The Loudoun Hunt

October 2002

Hunting Diary

October 5, 2002

Jogged hounds north along Dry Mill Road to draw the gorge bordering the kennel land. Put into the gorge casting into the woods. Hounds found on a fresh sharp line. Followed the hounds the long way round along Woodburn Road getting behind. Hounds pushed the fox past the field, which viewed it into the Hume above the power line.

Get to the power line and find that hounds have shut off, coming back to the power line. Cast back up the power to make good the entry point, hounds did not find the line there turned and cast down the power line to the creek to make good the north (right) side. Hounds did not pick up the line here either.

Cast back up the middle of the cover to the coop on Woodburn road assuming the hounds had overrun the fox coming down hill. The hounds spoke but shut off again. Hounds not marking but neither are they moving on. 10 couple now with us. In a distance one lone hound speaking lifting the heads of some of the other hounds.

Move south, southwest on along the Hume fence bordering the neighboring pond. Continue up hill by Mark Anderson’s house. Hounds open in the wooded cover to the right. Not crisp but clearly interested. The pack harks to it without encouragement.

At the top of the hill near the 15-acre woods, hounds have come out down the hill with some dwelling at the bottom of the hill. Draw into the 15-acre woods along the creek heading west, northwest. Get the length of the 15-acre woods with no real interest. Move south toward the Old Deck Place intending to keep the Hume to our inside and draw it right-handed.

A lone hound opens down by the double creek crossing. The pack is not showing any interest in the lone open. The lone hound presents a problem since our draw would bring us back this way and the ground would be covered at best if not outright spoiled. Reverse direction and head toward the double-creek crossing.

Staff comes out of the bottom of the 15-acre woods having seen the lone hound cold trailing. We turn away from the woods and head toward Kay Franky’s. Hounds strike hard and fresh below Thomas Mill Road. Head up to the road see the hounds turn north (right) along the backside of the houses speaking intermittently. Get to the road and hounds are out milling about.

Draw down Thomas Mill Road toward the kennel to make good that side, no interest. Turn around and draw the other side of the road back toward Westerly. No interest. If the fox crossed the road line is weak. Do not go back into the Hume from where we came as that ground is spoilt and the hounds could not find the line.

Have 11 ½ couple. Hack down the road to Laycock’s, put in at the gate by the Tracy house. Hounds showing interest near the bottom of the hill send staff to the outside so the hounds do not drift to wide and feather this line. Nothing opens. Move to the corn strip along Canby Road, putting into the Northwest corner. Hound opens on the opposites side. Make the corn good looking to pick up the start of the line in the corn. Nothing opens. Exit the corn at the lower end near the barn. Enter the barnyard. Now a couple hounds are speaking behind the barn in the corn or the thick cover behind the house.

Put into the corn drawing south. Hounds open in the corn. Staff views the fox exit at the far south end headed toward the Hume Woods by the power line. A single hound, Loudoun, comes out on the line in the lead. Do not get Loudoun held up. Pack works it out of the corn behind the lone hound and the fox. Learned later the second field had a good view of the fox, large healthy and bushy.

Cheer the pack on. The line is fresh but now covered. Hounds holding it well turning left handed running the length of the woods. They cross over into the pinewoods above the pond and break out of the pinewoods at the top of the hill. Fault among the field, pick the line up turning left half way down the hill along the fence line into Laycock’s.

The line faults at the bottom of the hill by the small watering hole. Allow the hounds to refresh in the watering hole. It is hot and hounds are near the bottom. Hounds are allowed to cast on their own right-handed. No interest. Back into the Hume, showing interest, lots of feathering, a little voice but not sharp in the thicket below the old stonewall in Laycock’s. Gently encourage hounds to keep trying. Out into the open field, hounds still feathering but with less enthusiasm.

Cast towards the small wooded thicket in the Laycock field. No interest there. A few older hounds are still feathering in the open when Farmer opens and starts moving back to the first corn strip along Canby Road.

Get the ditch at the bottom of the hillside that heads to the watering hole next to the corn strip along Canby Road. Not speaking but continue to feather. Draw the length of the fence line toward the barnyard again. A few hounds speak behind the house. Encourage the hounds to work to the speaking hounds.

We are on spoilt if not covered ground and the temperature is rising fast. Keep working this line right handed. Hounds are in the woods to the right side of the power line turning left not speaking with conviction.

Get to the vertical at the North end of the Hume woods bordering Laycock’s and call it a day. Hack back to the Kennel with 11 couple, Loudoun is still out. He crossed the road behind Westerly working a line.

Submitted by T.J.