Those slightly deceptive blue, blue sunny skies (making you think it warmer than it was), along with some breezy winds with just enough chill in them to remind us that it was more winter than spring, greeted us at Hallman’s Farm.
It was wonderful to have Helen back out with us whipping-in while on a Spring Break visit!!
Another Elizabeth pack, all the female hounds, were out while Duval and Neptune remained at kennels. I asked the Staff to keep a particular eye on Countess and Colette, and Duchess and Ellie, as we think about which hounds might work best together in the three couple competition at the upcoming National Basset Trials in Aldie, Virginia. All had been hunting reasonably well, but we need narrow things down a bit.
Helen gave the word to “Release the Hounds!” and we were off. Just a spot of settling down as we crossed the field to burn off that build up of energy during the trailer ride to Hallman’s.
We entered the first little bit of hedgerow, and when we reached the gap in the hedgerow, rather than continue across and continue hunting the beehive section of that hedgerow, we were going to try something slightly different.
At the gap, we re-grouped the hounds and walked, packing in, down to the far end of the wooded patch. Our thought was, let’s start at the far end and work back to the hedgerow so that if the hounds encountered anything (deer) in the wooded patch, there would be plenty of Staff on hand and read to stop a break. (We do try to learn from past experiences!) Same wooded patch but different entry point.
This seemed to work well, with hounds working their way through the woods, back to the hedgerow where we ultimately wanted them to be. No deer, thankfully, today, but no rabbits in the wooded patch either.
Back at the hedgerow, moving up the hill toward the looooong hedgerow at the crest of the hill that runs parallel to Street Road, the hounds visited the beehives (quite active with bees!) and moved on, anxious to get to that top hedgerow.
Hounds entered right at the very end of the hedgerow and began investigating the fallen logs and the field stone piles that are within the width of the hedgerow. There was a bit of speaking, here and there, clues that something was about.
The speaking grew louder as we approached the middle of the hedgerow, tails were a-wag, and Zelda had taken her usual position on the perimeter of the hedgerow, awaiting her kennelmates to flush something forth.
A cry of “Tally Ho!” rang out from the upper side of the hedgerow, with a rabbit running out along side the hedgerow a bit, then back inside, somewhat away from where most of the hounds were positioned. Some speaking, some speaking, as bits and pieces of the scent line seem to be discovered.
Then all at once, the hounds were speaking loudly, and the rabbit (presumably the same) popped out on the hillside/downside of the hedgerow, nearly running across my hunting boots, right in front of a very startled Zelda, and off along the edge of the hedgerow toward the beehives, before popping back inside right about where we had started hunting this hedgerow.
There were several “Tally Ho!”s along with hornblowing, but poor Zelda seemed to have missed which direction that the rabbit went when it turned right in front of her. To be fair, the grasses in this area were tall and uncut, remaining from last season, so at ground level Zelda might not have been able to see the rabbit. But yet again, while we pooh-pooh her for hovering on the outside, waiting for something to be flushed out, Zelda was correct again and generally in the exact right position, for perhaps the fourth time this season.
The other hounds swarmed the area. There was a false start when some hounds found the heel of the scent line and followed it a bit, but eventually the hounds headed in the right direction on the line. But by then the rabbit had had plenty of time to either scamper away toward the beehive hedgerow, or burrow itself in one of the numerous holes amid the fieldstone piles. The hounds gave a thorough search, and because we knew the rabbit must be there, it had not come back out; we let the hounds hunt a bit longer than usual there. But gone to ground the rabbit was and we moved on.
At the far end, the Pikeland Road end, of this hedgerow is Iroise’s famed woodpile. We need not repeat that story yet again, save to note that the Savoy folks will be out with us again on March 19th, continuing a long tradition.
Upon reaching the woodpile and its anfractuous maze of tunnels within, we were almost tempted to rename this “Boutonne’s Woodpile” as it was she who was the first in and last out, while Iroise was still lingered not quite ready to give up on that last rabbit.
