You won’t find an outfitter more dedicated to the success of your wingshooting experience!
Frederick & Rhonda Moody strive for excellence in customer service and will customize your adventure to fit your every need. The Sawbriar is a meticulously developed property specifically designed with the wingshooter in mind. Our shared love for the covey rise, rooster cackle, and point of a classy bird dog consistently guides our single minded efforts to develop and maintain a world class sporting destination. From the personal service and attention to detail of our dedicated staff, to the world class dog work of our well-bred pointing dogs and retrievers and our intensive habitat management practices, The Sawbriar is unequalled in the Mid-South when it comes to a world class wingshooting experience.
Our Management
Frederick Moody MS, DVM
Fred grew up in Allardt, Tennessee. He has a Master’s in Science in Biology and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He currently practices full time near Cookeville, TN. Hunting and fishing has always been his true passion and the Sawbriar developed from his desire to share this fervor with others. Fred’s diverse educational background provides a basis for scientific based property development, wildlife management and canine health, training and reproduction. Although the majority of hunting and fishing is pursued around Allardt, yearly trip to pursue fish and game in other areas of the world rejuvenate the passion. The joy of birds and bird dogs is the driving force of the Sawbriar at Big South Fork and Sawbriar Gundogs and Fred’s dream of having a world class destination in the greatest place on earth; Allardt, Tennessee.
Rhonda Moody
Originally from just across the river in Oneida, TN, she holds a BS in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN. Without question she is the foundation of the Sawbriar management. She is a fabulous cook, great puppy handler and the go to problem solver. She has a very diverse and practical understanding for everything regarding the businesses and on the farm. Rhonda enjoys bird hunting especially and enjoys fishing when it is warm; not cold. The Moody’s acquired Highland Manor Winery in 2016 and she currently manages the business and winemaking at “the oldest winery in Tennessee”. Rhonda has grown the business and they recently added the first craft beer taproom in the county; The Sawbriar Brewing Company. Rhonda is a great multitasker and has a get it done mentality. Fred couldn’t do it without her and she is his “greatest catch”.
Our Guides
Your guides at The Sawbriar are some of the best in the country. All bring a wealth of experience and professionalism to the field. Their passion is enjoying in the outdoors and we love them all. We hope you do too!
Raymond Boles
A truly remarkable man. He grew up in Fentress County on a farm that is now at the bottom of Dale Hollow Lake and served his country in World War II. After completing his service, he worked for General Motors. He has always loved bird hunting. While living in Ohio, he hunted ruffed grouse on weekends and, upon moving back to Tennessee, resumed by hunting quail with a passion. Raymond was a long time guide for our dear friend, the late Royal Tompkins. We lost Raymond in July 2021 at the ripe age of 95. He will forever be missed at The Sawbriar.
Sidney Hall
Sid is an extraordinarily passionate and dedicated bird hunter. He loves English Setters, English Pointers, and Labrador Retrievers. He has always lived in Clarkrange, TN, near The Sawbriar and loves to hunt quail, ruffed grouse and pheasants. He usually takes an annual trip to the North Country for grouse and pheasant. He has two sons, Dylan and Denver.
Dylan Hall
Dylan is the son of Sid and grew up hunting everything that moves, especially birds, with his dad. His experience with dog handling and guiding are very advanced for his age. His humor and exuberance will provide our customers with a very fulfilling day afield.
Ronnie Eldridge
Ronnie hails from Cookeville, TN and is a well-known dog trainer in the Upper Cumberland region. Ronnie is a very dedicated wingshooter and has some of the most well trained pointers in the area. When available, Ronnie guides at The Sawbriar and we are lucky to have him assist us. He travels to various locations each year for pheasant hunting, Iowa being his favorite. His vast experience and highly trained dogs make everyone’s hunt a day afield to remember.
Denver Hall
Dylan’s brother, Sid’s son, scholarship football player at Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN and occasional guide when available. His current days afield may be limited because of his busy schedule but his experience is way beyond his years. He has a very relaxed and friendly demeanor with our clientele.
Tim Harris
Tim is a military brat and lived in multiple areas of the USA and abroad. He is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN and currently in semi-retirement from the insurance business. He loves bird hunting and several breeds of gundogs. He has English pointers, English setters and usually has a nice little Brittany in the mix to irritate Ronnie. Tim is a wonderful outgoing personality and is absolutely lovely to spend the day with. Not only does he have the best hair of all the guides, he also has a striking resemblance to Jeff Bridges in “The Big Lebowski”. So if you want to hunt with an outstanding guy with the looks of a movie star, Tim is your guy.
