Hunting Saturday March 04, 2006 10:00AM
Shawnee Hounds
Kirshner Fixture

Huntsman: Richard Finke
Whips: Jill Wagenknecht, Mary Hensel,
First Field: Eddie Beyers, Tom Neese, Leslie Granger
Hilltoppers: Sue Neese, Bruce McCloskey


GPS readings (both days combined) 22.60 miles 4 hrs 10 minutes moving 1 hr 36 minutes stopped. Max speed 28.1 mph
Moving average 5.4 mph
This day was 13.14 miles total

It was colder feeling and more overcast this day. We had eight trailers caravanning from Mark and Gail’s house to the meet. The temperature started at 39 degrees and increased to 44 degrees. Barometric pressure was falling slightly it was overcast all day. The ground was for the most part dry with some areas of bog that are apparently typical of this area. Winds were from the North at 5 mph to 8 mph.

We started off East through the field and then Richard drew the hounds in the woods along the river. We followed a woods trail which took us to an old railroad right of way that had a series of jumps. The whole field cantered through this series of jumps. We came back out into the open and one of the ladies dropped her glove. She dismounted to get it and somehow let go of her horse that ran off through the hounds running and bucking. He circled around and came back to the field where he was able to be caught and she remounted. Richard continued to draw the woods in the little peninsula created buy the Big Muddy River. We followed along from a good vantage point on the hill in the open field. Soon after a coyote came out of the woods and ran across the open field heading east in full view of everyone. Where Jill and Mary were positioned he couldn’t have been more than 50 ft. away from them. We then watched the hounds come out of the woods in full cry. The coyote ran into the woods on the other side but we then saw him pop out of the woods again into the open field, this time heading west. The hounds then lost him and Richard cast them again. Shortly after that they jumped two coyotes and the pack split. One half of the pack was being followed by Richard and the other half was followed by Joy, the huntsman from the Mells hunt. Joy came galloping back very excited to report how well her part of the pack had hunted. Richard decided the hounds were too scattered and called them in. We then headed south along the river and made a big loop but no more game was found. We were out until slightly after 1PM.

There was small brunch held at the meet, hosted by Sue Brandt but most people were saving up for the large meal at the hunt ball.