| Mark Pope and his two brothers, Chris and Jeffrey, | | | | rest are for turkey hunts. The prices for deer hunts |
| came up with the idea to start a hunting lodge when | | | | range between $850 and $1950, depending on the |
| they had to find a supplement to farming because | | | | length of time, and most are successful, Pope said. |
| the peanut quota system was eliminated and profits | | | | The biggest deer that has been killed through |
| from peanut farming slackened. The hunting lodge. | | | | Southampton Outfitters was killed on the property |
| located on Cedar View Road between Drewryville | | | | this year and was a 170 class, 11 point buck. Turkey |
| and Capron, sits amid 5,000 acres of land. Pope said | | | | hunts range from $900 to $1750 for different lengths |
| the farm was started by his great-grandfather and | | | | and different number of turkeys. This year the whole |
| was originaly used for farming peanuts and cotton. | | | | turkey season was booked, Pope said. Dove hunting |
| "We decided to use our resources" Pope said. | | | | also draws a crowd. Between 40 to 50 hunters show |
| Although the brothers still grow peanuts and cotton | | | | up for the three dove hunts per year that the |
| on the land, now the land is also used as hunting | | | | brothers conduct. All hunters must come with their |
| grounds for Southampton Outfitters, the company | | | | Virginia hunting license and their own guns and |
| started by the three brothers in 2001. Previously, the | | | | ammunition. Advance booking is from February until |
| Indiantown Hunt Club had free use of the land. | | | | the end of the summer, because all hunts are on a |
| Southampton Outfitters offers deer, waterfowl, | | | | first-come, first-serve basis. The prices of the hunting |
| dove and turkey hunts in three-day and six-day | | | | trips include lodging, transportation to the sites and |
| increments. Fishing is also offered as a recreational | | | | meals cooked by Pope. The meals, he said include |
| activity for those staying at the lodge. Pope said | | | | foods like steak, ribs and baked potatoes. They are |
| most of the hunters come from the | | | | also all you can eat. More recently, the brothers have |
| Northeast-Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and | | | | been branching out. Southampton Outfitters offers |
| Maryland. "They love this area" he said. The hunters | | | | two trail rides per year, one in May and one in |
| hear about Southampton Outfitters from its Web | | | | September. The turn out in May was around 85 |
| site, the two hunting Web sites the company | | | | riders, Pope said. Riders, who were mainly from |
| advertises on and a nine-day outdoor show where | | | | Virginia and North Carolina, brought their own horses |
| the brothers set up a booth. "Repeat business is big | | | | and rode around the farm. They also had the |
| too" he said. Pope estimated that between 70 and | | | | opportunity to buy meals along the trail. The brothers |
| 80 hunters come every year, and that this year he | | | | also started a peanut company in 2001 called Royal |
| has seen an increase of 10 -15 percent. Most of | | | | Oak Peanuts. |
| those, between 65 and 70, are for deer hunting. The | | | | |