On April first the Western Hunt Tour Challenge kicked off at the Black River Ranch fixture of the Mission Valley Hunt. Twelve and one half couple were cast by professional huntsman Thomas Jackson at 9 am sharp after a rousing Stirrup Cup. Over 60 riders representing at least nine different foxhunts followed hounds and coyotes for no less than six hours at this historic fixture.
The Black River Ranch is located in Miami County Kansas, north of the town of LaCygne and is full of more excitement than just great hunting. In the 1800's this ranch was one of the sites of a hold out for the James Gang - as in Jesse James. Legend has it that Jesse buried $25,000 in gold (by the standards of their time) on the Black River Ranch. The gold has yet to be found -and the fast pace of the foxhunt certainly didn't allow for any one to stop and look for it!
This Ranch is currently owned by Gary Hosack who named it after Phoebe Black, who put all of the original property together, and is now made up of over 3,000 acres, down from its original 7,000. In 1998 is was the location of the motion picture ' Ride with the Devil', a movie about the James Gang and Quantrill's raid on the town of Lawrence. In the movie you can see over 20 different locations shot on the Black River Ranch.
In the six hour hunt, hounds, staff, judges, and field, covered almost every acre of the 3,000. The day kept it's promise of high heat - upper 70's - with strong gusts of wind. This fixture is made up of river bottoms, large tracts of wooded coverts and high grassy plains, making for beautiful panoramas. The combination of terrain and dry weather made it tough for hounds to hold lines when the coyote would run up high onto the open, windblown hills, but when the quarry stayed low the hounds were on and open and the pace was fast and furious through the river bottom and wooded coverts.
The first cast had hounds flushing out three coyotes into the river bottoms where they worked as a pack on one of the lines, setting a blistering pace. Staff viewed that coyote as it raced over the Mer de Cygne river berm and out of country. Hounds were then picked up. The other coyotes had split up earlier in the run.
Staff collected hounds while the field took its first check then huntsman and hounds were off again. The woods made for good scent and hounds were able to find and hold various lines during the day. The February ice storm had done extensive damage to the wooded trails, and while that did not impair the hounds ability to chase, it cause considerable problems for riders, who often had to trail blaze through the covert. Fallen trees, vines, and limbs, made for some very creative footwork for horse and rider while Staff had their work cut out for them simply keeping up with the hounds.
After one long run through covert the field came to the 'roller coaster' clearcut, with a view from the top that is open for miles towards the river. Hounds were tired but true (it was after 2 o'clock) and led us over the coop at the bottom of the roller coaster next to the 'Hanging tree' (really used by the James Gang). There the remainder of the field were all treated to a view while hounds carried the line. After 30 more minutes staff picked up hounds and called it a day. Tommy Jackson finally blew a well earned 'end of day'. Exhausted hounds, horses, and humans, all made their way back to the trailers, with some humans dismounting more tenderly than others.
The day ended for some with a fine breakfast -albeit at 4 pm- at Alexandria.
For others, it was on to the next hunt, a three hour drive to the north.
Jesse James' gold may still lie hidden at Black River Ranch, but Tommy
Jackson and hounds earned their 'gold ' in the eyes of all who hunted on
Aprils Fools' Day.
