Green Tie Hunt at Wallis Farm on Monday Dec.7, 2009
Filed under: 2009-2010,Hunt Reports — goneaway2 @ 9:29 pm
Today was a fantastic hunt for all 8 riders but especially for Kate who saw the red fox within 10 feet of where she sat on Jane.
But back to the beginning of all the excitement. They started in Robinson’s cow field above Crane Creek with their heads up and a great burst of sound. All I could think of was here we go on a coyote chase. Now, I’m happy to report that this is one of those times that I was dead wrong and glad of it. Nor was it the turkey that Howard, our truck follower, saw crossing in front of the Wallis house.
Hounds screamed their way below that in the woods next to the house. We literally raced as fast as was possible in the wet, slick and sometimes deep footing while the hounds ran a huge loop around the Wallis Farm, going up into Robinson’s fields and woods and fields again. They had a few checks as they crossed the gasline, first near the cemetary where Susan and Judy waited but missed a view. Then back across the gasline where Cheryl was tied up with gate after gate. Vickie and Janice had their share of gates to do, also, as I had left them open knowing they were coming right behind. Jenner and I played catch up for a long time staying close enough to hear them in the distance.
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!
I probably would have seen the fox too if I wasn’t stuck opening the Texas gate at the creek between Loee’s and Robinson’s for the 2nd time!! But I did see the whole pack go screaming by me in the woods and come out up on the gasline, just before the fox took them back through the woods up to Stanley’s gate where Kate viewed. What a great chase, like a giant figure 8 (although we don’t know for sure if he completed the 2nd half since hounds lost in Cedar Stump field). My parents enjoyed meeting everyone too. Can’t wait til next time!
While Susan and I never saw the fox we were able to stay with the hounds as they came out of the woods screaming across the pasture into the woods behind the house into the pines and then headed for the gasline ahead of them and MISSED seeing Mr. Fox but saw the hounds again scream across the gasline and into the woods headed for the bulldozer field. After that we could only hear them as they turned and headed back to where they came from.
It was a fast and exciting hunt, as everyone said. Django is not usally a fan of deep wet footing, but I never had to even encourage him to keep up with winged Seattle. He nows that a screaming pack means gallop with a purpose. I’m convinced that he had a smile on his face when we hit that series of jumps not once but twice. I didn’t have to urge him to drink as he sucked down a few gallons of water at the creek. Moments later after the Lili had blown doubling and the hounds had steaked by–his left hind shoe zinged off in the next mucky crossing. My favorite was seeing Kate beam as she related the close proximity of the red trotting up to her.