|
|
HUNTING REPORT SEASON 02/03
The new team of Peter Swann as master huntsman and Jim Squires as kennel huntsman settled in well with a average autumn, scent was not particually good and foxes were not widespread as first thought. The opening meet was at Lawnswood as usual but scent was not good on the day. Hounds enjoyed a busy day from the Dodford inn and a very mangy fox was caught early on. A fox from the tanks went past the Drollis onto Woodlands farm, here the fox was hunted well round the hedgerows with little aid from the huntsman, eventually hounds took their fox towards Pepper wood where it was lost.A point of 2 miles and 3 as the hounds ran.The following saturday from the Park gate there was a good show of foxes, but the best hunt of the day came in the afternoon with a fox from the new plantation crossing the lane above Churchill and ran left handed to the bridge before going through Brake mill, left handed again into Common farm. Left again to the road where the hounds were stopped in failing light, a good hunt with no point but 2 1/4 miles as they ran. In january hounds went to the Banwen miners hunt in south Wales for a invitation meet near Ammanford, hounds went the following week to the Albrighton hunt at Pattingham by invitation.
From the Green house meet at Alveley Jim our kh hunted hounds, after a morning in the dingles near Lye hall hounds went to draw the Bowhills dingle. A fox was soon found and went away past Astley farm to Chidleys back down the Perryhouse dingle and into Bowhills , turning left they ran past New barn farm and Brettles farm into the Shatterford woods where little more could be done. A very fast hunt of 5 1/4 miles as they ran and a point of 3 1/4 miles with hardly a check.
The meet from Lower lodge farm, Barnsley produced a good afternoon hunt with a fox away from below the keepers cottage, down hill across the road recrossing by the cafe and into Comer wood. Hounds hunted well in here before pushing the fox across the main road where hounds were stopped a run of 3 1/2 miles and a 1 3/4 mile point.HUNTING SEASON 03/04
A dry autumn did not help the start of the season, a bad fall from his horse at the Park Hall meet left the master out of action for the season with a badly broken arm. Jim Squires our kennel huntsman hunted hounds for the rest of the season. From the Fox inn meet in November saw hounds hunting well late in the day round Compton and Rough parks. A fast hunt from the Christmas eve meet at the Six ashes saw hounds again hunting well towards the end of the day, this area is heavily shot over and demonstrated that hunting and shooting can exist with help from both sides.The popular Enville hall meet saw hounds again hunting well after a scentless start to the day, eventually having to be stopped in the dark near Cains cover.
The meet from Tuck hill was a busy day again thanks must go to the keepers in the area who support the hunt. A busy morning had hounds running most of the time and accounting for a mangy fox late in the day.The best run of the season was left untill the final meet at Mill farm where there was a good show of foxes throughout the day. Hounds drew Essex wood and found a fox but little could be done on this untill the fox went away across the Sheepwalks into Birch wood. Hounds went straight through and into Rough parks, not wasting any time in here hounds took their fox across Starts green and into the Shatterford woods. Having to gallop to keep with hounds they were stopped just short of the Bridgenorth road, this was a very fast hunt with a point of 3 miles. As this was this final meet of the season the hunt had a number of visitors from neighbouring packs and it was gratifying to see our hounds go so well.The day ended around Perryhouse and Astley where a very mangy fox was caught ending the day and the season.
|
|
|
