A Rainy Day with the OFH...

Off with the OFH and on time- to find that the meet had to be changed! So we all went to plan B. A grey overcast ay with more showers predicted.

'Ounds and 'osses seemed ready to get going...

A little getting ready in the field...




Ponies giving the glad eye...

And we're off!





First draw produced some really loud noises.


And subsequent ones, silence. And then to our pleasure, a visitor showed up- previous huntsman to this pack, visiting from far away! A moment's hello, and hounds struck.



Back and forth a bit,



and on toward the huge landfill.

"Why are you taking my picture? I don't want to be sold!"

On into the swamp by the giant dump. We watched along a tree line, a finger of forest where coyotes often pop out for a look when being pursued. And surely enough...



Told you it was a finger of forest. Which has no name, but needs one!

Photo journo tip, do not cover coyote with left index knuckle when pressing button.



That's where he was, just under that big tree in the center. Back in, still along the finger .


Hounds right on the line. The finger ends at a road, bet we'll see something soon. It's often a crossing place...



For big loud trucks. Coyote doubled back, daringly flanking the hounds howling for his blood.

Around and around, and then back down the finger.





I'll wager he will pop out under that tree again...

See?


Now let's watch the road...



I well remember years and years ago, out with Orange County. I was hunting with the absolutely wonderful Mrs. Harts, and also out in a vehicle was Melvin Poe, still hunting hounds but unhorsed with fractures. We came to stop over a little valley, and could hear hounds faintly in the distance. In his breathy voice, He said, pointing. "Oh, I know this fox. He'll run in cover there, then cross between those woods, around through that field, then along the top of the stone wall to the end, and away over that hill."

And that fox did, every step. To this day it still feels like a miracle to expect a wild creature to do something, and then have it happen.





Hounds will be along shortly....


And he was away. Into a big a forest, out and in again...





As so often happens, the pony crew was there...

And the rain finally let loose. I wonder if he knew, and held off the breakout until the rain came along? Alas, hounds got strung out and, as best I could tell from a long way away, could not hold on. So, gathering up.


"You smell like a wet dog!"



And end of day.