www.mfha.com
MFHA website, remodeled and updated. Consider becoming a subscribing member if you are not already. You will get Covertside magazine and also support MFHA’s efforts to protect our sport.

www.ecovertside.net
Web companion to Covertside magazine, sign up for free email list.

www.foxhuntinglife.com
Comprehensive site and lots of great pictures… check out the Genesee Valley photos. Click on Horse & Hound then Photo Gallery to see all the galleries. (FYI  It is a subscription website, but at this time the photo galleries are open for all. You don’t have to join to see them, but certainly can subscribe if you want, or sign up for their mailing list. )

www.foxhuntva.com
Cindy Morton (Rockbridge Hunt) and I put this together awhile back, it’s a good site but needs more content, so everyone post your articles and hunt reports, and send photos anytime! The calendar shows lots of foxhunting and hunter pace events. This is free and useful for all Virginia Hunts.

and of course…  www.stonewallhounds.com we also have a photo gallery and calendar to keep up with our club.

Enjoy these and feel free to add comments with links to your favorite fox hunting websites!

Hounds found in the Church Pines, true to form, and went around in there a bit, then we figure the fox crossed the road, but hounds had a little trouble following. They finally struck again in the pines over on the other side of Plum Branch. I stayed at the end of farm road watching up and down Plum Branch Rd., and our road whip, Howard, was up further where a dirt road goes in the other side (normally Kate’s spot but she was back on the power line in case they went toward the woods).

I was watching intently sure I would see the fox come out. Judy and Susan came down behind me to watch too. I started thinking about moving to a non-covered area (the vineyard). I told them to watch up the road in case Howard can’t see down here. I turned my head, and heard, “Tally Ho!” Howard viewed a gray crossing back into the church pines. Susan caught a glimpse of it too! RATS I just missed the view.

Then all of a sudden I thought, I better get to the farm road to see if it crosses there. I galloped up to a place where I had a good view up the farm road and watched, and wondered…. would the fox cross, and would it be the same path he went in the other side?

Sure enough, after a just a bit it darted out and crossed the farm road in a straight and fast line right from where he came. WHEE!!! Up I go to see which hounds come out first. Allison was first on and came out to where it crossed, but she didn’t find the line on the other side right away. Lili came up and blew doubling and cheered the hounds onto the line. Then I saw Jazz coming up the farm road after Lili, and I thought, great, Jazz (the old lady) will help find it.

Just at that moment I noticed a little game trail going into the woods—and so did Jazz. Her nose went down, then up went her head and her beautiful booming voice echoed the call… “I found him I found him” and all hounds honored. Off they went.

I galloped up to the top and made a right toward the snow covered field up top and we listened to them go round and round trying to keep track of the fox, but he gave them the slip down in the snowy woods. At one point I was able to look down in the woods and see them all against the snow covered ground. Great sights and sounds for all of us who have missed hunting so much over the past month! Can’t wait to go again Saturday.

After we jumped over the log and coup jumps for the second time, Kate came over the radio with a detailed description of the small light red fox coming straight toward her and peering up at her from under Stanley’s gate. He was checking out her pretty green tie. Then he backed up and took off down the hill along the old wire fence to the cedar stump field. I asked Seattle, my mount of the day, to sprout wings and fly up the hill. Arriving in an ecstatic state of mind, with heart pumping from holding on,  I blew doubling on the horn. Allison was the first to respond with all the others showing up within seconds. They worked hard with all their noses down and picked up the scent. How happy I was to have Sally back in the pack! She and Kaptain were outstanding today in their determination to hunt.

By this time, I think the fox had put alot of distance between himself and the pack. They screamed down through the woods but when they came into the cedar stump field the blowing wind really messed up the line. We gave them plenty of time to find the line before collecting them and coming in with Soldier being a bit hardheaded to follow. Seattle was white with sweat and I was so excited I couldn’t think straight. It was a great day! Maybe the best this year from my perspective.

Our tailgate included some yummy hot soup brought by Cheryl’s parents who were visiting from Florida and Kate’s, now famous, chicken salad. The weather was colder than when we started so all were anxious to get in their warm trucks and head home. Oh, now to relive the day as Jenner so happily requested!

P.S. Others: Please add and post your unique experiences, too!

