Stonewall Hounds Blog

Hunting with Hounds in Virginia

Filed under: General — Cheryl @ 4:42 pm

This is a letter from Lili to our member list regarding the VDGIF survey on hunting with hounds.

Dear Stonewall Hounds Members and Friends,

Hunting with hounds has come under attack by the animal RIGHTS groups. They want to stop all hunting. They are capitalizing on the recent study by the Va. Dept. of Game and Island Fisheries (VDGIF)  and Va. Tech to examine hunting with hounds.  There is a difference between animal RIGHTS and animal WELFARE groups. Animals do not have rights like people but, of course, we are responsible for their welfare. You must understand the difference.

Please respond ( email or letter) as soon as possible to this request that I have received from Joyce Fendley, MFH of Casonova Hunt and member of the SAC. The email that I sent today is copied at the end. Also, please come to the public meeting on Sept.3 at the Appomattox High School. I will be there and probably will be speaking. We need every one of you present. 

Please take the time to email or write your support for hunting with hounds to the following address:
HoundHuntingSAC@vt.edu
or mail to Hound Hunting SAC c/o Sarah Kozlowski, 111
Cheatham Hall, Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060-0321  

FRIENDS OF HOUNDS AND HUNTING

Animal rights groups have been active during the Hunting with Hounds: A Way Forward study process being conducted by the Department of Game  & Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in Virginia.  The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) asked its members to inundate the Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) with emails
& letters demanding that hunting with hounds (this includes foxhunting) be restricted or eliminated. 
· Now is the time for foxhunters to express support for our sport, our hounds, & our wonderful landowners.  Voice your opinion today.
· We have fair & reasonable laws already in place; encourage VDGIF to enforce these laws & prosecute those that do not abide by the law.

Virginia’s Right to Retrieve Law is important for the safety and welfare of hounds.  This law provides a huntsman & whipper-in the legal right to go onto posted land in order to retrieve the hounds.  If hounds chase a fox onto posted land & put it to ground hounds will stay there until someone they know retrieves them.  The huntsman and whipper-in need to be able to legally go onto posted land in order to retrieve the hounds.  This is currently in the law, & needs to stay there.  Mounted foxhunters as well as many other legitimate hound hunters have worked diligently to demonstrate respect & appreciation for landowners & their property.  Unfortunately, some unethical hunters have misused this law to deliberately hunt hounds on posted land. 

Rather than lose the Right to retrieve our Hounds, we need to work with VDGIF to ensure that all hunters understand & comply with the existing law & show their respect for Virginia’s landowners.

Improve law enforcement by increasing the number of VDGIF Conservation Police Officers (CPO’s) & coordinate with local Sherriff’s Department to providing better training for all enforcement personnel.  Again, we have the existing laws and regulations to control illegal hunting we need better enforcement. Consideration and compensation should also be provided to local Sherriff’s Departments for their participation in enforcing game laws and these funds should be allotted from the VDGIF budget.

Increase penalties and fines for game law and regulation violations to increase compliance with existing laws and regulations, especially those related to high priority issues like trespassing, violations of the right-to-retrieve law, road hunting, and hunting out of season. Repeat offenders should be dealt with harshly.  These fines should go directly to VDGIF.  With increased penalties & fines, those that break the law will suffer the consequences, not those that are hunting with hounds responsibly.

Improve record keeping on violations and complaints received by VDGIF their (CPOs), VDGIF staff, dispatchers, local law enforcement agencies, & local animal control. The SAC recommends that more comprehensive, consistent, & standardized records be kept in order to better understand where & why there are conflicts between hunters and landowners.  With better record keeping VDGIF in corporation with local Sheriff’s Departments can effectively apply additional law enforcement to areas where hunters are not complying with the law & where landowners are experiencing problems.  This could be much more effective
than passing more state laws that punish responsible hound hunters & will not correct problems with hunters who violate the law.

Email your support to:  HoundHuntingSAC@vt.edu. today.  If you choose, you may also send a letter in writing to: Hound Hunting SAC, co/Sarah Kozlowski, 111 Cheatham Hall, Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060-0321.   Make sure to include your name and address.

More information available on the DGIF website: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/hounds/

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL END ON SEPTEMBER 12th

HUNTING WITH HOUNDS IN VIRGINIA: A WAY FORWARD PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
All comments, whether written, spoken, or sent via email, shall be considered part of the public record.  The comment period closes on Friday, September 12, 2008.

