MFH Lynn Lloyd welcomed a field of approximately 50 riders to her Antelope Valley fixture in the foothills of Dog Skin range. She introduced her whippers-in: Chrysann Collatos, Kathy Bodner, Tommie Campbell, John Schafer, Paullette Schneider, Maggie Smith and 11 year old Katie Smith. Field masters for the day were Judy Vose and Cathy Clark.
MFH Lynn started her 29 1/2 couples of tri-colored Walker Hounds across the flats to cast them into the rugged foothills. Near the base of the foothills, the hounds jumped a coyote which was viewed by whipper-in, Chrysann Collatos. Due to the rocks, riders could not go the way of the hounds. When the riders finally did come around to the top of that modest mountain, they followed the voice of the pack north into a wooded ravine.
The hounds continued to work that coyote which then turned into two coyotes. The pack split and pursued both out of the ravine. On the top of the ridge where the wind was blowing strongly, the hounds lost both coyotes. MFH Lynn recast the pack to work the north side of the very steep ravine where they picked up the scent again to pursue the beast up and across and then down into Hungry Valley before saying good bye to him. Here, all had a long check to regain their stamina.
Huntsman Lloyd then brilliantly cast the hounds down towards Hungry Valley. (Actually, the hounds were pursuing jack rabbits on their own volition...this is something Lynn lets them do as the jack rabbits often lead them to coyote). A coyote jumped and was viewed with the hounds 100 feet behind going up yet another 'mountain '. This run went for more than an hour with only modest casualties from the field until the hounds marked the ground with voice in the rocks. At this point, the judges and the field saw the opportunity to take a Kodak moment with all the prominent ladies getting their picture taken in the rocks.
MFH Lynn again cast the hounds back towards Antelope Valley into a wooded draw with juniper trees. Shortly thereafter, the hounds hit yet another coyote which was viewed by two of the whips. Voice was reverberating through the steep, rocky canyon which gave the field both shivers down their spines as well as relief at not having to pursue yet another beast up yet another "mountain".
Back down to the sage brush flats, satiated with coyote viewings and towing a raggedly exhausted field, MFH Lynn whipped down to pull up her own hounds off a working opportunity to take them back to the trailers. All hounds on as a direct result of good whipping. The same cannot be said of the field, however. Major Jarrid Norrel took a tumble, ass over backwards, thus providing all the ladies a moment of nice viewing of another kind. With his bleeding face, the Major showed more blood on this hunt than in his three tours in Afganistan.
In all, the day's hunt covered 25 to 28 miles up and down the foothills of the aptly named Dog Skin range. Fun was had by all.
Sue Slocum
Cathleen Vanzwol takes in the beauty of the mountains....
Lynn LLoyd and the Red Rock Hounds
RR hound looking to the distance
