Day 57 of the Hunting Season - December 29th, 2010

Day 57 of the Hunting Season - December 29th, 2010

Meet: Herr's Stone Lane

Temps: in the 30's

Couples: 20 1/2 Couples *Puppies Kane, Kent, Kiwi(*first hunt), Kiki & Kia

Staff:
Huntsman- James Paxson MFH, Whippers-in- Priscilla Godsoe, Impromptu Whips - Melissa Gartland, Field Masters- Gary Kennedy, Hound Trucks - Dott Cochran
Start: 10:00am
End: 12:12pm



Hounds stayed together so great and ran a couple fast foxes!

We started out with 5 'River Hillers' on horseback - Jimmy, Melissa, Carlee, Gary, and myself, and then Dot showed up a little later in the truck to view fox and watch the roads. We were not totally sure where everyone was today, maybe too much Holiday cheer? No one could fit into their breeches? I dont know. But, I'd say everyone missed out on a fun day.

So, we started out to the right of the meet heading towards the trailer park. MFH Jimmy had some issues navigating the 'cows', and the puppies thought the cows had some very exciting smells, especially the smells that they could roll around in!

As we past the trailer park, Dawn picked up a line and the pack was off. They dropped into the woods parallelling West Ridge Road and made there way into Barkers side of the meet. The were quiet s the older hounds worked a couple logs and then flew out of the woods! It would have a great video had I been more prepared with my camera!

Out of the woods and over the coops to the big cow pasture above Jim's horse field. Hounds ran straight to one hole and out came the fox from another hole. He ran through the Stump Woods, back to Barkers Woods and then went to ground.

On our way out of Barkers Woods we pushed out another fox and ran him through the Stump Woods, to the bank by Jim's pond, up around the Old Barn Foundation and then back out towards the coop at the cow field and then lost him?

MFH Jimmy moved the hounds out of the Stump Woods area towards Jim's Clear Woods, in the direction of the hole near the Park Woods. As they past over the hole they picked up a line on the park trail and took it across Jim's Drive and under the power lines. Dott viewed the fox come off the bank above Jim's Barn and crossed up through the horse field.

MFH Jimmy moved the hounds through the cow pasture in the direction of where Dot viewed. Cows were rather interested by all the hounds and it was just safer to move through, even if we hadn't viewed a fox. Not long after the hounds were on the line and they took it up through the horse field, out into the cow pasture, dropped into the Stump Woods again, crossed the little stream to the Old Barn Foundation, and then took a straight line towards the big cow pasture and the coop.

Melissa and I view the fox but he went right towards Freemont Road. With pretty much no whips out, and already having had a great morning of runs, we pulled the hounds up as soon as we realized where the fox was heading.

It was a good day! And... we came back with every hound. I shouldn't have been worried but we did cover a lot of area, so, it was 'cool' to know that they were all working well together.

NEXT MEET: Friday at RED PUMP at 10:00am

DON'T FORGET!!!
BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS - SATURDAY - DOWN PATRICK MEET - 11:00am