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Spring Creek Plantation

Early & Calhoun County, Georgia⁞5519± ACRES

A Legacy Sporting Estate™

Just Listed

^$44,000,000

5,519± acre Legacy Sporting Estate™, Early and Calhoun County, Georgia
182± acre private Spring-fed lake
1,858± acres intensively managed wild bobwhite quail habitat - additional 2,000± acres could be converted
1,500± acres trophy whitetail deer woods
1,060± acres irrigated farmland (income-producing) - 12 pivots
20± acre floodable duck pond for waterfowl
8.5 sq miles managed for trophy whitetail deer
2 miles on both sides of Spring Creek
60± acre active rock mine (substantial revenue stream) - 85-265 estimated million tons of limerock
Brand New, World-Class Lakefront Lodge, 5,000± sq ft, fully furnished
Brand new 3-car-garage carriage house with guest suite, fully furnished
Lakehouse, recently remodeled and furnished
Gibbs House (2,167 sq ft) & Arlington House (2,828 sq ft), both recently remodeled and fully furnished
Open bay barn and Pridgeon barn at the Gibbs House
Silo House
Boathouse
All homes fully furnished and turn-key
Main equipment barn with shop and office
$1M+ in equipment included
Less than 10 minutes to 5,000 ft jet strip
Adjacent to Kolomoki Farms and White Oak Pastures
Exceptional Social Storm® property — secure, resilient, income-generating

Rare Combination of Attributes that Serious Sporting Landowners Spend Careers Looking for and Rarely find on One Piece of Ground

A Property with More Than One Extraordinary Endgame

5,519±

Total Acres

182± ac

Spring-Fed Lake

$500K±

Annual Income

1,858 acres

OF QUAIL LAND

$44M

Offered At

THE PROPERTY

There are properties, and then there are places that define a region’s legacy. Spring Creek is the latter - 5,519± acres of southwest Georgia’s finest sporting ground, assembled with the rare combination of attributes that serious sporting landowners spend careers looking for and rarely find on one piece of ground.

World-class trophy whitetail genetics in the heart of the most prolific B&C producing region in the South. Nearly 2,000 acres already under intensive wild quail management with a Tall Timbers translocation program gaining documented momentum. A 182+/- -acre private spring-fed lake that hasn’t dropped an inch during the worst drought in a century. A brand-new world-class, $3M lakefront lodge and brand-new, 3-car garage and carriage house with guest suite — professionally decorated. Three more fully remodeled homes. $1M in equipment. A full-time management team is already in place. 12 pivots covering 1,060 acres. $500,000+/- in annual income forecasted for 2026 from farmland and mining royalties that makes this one of the highest-yielding recreational properties in the South. Learn why Spring Creek supersedes a typical sporting property and meets our definition of a Legacy Sporting Estate™.

What separates Spring Creek from everything else available today isn’t any single feature. It’s the combination — and the timing. The deer program converted from quality management to trophy deer program and is crossing its inflection point this season. Covey counts on the quail program continue to outperform the norm.

The spring-fed lake hasn’t dropped an inch in the worst spring drought since statehood. The irrigated farmland is actively producing income with the option of converting it into wildlife habitat and increasing the land’s value. And in an uncertain world, a property with this level of self-sufficiency, privacy, and income production doesn’t just hold value — it becomes more valuable precisely when everything else doesn’t. This property has more than one extraordinary end game.

Whether your vision is B&C deer, wild quail, family legacy, or a Social Storm® sanctuary — or some combination of all — the right landowner recognizes Spring Creek for what it is: a property of a size and ambition that rarely becomes available and never stays available long.

THE LAKE

The 182 acre lake itself is the centerpiece. It takes this beyond simply a hunting property and into a year-round recreational property — exactly the type of property we now recognize as a higher asset class: Legacy Sporting Estate™. Not only is this one of the largest 100% private lakes in SWGA, it’s not your typical lake. It’s not fed by runoff. You’re not dependent on someone upstream or a dam. Today’s drought has shown it’s not dependent on rainfall. The lake has not dropped an inch during what is now the worst drought recorded in a century. The lake is spring-fed. Cold. Gin clear. When it comes to fishing or boating it couldn’t be designed any better. Extremely deep areas, shallow ledges, natural structure. A slalom course and jet ski water that you won’t find on a private property anywhere in the region.