OPEN PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

FAR SOUTHWEST August 26, 7:00-9:00PM: Wytheville Meeting Center
I-81/77 Exit 73 or I-77 Exit 41, 333 Community Boulevard Wytheville, Virginia 24382

SHENANDOAH RIVER VALLEY, HARRISONBURG August 27, 7:00-9:00PM: Spotswood High School
368 Blazer Drive, Penn Laird, VA 22846

NORTHEAST, CAROLINE COUNTY August 28, 7:00-9:00PM: Caroline Community Center
17202 Richmond Turnpike Bowling Green, VA 22427

NOVA September 2, 7:00-9:00PM: Fauquier High School
705 Waterloo Drive, Warrenton, VA 20186

MID-PIEDMONT September 3, 7:00-9:00PM: Appomattox High School
198 Evergreen Ave, Appomattox, VA

SOUTHEAST September 4, 7:00-9:00PM: King’s Fork High School
351 Kings Fork Rd, Suffolk, VA

SOUTHSIDE September 9, 7:00-9:00PM: Gretna High School
100 Gretna Hawk Circle, Gretna, VA 24577

Written comments can be emailed to HoundHuntingSAC@vt.edu or sent to: Hound Hunting SAC c/o Sarah Kozlowski, 111 Cheatham Hall, Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060-0321 

Copy of Lili’s email: 

Dear Sarah Kozlowski,
I am in favor of hunting and hunting with hounds! I am master and huntsman of the Stonewall Hounds in Forest, Va. I started the hunt nine years ago from a desire to hunt my own hounds. We are recognized by the MFHA. Our club is a responsible organization with great relations with our landowners. I do all the work here on my farm and love it. The hounds are very
well maintained. To think that there are people who want to take away my right to continue makes me very upset and angry. The animal rights groups should not even be considered in this study. I think that this study has grown out of it’s original intent to work out a way to continue to hunt DEER with hounds. Please stay within the VDGIF’s initial request and ignore the idiodic pleas to stop all hunting with hounds.

Passionately,
Lili Wykle, MFH
Stonewall Hounds
PO Box 367
Forest,Va. 24551

Annual Picnic and Awards

Filed under: 2007-2008, General — Cheryl @ 11:47 am

Graciously, in the shade of the banks of the James River, Tom & Rhoda hosted our annual hunt club picnic. The river was lovely, and the barbequed chicken delicious, as well as all the varied side dishes and desserts. Some enjoyed canoeing, some fishing, and wading in the river. It was a peaceful and lovely setting for the meeting and we all had a great time. Thanks Tom & Rhoda!

Lili passed out the financials of the club. While we are bringing in more money the cost of hound food has gone up drastically. We discussed the possibility of a fundraiser. We all agreed it would be great to do, and talks of a hunter pace or other event may be forthcoming.

Meanwhile, Lili recognized Earl for all his help with the hounds and road whipping in “Silver” his Ford Pickup :-)  She also awarded the “Jubliee Award” to Tom and Kate this year for their service and participation. Judy and Mary K were awarded their staff colors, and Lili thanked Kate, Mary K and Judy for all the time they help walk out hounds every week. Lili also gave all the members Stonewall Hounds mugs. We talked about what a good season we had last year, and how the hounds are going great already and we are looking forward to another great season.

One thing that was brought up was the time of our meets. Lili said that she plans to get to the meets early and would like to be on our horses ready to ride 15 minutes before the appointed time. This way she can say our blessing and we can be moving off at the time we are supposed to hunt. I suggest everyone plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the hunt time. Sometimes Lili might need help with collars or hounds, and having everyone there early allows for more help with whatever comes up.

She also mentioned she would like to have 3 more work days before the season starts. One in Sherwill, one in Pamplin, and one at her house to put a fence around the paddock outside the kennels to make it easier to load hounds on hunt mornings. PLEASE plan to come to at least 2 of the 3, and email Lili anytime you can come help.

I think that was the extent of the meeting, but please add your comments if I missed something.

We plan to start hounds in the fox pen on Aug. 19, then hunt in the open the week after that, weather permitting. Know that when we start it will be early to avoid the heat, so everyone make sure your alarm clocks are working! I joked and said I would be happy to make wakeup calls to anyone who needs it

Please add your comments or contact Lili with any questions or suggestions for the upcoming year. First half of dues are payable August 1, and let us know if you or anyone you know needs an invitation.

For more picnic photos, visit our photo gallery.

Cheryl M.

(30 days til cubbing season starts!!)

Stonewall Hounds Earns MFHA Recognition

Filed under: General — Cheryl @ 1:07 pm

The current (Summer 2008) issue of Covertside mentions on page 6:

…the Stonewall Hounds (VA) were elevated from Registered to Recognized status.

