Blessing of the Hounds - Day 59 of the Hunting Season - January 1st, 2011

Day 59 of the Hunting Season - January 1st, 2011

NEW YEARS DAY

Meet: Gibson's Down Patrick

Temps: in the high 30's

Couples: 20 1/2 Couples *Puppies Kane, Kirkwood, Kalev, Kent, Kiwi, Kiki, Kia, Kay

Staff:
Huntsman- James Paxson MFH, Whippers-in- Dr. Carl Mease, Dott Cochran, Hoppy Sterns, Priscilla Godsoe, Alyse Kennedy Field Masters- Duncan Patterson MFH, Gary Kennedy, Hound Trucks - Karen Kennedy

Start: 11:00am
End: 3:ishpm



Happy New Years Everyone!

We had a lovely day at Gibson's with the Blessing of the Hounds and a wonderful day of hunting with a great crowd out to enjoy all the sport!

If was a funny start to the Blessing of the Hounds when the hounds came over and wet all over Reverend Jo-an Glass as she spoke. Everyone managed to try and keep a straight face as Dott and Jimmy kept the hounds in order and the puppies from giving the Reverend kisses. Thankfully the Reverend took everything in stride and kept going.

Reverend Jo-an Glass gave a great blessing to the Horses, the Hounds, the Fox, and the Riders, and the Landowners! Afterwards we had coffee and donuts and got everyone on their horses. We moved off across the cornfield towards Dougs, and the little puppies gave us all a laugh when they tried to run after flock of geese that were flying off. They learned pretty quick that they couldnt catch up and seemed pretty disappointed when we called them back. We all have to keep in mind the eight puppies we take out are only ten months old. Can't you hear the puppies now 'What kind of foxes are these? THey have feathers, two legs, and can fly? - Goosy-Ho!'

The hunt started a little slow as they were hit and miss from the bank at Dougs towards the two streams and then up towards the hay bales. Hounds moved into the Bone Woods quietly working a line and then Drummer opened up. Dott viewed a fox by the Dog Box, and no sooner I viewed the fox run down from the Dog Box, run over a log to cross the stream that divides Ankrum's and Gibson's, and the fox went up the other side towards the rocky bank in Gibson's woods and went to ground. I think he went in fast because Drummer was not very far behind him!

MFH Jimmy took the hounds up stream along the Fishing Creek and along the Flat. Hounds were able to pick up a line pretty strong along the bottom and then up towards the Stone Pile where they lost the line at the top of the Palisades. MFH Jimmy who was on the road came up to the top where the hound lost the line, and was able to move the hounds on into the woods with the Spring House and the hounds were able to pick up the line again. They went on and straight out towards the Furriss Road but the fox went to ground on the bank at the road.

From here, we crossed towards the Township Building, and dropped towards the pavilion in the park and hunted towards the Duck Pond. The field view the foxes head out towards Herr's house, and soon after Dr. Mease and the car followers viewed the foxes all the way toward at the machine sheds at the bottom of the big bank.



Hounds picked up the line and were not too far behind. Clearly the two foxes were running together because the hounds almost looked like they were working serpentining trying to stay on the first line. I was standing at the big bend in the road where the fox usually crosses towards the tires... I was just about thinking the fox most have gone one out another way and I was worried that I was most likely going to get left when out popped the first fox and like always ran towards the tires. As I bent down to my radio to be quiet and call it in the second fox came out to my right through Herrs horse pasture.



Drummer was the first out of the covert and was on the line of the second fox, then came Darla and Dawn.. the D's seem to be in control of the day! So on I went the lead hounds as they took it up through the woods on the meet side of Furniss Road and went on the bottom up towards the Old Spring then along the end of the cornfield on the Stone Pile side, dropped down the Palisades bank towards the Fishing Creek. They wrapped around the bottom of Herrs horse fields and went back up the bank of the Palisades and out across the hay field and then hit a miss.

At this point we got a count, we had all the hounds and thought it best to call it a day and head back to the meet.

Karen and all the ladies had everything heated up and set out in the Pigery. We had a very enjoyable time with everyone. It certainly is a great feeling to see so many happy people, happy hounds, happy horses, and most importantly a happy huntsman.

Great way to 'hunt in' the New Year!

Cheers!

We will be hunting Monday, January 3rd at Red Pump - 10:00am weather permitting