Hunt Reports

 Meath Foxhounds huntsman John Henry and whipper-in Barry Finnegan with the hosts of the meet, Charlie Noell owner of Ardbraccan, and Serina Williams Ellis at Ardbraccan House . Photo by Noel Mullins.

Noel Mullins gives a hunt report from last November about a meet of the Meath Foxhounds at Ardbraccan House in County Meath, Ireland.

Gavin Shorten, huntsman on the Tipperary Foxhounds, and James ODonnell meet at the Rock of Cashel. Photo Catherine Power. 

Here is a wonderful hunt report of the Tipp’s this past February.

There are many special days on the sporting calendar, but this meet of the Tipp’s at the foot of the Rock of Cashel promised to be all of the above and more besides. In addition, it was going to be their hunt ball night, the first ever to be held in the newly refurbished 5-star Cashel Palace. The ball was a sell-out with all 220 tickets sold and several on the reserves hoping they might get balloted in before they went to post.

According to local legends, the Rock of Cashel originated from the Devil's Bit, when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock's landing in Cashel. Not since 1647 during the confederate wars when the rock was besieged by troops under Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin, was there so much mounted activity on this day at the foot of the famed Rock of Cashel.

 Dude and Bre Kruger hacking the hounds back to the meet. Photo by Traci Duckworth.

A great huntsman impacts not only their hunt but members of other hunts. Sometimes this is through breeding their hounds, inviting guests to hunt, or attending hound shows and performance trials. In the case of Dave “Dude” Kruger, it was the Burwell.

North Hills Hunt has hosted an invitational hunt in Burwell, Nebraska, for something like 50 years. Little more than a slightly larger dot on a map, Burwell is known for three things: Nebraska’s Big Rodeo, the Calamus Reservoir, and foxhunting. It’s centrally located and easy to get to (if you don’t mind section roads through farmland), so the invitational weekends attract members from many hunts across the West. The country is only hunted 3-4 weekends a year so the coyotes are fresh and it’s always a good time. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and the weather is guaranteed to be interesting no matter the time of year.

The Vixen Meet Fields. Photo by John Wilkoski.

I jumped at the chance when I was asked to join the committee to plan and execute the third annual Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Vixen Meet in Pennsylvania. I was thrilled to be on a hunt committee for the first time and had some big ideas brewing almost immediately. Luckily, my fellow committee members had the same big ideas to make this Vixen Meet bigger and better than ever before. The goal to make our Vixen Meet a destination, rather than just a one-day event, drove us to think big and think fabulous.  We rallied the troops from our hunt community to pull off such a big endeavor. 

Belle Meade Hound Trials 2023. Photo by Allison Howell.

Here is an account from the guest huntsman of the recent Performance Trial hosted by Belle Meade in Georgia. There were nine packs that competed: Belle Meade Hunt (GA), Bridlespur Hunt (MO), Bull Run Hunt (VA), Goodwin Hounds (NC), Goshen Hounds (MD), Mill Creek Hunt (IL), Midland Fox Hounds (GA), Rolling Rock Hunt (PA), and Tennessee Valley Hunt (TN). Steven Thomas, MFH is the Huntsman for the Fort Leavenworth Hunt in Kansas and had the pleasure of being the guest huntsman of the combined pack. Read below to hear what this huntsman thought of the weekend.

Belle Meade Hunt after the Zig Zag Coyote run. Notice the high viz vests worn during deer season. Photo by Allison Howell.

“Do you know how to make sure you hunt on the best day of the season? It’s easy, you just have to hunt every hunt.”

Below is Epp Wilson’s hunt report of last week’s day of sport in Thomson, Georgia. Epp loves to check the weather data and game tables before each hunt. He has been studying what conditions effects scenting for decades, but he admits that he still hasn’t decoded it yet. Located in the deep south, Belle Meade is legendary for its coyote sport, and this day of hunting didn’t disappoint. They have a tradition of awarding Rough Rider points to all members who stay out for any run that lasts over 40 minutes. This hunt was an epic Rough Rider day. Continue to read for one of the best hunt reports you will ever read, and gain some pointers from one of the best huntsmen in North America. ***I have added a map from the GPS collars of their lead hounds at end.***

The Good Lord and Santa were both good to us Wednesday on the last hunt before Christmas.  Very good.

2022 Opening Meet of Mission Valley Hunt. Photo by Olivia Daniella Photography.

Kansas photographer Olivia Danielle Long attended Mission Valley Hunt’s 2022 Opening Meet at the Fin and Feather fixture in Kansas, and it brought it back memories of foxhunting as a teenager.

Piedmont Fox Hounds 2022 Opening Meet featuring whipper-ins Michele St. Once and John Dean, with huntsman Jordan Hicks in the center. Photo by Douglas Lees.

It's now the season of braided hunt horses, spotless turn-out, tally ho wagons, and outdoor blessings. In other words, it’s time for Opening Meet! Douglas Lees was a very busy photographer in Virginia recently as he attended Opening Meets for Piedmont Fox Hounds, Old Dominion Hunt, and Warrenton Hunt.

Leilani Gray photo by Dana Burke.

Leilani Gray gives a hunt report of a very popular hunt that occurred early in October in southern Middle Tennessee. This is Leilani's first season as the Huntsman for Hillsboro Hounds. Her husband Johnny Gray retired at the end of last season.