Congratulations to Lili and the whole hunt for all the work in making SH worthy of recognition.

Covertside is “The magazine of mounted foxhunting” and is available to subscribing members of the MFHA. Subscribing members, through their membership dues, “support foxhunting and countryside values” by the efforts of the MFHA. www.mfha.com

Puppy Pool Day July 2, 2008

Filed under: General — Cheryl @ 10:33 am

Fixture:  Lili’s Farm

Attendees:  Lili, Kate, Michael Jackson with Chase (his student), Megan, Cheryl M, Wendy, Janice Callahan, Cheryl & Bill, and Zuby (one of Lili’s boarders)

Weather:  beautiful!

Hounds: all of them!!

Tailgate/Breakfast:  As usual we had lots of good stuff to eat, and enjoyed it under the shade trees in Lili’s pool deck area.

Our pool picnic puppy play day was lots of fun and we wish more of you could have made it to see the beautiful puppies and visit and walk the hounds. Our pack has grown, that’s for sure!! I told Lili she’ll have to stop breeding red & white hounds with the same spot pattern… (coincidental, but is going to make it really hard to tell them apart from horseback!!)

Lili, Kate, Michael (Jackson) and his student Chase, a 12 year old boy, and Megan were out walking the big hounds when we arrived. The hounds were all happy to see us, and came over to investigate and say hi. They really seem to like the kids. Even Jazz jumped up for some kid pats! The hounds are all doing really well and walking out great. I’m sure we’ll be roading them (exercising them with the horses) soon.

I was so happy to see all of them again, especially handsome Jeremiah.

We then went to the puppy kennel to get licked, chewed and jumped on, and basically mauled by the cute little monsters!! What a BRAVE and bold litter of beautiful puppies. The boys spent the whole time chasing them and bringing them back to the yard, as they would run off hunting and investigating.

There are 8 of them, so they had their hands full (literally!) The puppies are: Savannah, Sailor, Savior, Saturday, Sawyer, Sarah, Sassafrass and S…S.ssssss… (ok 7 out of 8 isn’t bad).

Chase, Hal and Nick had a great time. Chase says his favorite hound is Kaptain, and his favorite puppy is Sawyer. Nick’s favorite hound is Jackie, and his favorite puppy is Sarah. Hal says he likes Kaptain too, and his favorite puppy is Savannah! The puppies enjoyed the company, and any time any of you want to come out, just call and let Lili know. She loves to show off those hounds!

   

2008-2009 Season

Filed under: 2008-2009 — Cheryl @ 6:57 am

We plan to start our 2008-2009 hunt season with cubbing on August 30, 2008. The first half of dues (or pay in full if you prefer) are due on August 1, then the second December 1. If you are interested in joining, please make your desire known and an invitation will be sent.

We look forward to a great season of sport and fellowship.

Cheryl

Summer of 2008

Filed under: General — Cheryl @ 6:49 am

I’ve updated the blog with a new look. Hope you all like it! The picture is from our Blessing in 2006.

Summer is halfway over, and, as of today, there are only 62 days til cubbing starts! Hope you all are enjoying the summer, and that we will see you at our summer hunt picnic, July 19. Please contact us for details if you would like to attend.

Kate, Mary K, and Judy have been out weekly to help walk out hounds, and they say they are coming along and behaving quite well! Anyone is invited to contact Lili and go out to help with hounds… it’s a big job and any help is appreciated. Plus you get to know the hounds better and that makes hunting all the more fun.

We’ve been having some work days, too, and getting some new trails opened, as well as maintaining and improving older ones. Until you get out there in the green jungle that used to be an open trail, you don’t realize how much stuff just keeps growing, and storms cause trees falling, etc. It’s a lot of work to keep up all our trails, especially since our hunt country is expanding. Please come help.

Our trail rides are going on each Wednesday (remember our hunting days will be Saturday and Wednesdays from now on). Hope to see more of you out.

I guess that’s all, feel free to comment here and let us know what you’ve been doing all summer!!

Cheryl

Season Recap

Filed under: 2007-2008, General — Cheryl @ 6:29 am

Well it is time to bid the 2007-08 season goodbye, and boy we had a great one! The hounds hunted great, and showed us great sport. Thanks to our fearless leader and her dedication, and for all she does to make this possible for us.

We enjoyed many joint meets with guests from Farmington, Reedy Creek, Glenmore, Rockbridge, Monmouth County Hunt, Bedford Hunt, Deep Run, and more. Thanks to all our guests… hope to see more of you again next season!

