Day 62 of the Hunting Season - January 10th, 2011

Day 62 of the Hunting Season - January 10th, 2011

Meet: Wiles

Temps: in the 20's

Couples: 23 *Puppies Keno, Kirkwood, Kent, Kane, Kalev, Kiwi, Kiki, Kia,Kay

Staff:
Huntsman- James Paxson MFH, Whippers-in- Priscilla Godsoe, Field Masters- Gary Kennedy, Hound Trucks - Leo and Flora Erb, and Karen Kennedy

Start: 9:45am
End: 11:45am

As everyone else bundles up and stays inside the River Hills Foxhounds keep their noses to the ground and keep chasing foxes.



I think there might be a common misconception with fox hunting which is that we go out and gallop and jump over hill and dale. Fact is there are many times I get back to the barn with barely a saddle mark on my horse. There are other times when I go through three horses in one hunt! You never really know what your going to get.

Hounds ran strong for a half hour or more in the woods. Since we know the 'usual' pattern of the foxes at Wiles we sat pretty much in the middle of the woods and just listened to the hounds at work and viewed the fox make his circles and loops.



There was one time when the hounds started to head away from us towards the cattle field, we saw them fly across the path above the log house, and then heard them, heard them, and then... nothing. MFH Jimmy told us to sit tight and he was right, fox came right back. He was able to give the hounds a bit of the slip when he ran out into a hay field and the wind blew the scent around. The hounds made a check but picked up the line again. Soon after they took the line deep into the briers and probably put the fox to ground. It was a bit too tough to find out on foot or horse so we moved on.

The hounds picked up another line when they moved past the ram in the direction of the meet. They took it towards the Produce Farm and Puseyville Road. Somewhere in there they hit a miss. Since we were practically back at the meet MFH Jimmy pulled them up and we headed in.



Good day :-)