"The 60-acre limestone mine area over the 182 acre lake may represent one of the greatest unrealized largemouth bass opportunities in the Southeast if converted into a managed forage-lake complex modeled after what Dr. Gary Schwarz created at La Perla Ranch. Schwarz revolutionized trophy bass management by proving that supplemental “forage ponds” dramatically accelerate bass growth. Rather than relying solely on natural reproduction inside the primary lake, La Perla developed separate forage production ponds growing threadfin shad, bluegill, minnows, and even freshwater prawns, which were then periodically flushed into the main fishery. The results were extraordinary: multiple double-digit bass, ShareLunker-class fish, and bass growth rates that far exceeded normal biological expectations." — Jon Kohler

What makes Spring Creek potentially even more special is the combination of spring-mineral rich water, warm growing seasons, and the existing lake bottom topography itself. The mined landscape has been sculpted into irregular basins, peninsulas, shelves, spawning flats, deep-water sanctuaries, and elevated forage cells perfect for trophy fish production—much like Schwarz’s Jalisco Lake system, where extensive shoreline complexity and supplemental forage became the key to exceptional growth. If the 60-acre mine pit were reclaimed into a forage pond producing shad, coppernose bluegill, golden shiners, and potentially freshwater prawns, the carrying capacity for giant bass could become almost unmatched in the eastern United States. Combined with Florida-strain genetics and controlled fishing pressure, Spring Creek could evolve into a nationally recognized “bass food plot” system—essentially applying plantation-level wildlife management principles to largemouth bass at a scale few private properties in America have ever attempted.The top bass lakes in the South are in former limestone mines. The reason: naturally occurring calcium and magnesium levels are what bass — and trophy bucks — need most. Most managed fisheries have to add these minerals. This lake doesn’t.

“If I owned this lake there is no doubt what I would do — convert all or part of the current 60-acre limestone operation and create forage ponds. I would raise prawns, shad, and other baitfish. I would do what Dr. Schwarz at La Perla Ranch pioneered and pull a valve to flush all of the forage into the lake for bass feed. I don’t know that I feel the need to grow a world-record 22-lb bass like he does, but the fishing would be unlike anything else. It wouldn’t take much. The baseline is already extraordinary.”
— Jon Kohler

“Spring Creek is truly built for family and friends. Beyond the hunting, the lake offers fishing, boating, paddleboarding, jet skiing, sailing, and more — all centered around the private, approximately 182-acre lake. It’s a place designed for making memories across generations.” — Landowner

THE HOMES

The homes at Spring Creek are exceptional. They are furnished and they are ready to walk in. The new lodge and carriage house, the lake house, the Gibbs guest house, the Arlington cottage — each structure is positioned to give every guest their own space while keeping the family together.

The centerpiece is the newly completed, world-class lake front lodge and carriage house. The lodge is 5,000 square feet of professionally designed living space. The carriage has a three-car garage with guest suite. Both are professionally decorated.

"This home was designed by a builder, husband and wife team. What started off as several plans combined, adding their vision of capturing lake views for every room of family friendly environment. The inside theme is ‘whimsical lake house’ with warm vintage pieces sprinkled throughout. Every room is inviting. Comfort living is encouraged when you enter the double front doors of the great room. Exciting features jump out at you – first, the 12-to-18-foot glass sliding doors with lake views, as well as the 30-foot stone fireplace and vaulted beam ceilings. The feature point here is also the 1800's Pecky Cypress mantle sourced from local vendor as well as the custom-made chandeliers in the great room and dining room that mimic the cattails of the lake. There’s an open dining and kitchen area with a chef's kitchen with upgraded wolf and subzero appliances can be found. Custom made 12 foot high cabinets and beautiful quartz countertops. Five bedrooms, each featuring touches from Spain and Italy, as well as personal separate lake views - designed for family and guests to have their own unique experience."— Landowner

The lake house is recently remodeled and fully furnished. The Gibbs house, 2,167 square feet, and the Arlington house, 2,828 square feet, were both recently remodeled and are fully furnished. This is a walk-in-ready operation.

Properties of this scale, in this neighborhood, with this combination of assets do not reach the open market. This one has.

FOUR OWNERSHIP VISIONS

Every serious landowner who walks Spring Creek sees a different property — a different opportunity. We’ve identified four distinct ownership visions — each with a compelling financial case, each shaped around a different landowner desire. Contact Jon Kohler to discuss the path of each of these visions.

PATH ONE · A Trophy Whitetail Property

For the sportsman who is serious about growing B&C deer — and knows what it takes to get there.

You’ve been looking for that perfect place to grow trophy whitetail deer. Not big deer. B&C caliber deer. Free range. You know genetics. You know nutrition. The weak link is a place with enough size for them to mature. The chance of finding 8.5 square miles of prime whitetail habitat is slim to none. But its here.

The biggest concern when buying a trophy whitetail property is the fear of not consistently being able to grow and harvest mature bucks. Here, the genetics are proven. We represented a property just seven miles from here and personally documented B&C caliber bucks. The nutrients are exceptional. Age is no longer an issue. The size, neighborhood, and shape of this property lend themselves well to mature buck production. In addition, a once-public road traversing the property is now permanently closed — eliminating the number one weakness this property once had. Imagine what having about 8 square miles with no roads, no inholdings means to a trophy deer program. In addition, Kolomki Plantation’s 7,000 acres borders the property to the north. Another 2,200 seldom hunted acres borders it to the west.