There are many puppies to be trained, and Lili could use help anytime you can offer it. Working with hounds in the kennel, and helping with the puppies is a welcome contribution to the hunt, and also helps you learn the hounds and become more involved. Please call Lili anytime to offer your help, it benefits the whole hunt.

There are also many trails and jumps to be maintained. We will have workdays throughout the summer, as much as we can, to work on these things and improve our hunting conditions for next season.

We will have trail rides over the summer too, and these are a great way to get you, your horses, and especially new or green horses used to our hunt country and other horses in a non-hunting environment. We tailor the trail rides to the people who come, meaning we will go at a pace that suits the level of horses out. Sometimes we can split into groups where one group can go a bit faster and/or jump, and others can go slower.

Speaking of jumping, our summer rides are the perfect time to school jumps. We can take our time and practice them in a schooling situation, and have the luxury of being able to spend some time at a jump if people need it. If anyone wants to take some lessons this summer, to improve their riding and jumping, I am all for it and would be happy to arrange some things. Just get in touch and let me know. The stronger rider you are and the more trained your horse, the safer hunting is for everyone.

I hope you all can participate and help with our summer activities. They are all designed to enhance our hunting season for the next year. The better the hounds, horses, and riders are kept fit and trained, and the trails kept clear, the better our hunting will be.

Hope to see you all around all summer! Don’t be a stranger!!

Cheryl

Hunt Report: Apr. 6, 2008

Filed under: 2007-2008 — Cheryl @ 7:00 am

Fixture:  Bonnydale Farm, 2 p.m.

Members:  Lili, Kate, Cheryl, Tom, Judy and Earl. Guests from Reedy Creek include Jim (MFH), Tom (Huntsman), Betty & James, Harry and Theresa, Amy, Susan, Gary, Kathy & Marian, Gretel, Rachel and Phil rode with Earl.

Weather:  WET and threatening rain, but ended up misting only during the breakfast

Hounds: 8 1/2 couple

I.D. Awards: None

Misc. Notations:  With the short chases, we got to see a lot of close-up hound work and view many of the hounds speaking and hear their individual voices. That made the day really fun and fit in perfectly with the conditions. Gary gets the award for best turned out with his Diva mare, Phoebe, whose white coat positively glistened against the dreary backdrop.

Tailgate/Breakfast:  Lots of food, brought by Reedy Creek and SH members - Country Ham, baked pencil points, brunswick stew, trifle, banana pudding, brownies, and more!

The Hunt:  Lili drew first covert down at the woods edge of the cow pasture where we parked. We moved back and crossed the creek, up thru woods out to Helen Wise haybale field. Hounds worked in those woods speaking on and off. Moved through the farm road over to the yellow flag trail, and up to the 4wheeler trails behind the Pugh trailer. They worked hard over there and found again, and spoke. We had a short chase and got to gallop a bit on the firmer parts of the 4wheeler trails. Hounds took it up to the power line by Plum Branch sounding great, working something in the pines on both sides of Plum Branch.

We then moved over to the fields behind Katie’s, where they found again, and we were treated to watching all the hounds striking a line and streaking past us back over toward Plum Branch. We got to see and hear Kaptain and his really cool voice. They seemed to lose it in the field, although Jim saw a den in the covert between the field and creek by Katie’s.

From there we headed back to the field and up to Ruckers Rd. then across to the hay fields up top, then to the peninsula of pines, where they spoke again, but it was suspicious and Kate stopped them and sent them back. They all looked a little guilty but listened well and got back in hunting mode right away.

We jumped Ingrid’s coop and followed Lili and hounds through Evan’s cow pasture over to the pond, where hounds found in the woods by the pond, and took it up to the field behind his house. There they trailed the fox into a huge pile of old pallets, and just couldn’t get in there well enough to flush him out, OR he had already left! Lili blew gone to ground, and we moved on. Hounds kept finding all in the coverts in that field, and really worked hard there. We got to see them open and speak, and hear the different voices. We especially enjoyed watching Dawson throw his head up and give tongue with his beautiful voice. He looked entirely pleased with himself.

We headed back out to the gasline and Lili was going to pack them up and head in. As they went down the holey trail, hounds struck and took off, on what sounded like coyote. The field was still close to Ruckers Rd. so we went back out and had a nice gallop down Ruckers Rd., but then I heard on the radio that hounds had stopped and they were getting them back in. So we went back to the holey trail, but at least got one little gallop in on decent footing.

