CLEAR AS MUD

by DR. Reynolds Cowles, DVM

FARMINGTON HOUNDS’ participation in the March Madness at Bull Run last week started out with a lot of questions. The hounds had not hunted in a week- would they be up to the task of more open country and multiple game? Did they have what it takes? Would the renegades run trash?

There were a few doubting folks in the gallery as we assembled at the Feedlot( Mike Long's farm on Locust Dale Lane in Rapidan). There were three huntsmen and former huntsmen from further north that said to me- “well you all will have to up your game today” and we kidded about the lack of action that had been had on the three previous days due to weather and “other factors”.

For the first 2.5 hours we all wondered. Matthew had them hunting well and the first fox was lost quickly when the quarry went through a wire fence and a snow bank, not to be relocated. They sounded good for a few minutes.

Then Charles Montgomery took us to the pine thickets and the swamp. A fox was viewed out in the pines and they were put on and a short run ensued that then was lost- but a coyote rolled out and a path into the blackjack swamp was found. That one was a struggle and hounds were brought back out to the road and put on a line where a coyote was viewed 20 minutes before.

I don’t think there was a lot of faith that he would still be around but hounds started working the old line and shortly were in hot pursuit as he had stuck around. The next hour dispelled the doubters- the game was surely upped and the cry was fabulous! Even Greg Swartz and Charlie Brown were impressed. Those of us that went into the swamp and then came back out had a view and then back in again. I knew better but my blood was up so back we went again. With Charlotte Delany and her great little mare Boxy, leading the way behind Master Rosie Campbell. That mare is a fabulous field hunter and very handy in that water and mud. As Matthew said, we went from impenetrable to absolutely impenetrable! Hounds took that huge coyote all the way to the rock quarry and back again. The field at that point was down to 8 muddy souls and wandered back out.

Matthew picked up hounds for awhile as they had spread out widely but in the end all were located and all could hold their heads up proudly- particularly Matthew. The questions were answered in a muddy YES!