Wallace Goodman, Pebble Hill Plantation director, Gates Kirkham, managing partner, Sinkola Plantation and Terry Chastain, manager, Melrose Plantation, will present the second in a series of First Friday Lectures from noon to 1 p.m., Friday, in the Flipper Room of the Thomas County Public Library.  The series is sponsored by the Thomas County Library System and Pebble Hill Plantation.  This lecture is titled “Bird Shooting South Georgia Style.”

The lecture is free.  Attendees are encouraged to bring a sack lunch as the pleasures and pageantry of quail hunting South Georgia Styles are discussed.  

Pebble Hill Plantation’s Hanna family members started hitching mules to the hunt wagon at the turn of the last century.  Following traditions of hunting that became more and more formalized during the 20th century quail hunting in South Georgia continues today.  Goodman will discuss the history of bird shooting at Pebble Hill and bring that history alive with early photographs from the Pebble Hill Plantation photography archive.

Terry Chastain, manager of Melrose Plantation, will explain the time honored traditions followed by hunters today and introduce some of the highly trained dogs of the Melrose kennel. Terry will also discuss proper hunting equipment, safety, and the essential jobs performed by Melrose staff members that assure shooters an amazing day in the woods of South Georgia.

Gates Kirkham, managing partner of Sinkola Plantation, will talk about the economic impact of quail shooting in Thomasville/Thomas County and the surrounding area.  Hunters fly into our airport daily during quail season and bring with them many needs that translate into business for local merchants, restaurants, and so forth. Quail hunting is a major contributor to our local economy.

The Thomas County Library System and Pebble Hill Plantation are pleased to bring Enlightening Bites to our community on the first Friday of each month at noon in the Library’s Flipper Room.  Bring your brown bag lunch and spend an enlightening hour.  This month, learn about Bird Shooting, South Georgia Style from Wallace Goodman, Terry Chastain, and Gates Kirkham.