The Loudoun Hunt

September 2002

Hunting Diary

Hounds were cast into the east end of the school ring field along the border fence line. Entered the big woods at the Northeast corner drawing toward the north fork of the Catoctin Creek. Half –way through the cover to the creek hounds opened on the south side of the cover, crossed over towards Lights’s with the pack. Hounds picked up the line and pursued it to the creek.

The creek is at a historic low, not even a trickle, just pools. The fox easily crossed over to the north east corner of Lights’s field. We cannot follow, so we picked up hounds and continued to draw the creek bottom moving east.

Hounds found the line again below the Punch-bowl field. Circled counter clockwise into the Punch-bowl. Hounds faulted below by the creek. Encouraged hounds back toward the school-ring field on the line, scent is spotty and the line breaks up. Hounds swing right handed and pick-up the line again only to fault. Picked up hounds and moved to the spring-field cover, drew west along the wood line to the "snowy-river" coop.

Dropped down into the cover drawing back to the creek heading toward the old "Hutchinson homestead," found nothing. Cast hounds around the barn, usually a sure find, blank today. Continued along the fence line past several dens toward Milltown Road again blank. Lifted hounds and took them to the corn field behind Mrs. Hutchinson’s farm. Put hounds in and drew west, very dry the corn has turned totally brown. A lot of damage to the corn already from the deer.

Drew the fence line separating Guggenheim’s from McIntosh’s toward the big woods at Fox Glen. At the "L" shaped coops hounds struck a fresh line and were in hot pursuit. Staff spotted the fox just at the edge of the cover. Clearly "Charlie" was not deep inside the covers today, too dry and starting to get hot.

Off at a fast clip, right behind the fox, re-crossed the north fork of the Catoctin Creek, not far behind. Chased him into the Punch Bowl field. Charlie circled back down to the creek and was headed back from where he started when headed by the field, went to ground and was well marked by the pack.

Blew to ground and called it a day.

Submitted by Archie.