The Loudoun Hunt

December 2002

Hunting Diary

This is a joint meet with the Fairfax Hunt with their hounds at Hope Farm. We cast west toward Newcut Road. Hounds find almost immediately pushing a fox right handed in the thick cover. Charlie circles right and stays up for about ten minutes then goes to ground.

The next draw is in an upside down shaped L woods. We are above the cover as hounds are cast down the hill. Twenty deer come out, just waiting for the fox to slip out behind. Hounds open, a holloa, we move down the hill too soon and turn the fox. Hounds have the line but the headed fox has shut off scent. Cast forward and reacquire the line out the opposite side of the cover.

Another view by staff as the fox makes a dash along the stonewall down to the creek. The fox has gotten ahead of us but we keep casting forward, the scent is not good in the open. We are at a check as the hounds are working below us in the woods. A fox trots up to a den sits at the open with hounds not fifty yards away up wind and below it. We holloa, the fox stays up, is it not well. It does not seem mangy. But it just sits there. Finally as hounds are lifted and brought to it the fox ducks to ground. Hounds mark and we move on.

Cast in a counterclock wise circle up Otley road toward the Black Oak main house. Hounds open again the fox seems to zig-zag in between two wooded covers hounds are pushing but as soon as they get in the open the line is poor. Cannot account for this fox.

Continue the draw back toward the meet along the creek bottom. Hounds are clearly willing working hard to acquire and keep the fox up, if scent freshens we are in for a good roll. The temperature is beginning to drop and it would seem like scent should freshen but so far nothing. Back at the meet and decide to call it a day.

Submitted by Solo Lord.