atvs and gear. The fire-pit is a major draw.
The second home is more of a bunkhouse with two bedrooms, a living room and a handicap accessible bathroom. This home has been tastefully decorated with old tin to create the perfect hunting camp backdrop.
The current landowners have also added two insulated storage barns and an open air shed.
It’s no coincidence that homesteaders founded the best lands. Here, this farm was originally known for the Hill family whose homestead still stands and whose patriarch and family are buried in a private cemetery on the property. Prior to that this was part of the Creek Nation. In fact, only about 20 miles away is the Old Agency Reserve that President Washington founded in order to trade and develop better relations with the largest Indian tribe in the South. In 2010, we actually sold Old Agency Reserve and helped protect it under a conservation easement. The current landowners have enjoyed panning for artifacts and have found Indian pottery and arrowheads along with remnants from past farmers that settled in the area.
Spring Hill is also a great Social Storm property, sought out not only for recreation and enjoyment, but also as a place for protection and wealth preservation. If tomorrow is a better day, properties like Spring Hill will continue to increase in value, if tomorrow is a worse day, its value will also continue to go up with demand.
While easily accessible off U.S. Highway 19, Spring Hill has a tucked away feel. Local grocery stores are within 15 minutes of the property – either north to Butler, GA or south to Ellaville, GA. Americus has good restaurants, a hospital and is only 26 minutes. Macon, GA is just over an hour drive to the east and Columbus, GA, Georgia’s second largest city, is an hour drive to the west.
For just under the $2M mark you’re not going to find a better deer and turkey hunting property, particularly with this much merchantable timber. With the amount of acreage, the terrific topography and the basics of a solid management plan in place, one would be hard pressed to find a hunting property of greater value, situated in one of the best hunting areas of the country, for a better price.
“When we travel here you have a great chance of seeing us in Barrow Automotive (my 2nd favorite gun store in GA after Kevin’s) or eating at The 1800 Mexican Restaurant in downtown Americus.” - Jon Kohler
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Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.
Prior to joining Jon Kohler & Associates, Walter Hatchett served for 30 years as a land manager to several of the south’s most esteemed properties, including Rock Creek. As a former property manager himself, and a consistently ranked “Top Sales Producer” nationwide and achieved “APEX Top 20 Land Broker” multiple times, Walter has a keen eye for the best in habitat management.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.