Hunting Sunday Jan 22, 2006 10AM
Steckel Farm, Illinois

Huntsman: Eleanor Hartwell
Whips: Gene Deutch, Lee Deutch, John Korenak, Jill Wagenknecht
First Field: Werner Kugler, Jean Mutrux, Abby Mutrux, Roger Smith, Myra Taylor, Bob Willmott, Sue Marshall, Tom Neese, Ron Ausman Leslie Granger
Second Field: Mary Hensel, Leslie Ayers, Tess Fleishli (professional), Annie Hoagland, Jannelle Allton, + others (9 total in hill-topper field)


11 couple Hounds: I didn’t get a hound list but recognized, Kestrel, Patton, Scooter, Daphne, Vice, Freedom, Wonder, Jester, Jive, and Twilight

GPS readings 24.95 miles 3 hrs 58 minutes moving 1hr 33 minutes stopped. Yes, that's over 5 1/2 hrs.
Max speed 28.1 mph
Moving average 5.5 mph

Temperature started at 32 degrees, and climbed gradually to 38 degrees F. We started at 10AM and returned at 3:15PM. There were groups of the field that went in earlier due to lost shoes, etc. Barometric pressure was falling, it was overcast most of the day with a little sun here and there. Humidity was high as indicated by the layer of frost on my truck in the morning when I left the house. The ground was quite muddy from the recent rains. Winds were mostly from the NNW but calm most of the time with a max of only 6-7 mph.

We started off from Steckels and headed east down the road, we headed down to the woods along the river but then came back up to avoid the canal. We worked the north side of the river for about an hour or more and it was pretty much blank. We then crossed the Macoupin River at the bridge and Eleanor drew the hounds into the patch of woods in the bottoms. We went on up the hill along a road and Mary decided to head in as she had lost a shoe. She headed in and took about a ½ dozen with her. The remainder stayed and combined into one field since there had not been any jumping. Eleanor then was in Swaringens when we finally heard the hounds and saw her gallop down the hill. We turned back around and headed down the hill and toward the bridge. We saw quite a few hounds at the bridge but no Eleanor. We had now been out over three hours so Werner decided to take the field in. By this time there were some others that had lost shoes including Ron who had both fronts off. Three from the field joined the whips and started looking for hounds (Me, Tess, and Tom). We were near the A frame when Eleanor asked one of us to go back and close the green gate and look for hounds. John Korenak volunteered to go back. We finally found Eleanor with only 9 hounds. Eleanor was blowing the horn but no hounds were to be seen.
After we had 5 ½ couple Eleanor decided to take Tess and head west to look for them across the river. The rest of us headed in and Gene was going to pick up Eleanor and Tess and the hounds with the trailer. Jester was the only hound back at the meet so there were still quite a few hounds missing. We were back at the meet at 3:15 PM so we had hunted over 5 hours.

Ron made hearty potato soup accompanied by chips and dip with rice crispy treats. There was actually quite a lot left for the stragglers. Sure hit the spot after the long ride.

Eleanor came home with all but three hounds, Daphne, Patton, and Twilight. She headed back up on Monday and found all three at Gary and David's house.

Here's Eleanor's report from FOL

Sun, Jan 23rd...

Met in Illinois. Chilly, low sky, no wind to speak of, seemed like it should
be a nice type of day.
Drew for three hours. No bush left unsearched. Not a 'yote anywhere, not
even a fat squirrel, although I did see an owl. Three hours and 15 minutes,
found the coyotes, all of them. Tis the breeding season. In a heartbeat,
they were scattered over about five square miles in groups of threes and
fours, all running their own coyote. A nightmare. I made a fatal mistake
about which side of the nasty Macoupin creek (un-crossable) to go on. We met
at 10:00. I got off my horse at 4:15.

Happily, I was down only three (a small miracle) which I picked up, all
together back at the other place we meet up there, this morning (my "day
off", 3 hours 1/2 hours in the car.)

Mama said there would be days like these...