Sedgefield Hunt members arrived at the meet on Plainfield Road at 11:00am (I’m sure the time was scheduled for all our party animals up all night on New Year’s Eve). 15 ½ couple of hounds, including a few new and young entry - Budweiser
,
Nimrod
,
and Keeper
- jumped out of the trailer. They looked determined to start this new year off showing great sport, and they did!
The hunt moved off to the first covert across the road. We hunted over to the pond, across the dam, up the wood line, and into the big field. The day was going along at a slow pace until we came closer to the gas line.
At the gas line the hounds gave tongue and were off! The field galloped behind their Masters, Fred and Rich, up the gas line and into a trail to the left. The pack crossed the creek, they ran parallel to it until turning right and crossing back over. We waited, once back out on the gas line, for the pack coming toward us. They worked the line, moving parallel to the road, for about 10-15 minutes. When the hounds came up to Plainfield Road and their noses hit the hot pavement their cry kicked up to another level! The pack raced, roaring toward the bottom! We galloped along a ridge in the woods looking down on our hounds, who (all but Budweiser)
jumped enthusiastically in and out of the creek following their lead hounds, Photographer
and Maverick
,
in pursuit of their quarry; Budweiser
has not quite been convinced he will not drown in the few inch deep water.
We stopped on the power line beside a large briar patch. The hounds worked hard through the thick briars (I can say from experience: it was not easy getting through that stuff!). We were waiting between the wood line and briars when a reddish-grey strike shot by Fred and Pilgrim! Randy called, “Tally ho!” The field and a few hilltoppers had a view of the fluffy Grey Fox! The fox must have been working his magic, because when the pack got out of the briars (maybe 5-8 minutes later) they were not able to find the scent; the fox had vanished.
Hounds and horses hacked to the 40 Acre Field. They hunted back to the power line and up to the road. We crossed the road and worked down to the bottom behind the meet. At the swamp, Ezra
spoke on a log and was honored by Plain Jane. They moved along the line slowly while other hounds (including Vacuum!) joined in. We watched the amazing teamwork of our pack of Penn-Marydels! After a couple minutes, we walked down the trail. Out on the gas line the hound inventory was checked; 15 couple were accounted for. Vacuum
,
for once, was not supervising his field members; he was found and returned to the kennel that evening.