Mike Armbruster, Ph.D.
Dr. Armbruster is a retired wildlife biologist from Colorado. He has a Ph.D in Wildlife Biology from the University of Missouri and also is a Vietnam veteran. Mike is very unassuming guide but has an absolute wealth of experience and knowledge. He specializes in versatile breeds. He is an active member in NAVDHA and often takes on an occasional versatile breed to train for field and home. His reserved, calm temperament has allowed him to have some of the very best versatile dogs the Sawbriar has ever had the pleasure to hunt with. Spend a day afield with Mike and learn more about habitat, game birds and versatile dogs than you can imagine.
Darrell Denney
Darrell is one of the most energetic and passionate bird hunters the Sawbriar has ever seen. He has no other hunting interests. He travels across the USA extensively in pursuit of all game bird species. He keeps a full kennel of English setters and a few English pointers. If you are looking for the bird forecast across America, Darrell can update you. He has developed a great relationship with many bird hunters and farmers across the USA and he is keen on where the bird numbers are up each year. Darrell is a retired schoolteacher, retired groundskeeper for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he kept Neyland Stadium in good condition for game day. During the summers he now helps maintain a golf course when not chasing birds. We are very fortunate that Darrell has joined our team.
Jim McGrady
Jim and his wife live in Lake Tansi, TN near their children and grandchildren. Now that he is retired, his days are spent working wiht bird dogs or judging at bird dog competitions. He enjoys a wide variety of outdoor hobbies from hunting to golf. Every year, he greets all the faces that come through the Sawbriar and loves seeing the excitement of a dog going on point. Come get to know him at the Sawbriar and he will make sure you have a great experience.
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Thomas Eichman
Thomas grew up chasing wild pheasants in Ohio farm country. He moved to Tennessee in 1996 to attend college at both David Lipscomb university and Tennessee Tech University where he studied horticulture and animal science. After college Thomas moved to Maryville, Tennessee and became a Blount county fire fighter. After his career as a wild-land firefighter Thomas settled back down in Maryville, Tennessee where he now lives with his wife Shawna and their 4 kids, 2 boys and 2 girls. Thomas spends the early upland season chasing wild birds all over the west including Montana, South Dakota, Texas, and more. Once winter sets in Thomas enjoys keeping the dogs moving by guiding at The Sawbriar. He enjoys nothing more than introducing young hunters to the sport of upland hunting and the joy of owning hard working bird dogs of all kinds. Thomas currently hunts 2 english pointers, 2 english setters, a German shorthair pointer and his newest addition, a sawbriar British lab named Lenny. Thomas also owns and operates a regional commercial landscape company servicing all of Knoxville, Tri-cities, and Chattanooga currently in its 19th year of business.
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Our Assistants
Our Assistants at The Sawbriar are some of the best in the country. All bring a wealth of experience and professionalism to the field. Their passion is enjoying the outdoors and we love them all. We hope you do too!
Buck
Buck Barger is the rock of The Sawbriar. He handles the day to day, especially hunt day, operations. Clients quickly learn that he provides great customer service. From bringing you drinks and extra shells in the field, to trading out dogs for the guides and serving your meals, Buck is the man. He and his wife Vicky have two sons, Conner and Dalton.
Jack
Jack Rosenbaum is a native of Fentress County. He grew up in what is now the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Jack lives on The Sawbriar property and tends to all the farm animals and summertime land management needs. He loves the outdoors and hunting. Jack is a great storyteller. Hang out with him for a while and you will hear a big one!
Jeff
Jeff is our new General Manager at the Sawbriar as well as an assistant for the Winery and Taproom. He is now full-time and will be the direct contact for most day-to-day operations. We are very lucky to have him at the lodge given his education and experience. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Wildlife & Outdoor Enterprise Management from Kansas State University. He has previous experience at a wing shooting lodge in Kansas, a fishing lodge in Minnesota, and most recently assistant manager for a flyfishing lodge in Twin Bridges, Montana. He loves fly fishing and bird hunting like all of us. Jeff enjoys Tennessee and the rural area of Fentress County and he believes, like us, that there are underappreciated outdoor opportunities. He has a German Shorthaired Pointer named Rio and now a new fox red Sawbriar British Labrador named Lorri. Jeff and the Moody’s will be working together over the next few years on several potential expansions to bring the joy of hunting and fishing to each of our wonderful guests. The best is yet to come and we are blessed to have Jeff with us.