We collected all hounds, crossed back over the gasline and hunted above the cemetary. This is where the day fell apart. Hounds spoke off and on and it didn’t sound as good. Some hounds came out to me like Dawson use to. Oh! Deer? Some hounds took off and we never knew where until much later. Other hounds, stayed in the pines speaking off and on. A gray fox? How I wish they wouldn’t split up. We spent the rest of the afternoon collecting hounds with Roo Roo being the last. She had crossed 2 roads and was heading to the Appomattox River when Earl and I tracked her to the Hix‘s cow pasture. Hoorah for shock and tracking collars!

Submitted by Lili

Hounds had three long galloping chases with deer popping out everywhere. Hounds were stopped one of those times as they were coming out on a doe. Their voices had started out choppy and never changed much. I was suspicious from the start when I heard Soldier open first. Dedicated Earl and committed Kate were on Rt. 601 to turned them back. We collected all after waiting a while for Allison to come on. We hunted Wallis farm all along Crane Creek, over the log rail jump into Robinson’s woods, over the coup at the bottom( thanks to Michael for removing the downed limbs) and out into the fields where they struck hard, fast and solid.

Now this was some beautiful music. Absolutely right on! Kaptain was the owner of this fox and red he must have been though none of us ever viewed. Our pilot ran the same way as the blessing fox. We had another terrific gallop and we all thrilled to hear them through the big hardwoods, down and across the creek, through the cedar stump field, around and around in the pine woods and finally out to Rt. 601 where the whips worked hard to stop hounds from crossing. We need to open that area especially as permission has been granted.

Next we drew some of the area around Robinson’s front and back fields with no luck until we were headed in.  They took off below the graveyard down at the creek with heads held high, heading back across the Wallis Farm. Totally a picture of a coyote chase. Again we had  another hard gallop back to the cedar stump field. I stopped hounds when they were crossing the Coleman Rd. as they were hot and tired and heading back to Rt.601. Cheryl led the field, keeping first flight in just the right spot time and again. Judy was on the outskirts “just in case”. And Michael finally broke his maiden today on Jordan. Other riders were Susan, Jenner, Gretel, Kay, Terry, Grover and Emily, our only junior. The exceptional hip clippings were of hearts, bells and joined rings. It was a day to remember.

Back at the trailers with all the hounds (yeah!) uncollared and rewarded with biscuits, horses sponged off and riders relaxed, we had our fill of the most delicious tailgate prepared by Jenner and others. What a day! Thanks to the whips for an excellent job as Gretel duly noted as well. Earl will need some sympathy as Silver* was wounded on the last run.

*Silver is a hard driving, gray truck of distinguishing character without which I would be mostly lost on some lonely, cold days. Thanks Earl!

As I write this on Tuesday evening I’m that kind of tired that feels good. We had another terrific day behind our hard hunting hounds and it was just plain fun! The day was beautiful, my horse was a dream to ride, the 8 & 1/2 couple of hounds couldn’t have done better and all 7 riders, Kate, Cheryl, Anne, Judy, Susan, Vicki and Terry were so helpful and happy. We hunted the wide open fields below the Wallis homeplace in a zigzag manner. Hounds didn’t find until we hit Crane Creek. Clara was first to speak in the woods above the creek. They worked slowly picking up whisps of scent all around the far right side, up the hill and back to the pond where they couldn’t go any further. No steady music but short brilliant notes as we watched Kaptain, Roo Roo, Tenson and Clara take turns leading while we were right by their side. I love being with them. They are use to it so we are not a distraction. The 3 young entry, Sarah, Savannah and Drummer stayed near the older hounds all day. Another plus. Never have we had a litter (Sally/Kaptain’s) that obeys willingly and equally hunts as well.

Over to the pine trail we hunted and down to the creek where Kaptain, again, started speaking. Every hound honored him. Thus began a long run with great music all through the woods, across the red gate road and, as I was cantering down the gasline, hounds were on my right screaming in the woods. They crossed the gasline in the bottom where I missed seeing the game. My best guess is that they were hard on a gray fox. All came out together speaking and then immediately were at a loss. They spread out looking until quess who found the line about 50 ft. up from where they had burst out: Kaptain! Again, all honored as they trust and believe in him. What a hound this 3/4 PMD has turned out to be!

