Some rabbit hunters with beagles were already hunting the planned meet location when we arrived, so a last minute change put us walking hounds into Johnny Boys' thicket at 8:35am. 11 1/2 couple spread out through the water-logged woods in search of quarry. At 8:45, a high-pitched squeak was heard not far from Bobby and me. And then again, and again, with more conviction. More of our hounds put in to the high note and then we heard Part Time's booming voice hark. Yep. It was RIGHT!! And it was REILLY'S squeaky find!!!!
Within seconds, hounds from all over the covert converged and settled in behind her as the fox was pushed out of the thicket, across some wheat and further west into the "big woods". After a quick run around that covert, we viewed the fox crossing a wide expanse of wheat on his way back to the thicket where he was found. HOunds were'nt far behind, so I ran forward to the line to await their arrival. They made a check on the woods' edge , but then recoverd the line and screamed it across the field. We were being pelted with rain that would quickly change to sleet... but I did'nt care . We had a hot fox on the move and my puppy was up front!! (All on the video)
Hounds pressed this fox for 75 minutes before he finally went to ground in an earth on the edge of the big woods. All were on at the muddy opening of the den. Raven, Bobby's puppy, was the last hound to leave the earth, and the front half of his body was covered in black mud.
By the time we got all hounds away from the hole it was sleeting hard; none of us had to discuss what to do next. Hounds were called away and everyone headed home.
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