We asked Chip Byrd — wildlife consultant with Private Land Management and one of the most respected deer management professionals in the Southeast — to assess Spring Creek. His conclusion:

“As a wildlife consultant, there is no doubt that Spring Creek has what it takes to grow B&C whitetails. It has the potential to grow some of the largest whitetail in the Southeast.” — Chip Byrd, Wildlife Consultant, Private Land Management

Spring Creek is not in the center of the Worth County sweet spot — but it’s close. The asking price also isn’t $10,000 per acre for the land. At least it isn’t yet.

HOW SOUTHWEST GEORGIA BECAME THE #1 TROPHY DEER LOCATION IN THE SOUTH

The following is excerpted from Jon Kohler’s article published in Woods N Water Magazine — it's the most frequently requested back issue — the definitive account of how the Babcock Wisconsin genetics program created the most prolific B&C whitetail producing region in America.

In the era of deer translocation, wildlife managers went to Babcock, Wisconsin and for $35 a head brought whitetail deer back to southwest Georgia. It just so turns out that today the number one B&C county in the United States is one county west of Babcock. They literally couldn’t have brought in a better genetic than what they did.

The Babcock Wisconsin genetics dispersed across multiple southwest Georgia counties and made this area today the most prolific producer of B&C whitetails in the South. Spring Creek sits squarely inside that neighborhood. The genetics are not imported. They are not fenced. They are free-range, wild, and proven — and they are here because of one of the most consequential wildlife management decisions in American history.

PATH TWO · A Premier Wild Quail Plantation

For the landowner who knows exactly what an A-ranked wild quail plantation requires — and recognizes this ground the moment he sees it. Over 4,000+ net contiguous quail acres possible for someone who desired to have one of the largest and most prolific wild bird places in the Country. Here’s how.

1,858± acres of intensively managed wild quail habitat under active Tall Timbers translocation. Covey counts up 100%, 40% and 600% on three sites. The program is working exactly as Tall Timbers designed it. However, there could easily be more.

The “pivot insurance” — 1,060 acres of irrigated farmland that if converted to habitat raises the bar. We have a plan to show how this can raise more quail, eliminate population swings and increase the value of the land in one swoop.

The adjoining 7,000 acre Kolomoki Farms is already renown for wild quail. This would put almost 11,000 acres in one contiguous habitat block.

“I’ve represented some of the titans, the Virgil Williams and Tom Wellers and seen firsthand what Thorpe McKenzie and Tom Cousins have created. These visionaries are legends. They bought properties and finished them into legacy projects that their name will be branded with forever. This is one of those properties. Someone like that can take this and not only create one of the largest wild bird properties but create enormous wealth while doing it.” -Jon Kohler

“This spring my whistle count at Lick Skillet was 42 birds a 300-acre course. Between my own place and my clients, I have an inside position on seeing what the best are doing to increase quail numbers. If you’re seriously interested in taking this place from great to world-class, let’s talk.” -Jon Kohler

PATH THREE · A Family Recreational Legacy

For the landowner who wants his family to have a year-round place they’ll never want to leave — and a property that largely pays for taking care of itself.

You’re not looking for a project. You’ve seen what projects become — years of construction decisions, supply chain issues, and cost overruns before the first family dinner. You value your time and your certainty. You want something extraordinary that’s finished, performing, and ready to enjoy the day you arrive.

A 182-acre gin-clear private lake for year-round recreation unlike anything in the plantation niche. A brand-new world-class lakefront lodge and brand-new carriage house. Three more newly remodeled homes — everything furnished, everything ready to walk right in. A 20+ acre floodable duck pond. Two miles on both sides of Spring Creek. Gorgeous park-like hardwood bottoms. Exceptional timber. 12 center pivots and a limestone mine producing approximately $500,000 a year — one of the highest annual payouts of any plantation in the South. A top management team already in place. This is not a project. Walk in. Light a fire. Enjoy one of the most game-rich properties in the Albany Area Plantation Belt knowing you’ll only write a check for a fraction of the yearly operating cost.

The homes here are exceptional. They are furnished. They are ready to walk in. Each structure is positioned to give every guest their own space while keeping the family together. But the centerpiece is the lakefront lodge itself.

The rarest find in recreational land is a property that’s already operating at the level most landowners spend years trying to build. The current owners spent years converting farmland to wildlife habitat, building the lodge, and establishing the management program. That work is done. A new owner inherits the result, not the process. The families who have done this — who stepped into finished, performing estates rather than projects — share one observation without exception: they wish they had done it sooner.