Down toward the creek, back again, heading south and then north the hounds were circling. Another sign of a gray. Then we had a split. Kate saw 4-5 go across 4-post road speaking with Kingpin (Kaptain’s son) leading. The rest were headed more towards Rt. 600 but never came out that far. I was starting to think coyote and Prospect like last time when we had hunted here. Thank goodness that didn’t happen. We stopped them with help from Howard and Earl who were confidently tracking them from Silver. As we had been out another 3 hours we headed in, picking up the remaining hounds on the way back.

What a pleasure to have all the help from the moment I pull up to the meet, always running a bit late, to when the last magnet has been pushed back into place on these valuable tracking collars. Also, I’m  thankful when all hounds are safely in the hound truck and horses loaded for the ride home.

Come on out all of you. I would love to share these good times with you!
Warmest Regards,
Lili

Fixture: Quail Hollow at 8:00 am

Members: Lili, Kate, Cheryl, Mary K, Terri and Barbi

Guests: none

Weather: sunny, windy  but turning warm

Hounds: 8 1/2 couple

I.D. Awards: None!

Tailgate/Breakfast: Tasty delights contributed by all

Hunt: Today I was very pleased with our hounds. We hunted 17 hounds behind the Fewels house all the way to Nowlins Mill Rd. According to how they ran and their sweet music, I believe they ran a grey fox around and around in the huge pines below the small fields coming out of the Fewel woods. They sounded so good and it did my soul well to hear them! Kate and Mary K were whipping-in. Cheryl led the field of only two riders, Terri and Barbi. Hounds crossed in front of me on the farm road all together speaking. Yeah! Always a thrilling experience! That included two, first time young entry, Savannah (sponsored by David W.) and Sergeant (sp. by Sandy Miller). After going through the hardwoods they lost just outside Carol’s fence line. As they circled the field a small turkey got up but they weren’t interested.

We took them rather quickly through the Evans hardwoods and across Tweedy Rd. They ran a short distance before Kate saw another turkey fly up. Some continued on and some stopped. It took awhile to get them all out of the woods especially Clara who continued speaking off and on. As we neared Ogden’s they spoke the last time on a short run working very well along Bull Branch and up into the thick cutover and finally out into Ralph’s field. Kate and I stopped them as they checked briefly. They were headed the opposite way of the trailers and we had been out 2 hours. Hounds had worked hard and were constantly panting in the warm weather. We came in with only one small incident when Mary K’s horse, Hope,  half pulled off a shoe. But her blacksmith lives right down the road so he came to the meet to put it back on after Cheryl had removed it.

The breakfast was good and landowner’s, David and Diana Fewel, came by to welcome us back.

Come on out and enjoy watching and hearing the hounds, the beautiful countryside and our camaraderie of riders.

Warmest Regards,
Lili

Fixture: Bonnydale Farm, 7:30 a.m.

Members: Lili, Kate, Cheryl, Jenner, Earl, Barbi, Susan

Guests: Anne

Weather: overcast but turning warm

Hounds: 8 couple

I.D. Awards: None!

Tailgate/Breakfast: Not sure as I left early

The Hunt: Started at the edge of the woods by the creek below the trailers. Hounds found fairly quickly and really worked the field. We ran into the large herd of cows, including a bull, and had to work around them. They were really frisky!! Young calves running toward horses and bucking made for some excitement.

Hounds continued to work, we heard Jazz, Kaptain, and of course, Sally, and the rest of the pack honored each time. However, they never really took anything out of the field, so we moved on toward Katie’s house through the 4-wheeler trails. Hounds worked some more that way and across into the fields below her house. It was fun to watch hounds popping up and down out of the soybeans.

They spoke again along the creek and ran the edge of the soybeans and we had some valuable deer training when some went on the line of a beautiful buck we viewed.

The weather was getting hot so in we went with all hounds on. Although the first two hunts have not been exciting as far as hounds running a fox, they have really stayed together well and had some good experience.

We look forward to an increasingly better season as many foxes have been viewed both in our Sherwill country and our Pamplin country. As the weather gets cooler the hunting will get better!

Cheryl

Little Jackie (sponsored by Judy) had 7 pups by Drummer (who is by Potomac Bishop) on Saturday June 13, 2009. Six are boys and one girl. Three are lemon and white like her, 3 are red and white and one is a tri-color. Her pups will start with the letter “J” and Solitaire’s with the letter “T”.