The tunnels are seemingly small, but Boutonne seemed able to squeeze through and disappeared well within the bowels of the woodpile. Duchess and Ellie, slightly smaller of stature, had no trouble squeezing in and through. Eventually all of the hounds, including Zelda and Iroise went into the woodpile for some investigation. I think we all suspected that something was in there, or that something HAD been in there, as while there was not much speaking there was much tail wagging.
This area we also gave a bit more time than usual as the hounds were working it hard, and Ellie, Duchess, Countess, and Colette, just who we wanted to watch were among the worker bees here. So we watched, but eventually all the hounds except for Boutonne grew restless and it was time to move on.
The afternoon was getting on and we had just enough time to work the hedgehog area into the “Museum of Ancient Farm Equipment” area, and then start to work our way back the way we had come, giving that first rabbit one more look.
The hounds went into the area with gusto, swarming through the rusty mechanisms of the old farm equipment. Staff was well positioned at the bottom of the hedgerow and we were able to push them back in, which they did.
We had made the turn and were just beginning to make our way back up the hillside, they way we had just come, with the woodpile again as our goal, when Boutonne, just gradually at a walking pace, then picking up speed a bit, crossed the field (more of a lawn at this area actually) toward Pikeland Road. There was just enough of a gap between myself and the Whips and Boutonne recognized it. Give a hound an inch, she’ll take a field, or in this case a lawn.
There was no deer, no fox, no rabbit, but Boutonne, dragging along Margot, Countess, and Colette who were nearby and not about to miss out on the action, took off and crossed Pikeland.
Hoping that this was just a temporary development, we continued to move the remaining six hounds (Exton and Jameson had stayed back home also) back toward the woodpile. To their credit, Ellie and Duchess stayed close and did not join the riot.
After a few minutes it became clear that the others were not immediately coming back so we walked the remaining hounds back to the trailer to secure them and then we would begin the search for the missing. By the time we had loaded the hounds, Countess and Colette had returned. And then just as we were about to cross Pikeland and join the whips searching that area, a neighbor outside doing some gardening (or garden prep) spotted Margot and she came when called. Sheepishly, knowing that she had been naughty.
Just Boutonne. It took about 15 minutes or so, but eventually she returned almost exactly the way she had come. She too was sheepish, knowing that she had also been naughty in running off and on no rabbit to boot.
Relieve that all hounds were back; we relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the tea. The experimental sweet potato tartine received decent reviews, enough that it might reappear again some day. But nearly everything else was thorough enjoyed. Mrs. Hallman was present and we all had a nice chat with her.
The sun definitely was lingering longer, and we might have lingered longer in the bright sunlight had the chilly breeze not reminded us that the Groundhog had probably been correct in predicting six more weeks of winter.
All agreed that up to the point of Boutonne’s break, the hounds had been hunting very well, particularly in that upper hillcrest hedgerow. Just those last few minutes had spoiled an otherwise delightful afternoon.
Many thanks to Gillian, Jonathan, Debbie, John, and Helen for whipping in and for the dedicated hound retrieval searching! Despite the break riot, it’s a good day when all the hounds are in back in the trailer and back safely at kennels! Thank you!
Thanks to Field Master Valerie and the regulars Dolores, Dianne, and Jim. I believe that everyone had a view and a good one at that! So we’ll say one rabbit, but with two distinct views and one good run. Like Boutonne, I’ll believe that there was still another rabbit lurking in that woodpile!
As a footnote, back at kennels, the usually gleeful Boutonne was a bit tail-between-her-legs as everyone chowed down. I think she knew that she had been a bad girl. This continued a bit throughout the week, with her staying perhaps a bit nearer by as we went for the usual walks. But although she might have felt a few twinges of guilt for her run-off, she wasn’t about to give up on her demands for her usual tummy rubs.
We have begun some show walking and STAND training in preparation for the Bryn Mawr Hound Show. Credit to the youngsters, who stand and chase biscuits well. Let’s just say that there’s a lot of work to do with Iroise and Boutonne before Bryn Mawr who at the moment seem to believe that the STAND command means completely flop yourself onto the ground.