“To be 100% transparent — the new lodge is one of those places that when a wife sees it, it will forever change her expectations of what a plantation lodge can be. The builder is one of the most prolific in the South. This was a personal build — thousands of homes in his career, and this one cost $3M.”
— Jon Kohler

PATH FOUR · A Social Storm® Property

For the landowner who has thought seriously about where his family goes when the world becomes uncertain — and strategic enough to combine recreation and a financial hedge all in one.

Fifteen years ago Jon Kohler & Associates first trademarked the term Social Storm® Property to describe a new asset class. While it was controversial back then, in today’s post-COVID world everyone understands the need for a place to go. It’s the perfect hedge. If times are great, the recreational market will appreciate as it always has — but if things go sideways, this property will be worth an extraordinary amount. Spring Creek scores among the highest ever recorded on the JKA Social Storm® index across eight dimensions: land quality, security, natural resources, hard assets, location, family-friendly, lodging, and operational. Remote, yet close to everything — Early County airport is less than ten minutes away. It feeds itself. It waters itself. It protects itself — and your family.

“Don’t be that guy. No patriarch wants to be that guy with enormous wealth on paper while his family has nowhere to go during the next crisis. These Social Storm® properties go against the tide of the market and appreciate greatly in bad times. The biggest problem is when it’s at its peak your family isn’t going to let you cash it in.”
— Jon Kohler

“The crime rate here is something below negligible. We just don’t have trouble. We’re in this huge area where it’s pure rural. If the worst thing happened, we would not be hungry. We would not be unprotected. There’s no doubt in my mind — this is where you want to be.”
— Owner of White Oak Pastures

Read all four before you decide which one you are. The one that surprises you might be the most important.

OPERATIONS AND INCOME

Two full-time employees manage the entire operation with ease, following Tall Timbers prescription with little oversight required. Almost all capital improvements to habitat have been accomplished per the plan. A 25-acre moist-season floodable duck pond is being completed now. The manager — formerly at Southlands, now known as Paul Reserve — has extensive experience and operates the property with professional precision.

“I knew Todd from Southlands. He is a top manager — the kind of person who can operate a property and follow the landowner’s direction in a professional and businesslike manner. His work is respected by Tall Timbers. I can’t say enough. He gets it and is a pleasure to work with.”
— Jon Kohler

Between the irrigated farmland and mining royalties, the property is forecasted to generate approximately $500,000 in annual income in 2026 — ranking it among the highest returns we have seen for a recreational property. Both income streams continue at the new owner’s discretion - or choose to shut down the mine screenings and convert the pivots to higher-value recreational land. When comparing “apples to apples,” no comparable recent sale offered this type of income or this type of conservation easement potential. And geological estimates indicate the property sits above approximately 265 million tons of limestone — the ground that grows the quail and the deer is also, quite literally, built on a foundation of lasting value.

“I first took note of this property 20 years ago. It was my dream that someone would do what the current owners did — convert the land to producing wildlife and genuine beauty. What I never dreamed was seeing a world-class lodge sitting over that lake. When I first saw it and took it all in I realized this is one of the top lodge settings in SWGA.”
— Jon Kohler

THE NEIGHBORHOOD · WHAT THE 2026 MARKET IS SAYING

The Albany Area Plantation Belt is the most intensively managed sporting ground in the Southeast. The properties surrounding Spring Creek are owned and stewarded by some of the most serious landowners in the country. Neighborhood is everything in this market — it determines what genetics reach your property, what quail populations your ground can sustain, and what comparable sales your land will be measured against.

Three comparable sales have already closed in 2026. Every one sold without income. Without a spring-fed lake. Without a world-class lodge.

River’s Edge tells the story of this market better than any data point. We have sold it three times — $4,200 per acre in 2019, $8,100 per acre in 2023, $9,850 per acre in February 2026. 135% appreciation in 7 years. Every sale set a then-record high. The only thing the buyers were sure of is that if they didn’t move they wouldn’t be the owner. Not one of those sales was ever listed on the open market. Every time, a landowner in our network who had missed something learned to take the next opportunity seriously when it appeared.

We have two other places that have broken the $10,000 acre mark and both over 2,000 acres. One, which we sold twice and about to be sold again we can show 200% appreciation in 5 years.

For a full list of comparable sales reach out to Jon Kohler.

“It’s been a long time — a very long time — since I’ve seen an opportunity at this scale for someone to come in, make a few strategic changes, let the habitat mature a little, and create enormous wealth. The biggest problem is finding a place large enough and with the quality to make it worthwhile. This one is.”
— Jon Kohler

THE COMPLETE INVESTMENT CASE FOR EACH VISION IS AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED BUYERS

Jon reviews each buyer registration personally.

Know someone who belongs in this conversation?
The people who have built the great sporting estates of the South didn’t do it alone. Forward this to a partner, advisor, or fellow landowner who should be looking at this ground.