Hunting Sunday January 16th, 2010 - 10:00AM
Valley Green Farm – Bridlespur Kennels

Huntsman: Eleanor Hartwell (Seamus)

Whips: Gene Deutsch MFH (Belle), Mary Hensel MFH (Toby), Lee Deutsch (Rocky), Tess.

First Field: Leslie Granger (Babu), Sarah Zenisek (Wakeyan), Lauren Reitz (Roxy).

20 1/2 couple hounds (yes really)

Started at 10AM

GPS readings 5.13 miles . 1:15 hrs moving 45 minutes stopped. Max speed 13.0 mph. Moving average 4.0 mph. Total time 2 hrs


Lunch/Brunch – A selection of soups by Sarah Zenisek. With bread and cookies.

It was a cool 37 deg. F when we started, but there was no wind and it was sunny so it didn’t feel bad. The temperature came up to 22 by the time we were done. The master’s waived proper hunt attire for warm attire. My truck slid about 20 feet on the driveway at home and I slipped and fell on the ice getting ready so I expected the footing to be terrible but it wasn’t bad. There was snow in most places and some small drifts but the snow was cold and squeaky and not slippery.

From the clubhouse we headed down to the kennels and from there headed west to the end of the driveway. Then we headed southward. Eleanor worked the center of the woods with the pack while we waited on the south side. We could hear the hounds speak a little but it was nothing. Then Lee viewed a coyote in the cover near the creek. Eleanor picked up the hounds and headed that way.

She had barely gotten to near where Lee had seen the coyote when the hounds took off in full cry to the west toward highway Z. Tess was the only whip on that side and she was too far North. She headed south rapidly and we saw Eleanor gallop toward Z. Sarah headed toward Z to help but was thwarted by the cable across the end of the drive and had to get off her horse to throw a coat over it to get him across safely. By this time we couldn’t hear the hounds anymore.

We could hear Tess on the radio and she had reported that the hounds turned North after heading West so we headed up Hwy HH. We had Mary Gene and Lee with us. Tess was miles down highway Z and her horse was spent so Gene and Sarah went back to get the a horse trailer. We were standing at the little church on HH and started to see a few hounds appear. Soon after that Eleanor appeared saying the hounds had gone on west to the Cuivre River. She trotted Seamus back in to get her truck and go look for the hounds.

We headed back through the horse pasture and in the back way around north of the clubhouse. The scenery was beautiful.

We all tasted the nice variety of soups Sarah brought while we warmed up.