Huunt #70 for my hounds:
The firehouse marquee read 38 degrees as I passed by on my way to the meet at 7:15am, and it read the same on my way home at 1:30 pm. Brief sunshine in the early morning was quickly overcome by banks of heavy,gray clouds blown in by a cold W/NWwind. When we had time to think about it, it felt cold.
Fortunately, that wasn't too often! It was Reno's first day back to work after being up for 3 weeks (in heat), and she wasted no time reminding the rest of her kennelmates that she has the best nose by being the first to open on fox #1 . It was 8:24am. Bobby and my hounds were on the ground, while Tommy and Curtis waited, ready to hark theirs' once a fox was on the move.
For the first 15 minutes, only 5 1/2 couple moved with the wind as they headed towards Fischer's Bridge. But I viewed TWO foxes moving west from the woods near the bridge, and they were headed right towards me across the field behind Big Pine, through a small hedgerow and on over Gallo's Field. It is there that I pick them up through my viewfinder. But as I'm trying to film., I'm also trying to get Tommy to come back from the bridge so he can get his hounds turned out. So, excuse the shaky camera in some places, as I am using the camera and the radio at the same time.
Tommy and Curtis both got in on the chase, and for a total of an hour and twenty minutes the one fox hounds settled on showed great sport . This red ran in the open often, and crossed the same paved road 5 times, thus enabling some car-following guests from Pennsylvania several good views. They excitedly asked me, after watching me aim the camera during two such long views, if I "got" it with the camera. And I thought I had. But, alas, during both instances, I had not pushed the record button down hard enough, and the camera wasn't on. (Note to self: CHECK to make sure that the little red light is BLINKING . EVERY. TIME. ) GGRrrrrr..
The fox went to ground in some cutover at 9:44am; hounds were gathered and taken to draw a covert about 1/2 mile upwind. I stayed back to wait for Tommy's old bitch, Patti, while the others made the draw, so I'm not exactly sure what happened next. I caught up with them as Bobby viewed one hunted fox away as it crossed Cattail Branch rd. on its way to Everline's and the canal. But some hounds were still running in the covert where the draw had been made, and our guests viewed 2 more foxes cross High Stump rd.in front of them. Whaaaa tt?? Plus, Tommy had made a draw next to Dwayne's house sometime during all of this, , and he thought his hounds might be on their way to the highway. With Patti safely ensconced back in Tommy's truck, I FLOORED mine to get to the highway, and saw the State Trooper's speed trap soon enough to grab my seatbelt and hit the brake to slow from 70 mph down to 60. Haven't got a CLUE why he didn't come after me, since I dont see how he could have missed me running that stop sign, either....
Long story short: after much excitement, everyone ended up at the briar bed at Everlines where the hounds were running. At least 3 foxes were viewed away from the briar bed, and when the hunted fox crossed Fisher's Bridge rd, hounds were finally stopped. It was about 12:30.
Phew. Hunting tomorrow at Danny's Pond. Hounds will meet at 8:30 -I get to sleep an extra half hour. Still too wet to take a horse, and now yet another coastal storm is forecast for this Wednesday. 16" of snow?Maybe. Just rain and wind? Maybe. Nothing at all? A slim maybe...too early to tell.
No comments:
Post a Comment