Had a fabulous breakfast in the mist, and truly enjoyed our guests from Reedy Creek. They were all fine riders, and excellent hunters, and seemed to enjoy the day. Thanks to everyone who came out in the more than questionable weather to make it a great day.

Cheryl M.

Hunt Report: Apr. 2, 2008

Filed under: 2007-2008 — Cheryl @ 7:53 am

Fixture:  The Meadows at Naked Creek, 9 a.m.

Members:  Lili, Kate, Cheryl, Gary, and Howard

Weather:  cool and partly sunny and breezy

Hounds: 8 couple

Misc. Notations:  Bishop, our newly drafted handsome and SMART hound from Potomac, demonstrates his impeccable training by streaking toward Lili’s doubling on the horn. He obviously knew exactly what it meant!

I.D. Awards: None

Tailgate/Breakfast:  Sandwiches provided by Lili and Kate

The Hunt:  Started off in the church pines, where hounds found and ran a bobcat round and round. Sounded good on and off, and Cheryl talked to the pastor who said they hear bobcats back in there all the time. Nobody saw anything, and we pushed on. Lili drew behind Fewell’s, and again, we think the hounds ran a bobcat round and round for a bit, heading toward the hay bale field and pine trail. From there we went on back by Nowlins Mill toward Tweedy Rd. looping back and ending up in the field by Judy’s gate and Ralph Ogden’s.

Hounds struck hard and FAST right there on top of the hill. Boy they were off like a streak, all in a line screaming and running toward the creek. Lili galloped on after them, Gary and I had to shut a gate… of course we are all thinking coyote. I heard it sound like it was turning, so Gary and I waited up in the field above the schoolbus. Lili and Kate stopped the hounds in the woods before the crossed Nowlins Mill. It’s a drag stopping them but the alternative is running like mad to try and keep up with them on a coyote run, and being out all hours of the night gathering hounds. So we were glad they stopped. Boy they sounded and looked good streaking off though!

So on toward Ralph Ogden’s and our newly marked trail. Hounds found right at the end of that trail where it meets the pines and started chasing a gray fox in the pines. Lili stayed at the edge of woods, and Gary and I went up further for a good vantage point. Kate and Jane flew to the other side to watch the roadside with Howard.

Lili radios her “Tally Ho” as she watches the gray fox saunter around her in the woods. It pauses, walks across a fallen log, looks at her and keeps sauntering off. Gary and I quietly hurry over but miss the view. Lili doubles up on the horn and Gary and I help push the hounds on to her. She watched them work the line the fox took, even up and down across the log. It’s really neat to see where the fox goes, then actually watch the hounds work to find and trail that same line.

Kate and Lili follow the hounds in the woods where they are following Charlie’s line once again. Unfortunately they lost it coming out into the plowed field and sunshine.

They go over to the woods by Tweedy Rd. and find again in there. Lili follows down farm Rd., and Kate is out on Tweedy Rd. Lili said he’d be going back, so Gary and I stay back in the field, and after a long while standing there, are treated to a perfect view of the gray coming back out of the woods and running across the plowed field. Tally Ho! Lili gallops over and calls the hounds out to the line. They just couldn’t pick it up, the scenting was that tough with the sun in the dirt field.

So we ended up calling it a day and heading in. It wasn’t a very exciting hunt as far as any runs, but the hounds found and chased plenty of game, and we enjoyed being able to view the hunted fox two different times.

Cheryl M.

Hunt Report: Mar. 18, 2008

Filed under: 2007-2008 — Cheryl @ 7:30 am

Fixture:  Cedar Ridge Farm, 9 a.m.

Members:  Lili, Kate, Carol, Dr. Cheryl, Marie, Earl, & Howard

Weather:  mild and partly sunny

Hounds: 7 couple

I.D. Awards: None that anyone admitted

Tailgate/Breakfast:  In Carols’ kitchen (thanks!)

The Hunt:  (posted from Lili) Tuesday’s hunt was another bobcat day. Kate had the honors of catching sight of a small bobcat crossing the road while steady, old Dawson was speaking his long and beautiful voice heading the opposite way. There must be another family in the church pines. Thankfully raising bobcats and not coyotes. I think they did get on a coyote later but only Tidy persisted. She was picked up on the other side of Spring Mill Rd. behind the community center about 3 hours after we came in and after a delicious lunch in Carols cozy kitchen. Again, hoorah for the tracking collars (and the good food)!

Currently there are 7 females in the heat kennel and 2 hounds out from lameness issues. Other kennel news is that Sally has been bred to Kaptain and our newly drafted hound, Potomac Bishop, will be put with Adeline.