Two hunters step through a field of sorghum, making their way toward the tree line in the distance. Just where the wild grasses brush up against the tree trunks, there's a slight movement in the brush. It might be a hen-sized chukar partridge about to spring into the air on its short, barred wings. But if they're lucky, the hunters will spy the green crown, red wattles, and long tail of a plump prize pheasant.

These kinds of upland bird hunts draw people year-round to Deer Creek Hunt Club's more than 500 acres of woodlands, rolling hills, and wetlands. Well-trained gundogs—both flushing breeds and pointers—can accompany hunters on these expeditions, which are led by able, professional guides. Off the field, visitors can sharpen their skills in clay-shooting facilities with skeet and five-stand fields as well as a sporting-clays course with different sections for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The staff also leads private shooting lessons and hunters’ safety courses.

After a day in the fields, guests can refresh at the clubhouse, where furniture built by local Amish craftsmen fills a rustic but comfortable dining room. Memberships grant frequent guests privileges such as access to the clubhouse’s upper level. Just a few miles inland from Lake Michigan, Deer Creek is located about 90 minutes from Chicago and about 30–40 minutes from South Bend.