The Loudoun Hunt

September 2002

Hunting Diary

September 2, 2002

Hounds were cast east from the kennel into the power line hill toward Woodburn Road. Hounds opened about ¾ of the way up the hill, but the scent was uncertain struggling to lock on the line. Drew the cover up and right handed into the woods. Moved left handed jumping a coop out into the heather, usually a good spot to find fox, but drew it blank.

Cast back into the cover via the coop off of Woodburn Road. Some of the young entry struggled with the road and became separated from the main pack. Drew the cover down the hill, along the far eastern edge of the Hume. Hounds opened moving right to left down to the pond. Lost the line among the resident Canadian geese at the pond. Pulled hounds back to the cover drawing to the south up the hillside from the wet weather creek. Hounds opened again, the sound seemed to come from the west near the burnt out stone house. Learned later that the fox had exited the cover at top of the hill near the south side of the 15 acre woods.

Back tracked following the creek north. Came to hounds feathering but not speaking. A lone hound opened further north, cheered hounds on to the open across the spring fed creek below the power line moving left handed along the cover below the collapsed barn.

Hounds spoke again before the power line, crossed it, heading toward the 15 acre woods. Hounds turned left again pushing two fox across the old Leesburg Road near the old apple orchard. Staff hallooed, hounds were cheered on to the line but scent did not hold. Pushed into the "old apple orchard" cover, quietly encouraging hounds to work out the line. Recrossed the creek moving southwest toward the 15 acre woods.

Entered the 15 acre woods at the east end by the creek. Moved southwest paralleling the creek, gently encouraging hounds to work out the scent. Picked up the line again at the far west end of the 15 acre woods. Exited the 15 acre woods by the stone wall near the double creek crossing. The line was not holding in the open. Young entry showing good enthusiasm.

Crossed the first half of the double-creek, drawing the cover toward the "old Laycock Farm." Jumped the coop by the small pond on the "old Laycock Farm." Had 11 ½ couple at this point.

Headed toward the cornfield by the "Hume Woods," drawing the small wooded cover on the way. Drew it blank. Jumped the coop at the Northwest end of the cornfield. Entered the corn, hounds opened, moving perpendicular to the "Hume Woods" going left. Jumped the vertical by the "Hume Woods" out of Laycock’s. Again scent not holding in the open. Let hounds work right handed, with no interest on the line, pulled the hounds back to the left. The field heard a lone hound open back in Laycock’s. Crossed back over by the telephone pole vertical, casting northwest along the old stonewall, no interest. Tail hounds spoke at the hand gate into the Hume, came back to it, gently encouraging them to work it out. Only two options, either down along the fence to the small pond by the coop into Laycock’s or straight ahead to the pine tree grove. Toward the pond was spoilt ground.

Crossed back into the Hume over the vertical encouraging hounds into the pine tree grove. Heard hounds open, what sounded like straight ahead toward the top side of the 15 acre woods. Cheered hounds in that direction, coming across staff, who did not hear anything behind them. Learned later the hounds that opened were down by the small Laycock pond.

Began to move right handed toward unspoilt ground when hounds opened at the southwest end of the 15 acre woods near the top. Drew along the edge but nothing held, turned south headed toward the "old Deck Place." Hounds opened in the gap moving toward the "Old Deck Place," the scent did not hold. Drew south along the old stone wall, hounds opened to the right on the other side of the cover. Cheered the pack on to the open. Again scent did not hold in the open.

Drew toward Running Spring Farm end of the Hume, casting left handed moving east toward the "Old Deck Place." Put hounds into the woods next to Mark Anderson’s house. Hounds opened moving down hill to the creek by the 15 acre woods. Crossed the creek but the line faulted. Began to pick up hounds moving out to the old corral along the power line to collect hounds and return to the kennel.

Submitted by T.J.