4-6-02, Sat. Burwell report.
We cast hounds after a Stirrup Cup and announcements and headed out into the sand hills. You really could do without shoes in this country as it is 100% sand/grass. However, you really have to have a wise and rateable horse. Wall to wall gopher holes and erosion hidden by the grass and very steep ravines all made for interesting riding and at speed too. There were 43 in the first field and 13 in the "gate field".
The ranches are huge and most of where we hunted this morning was one ranch of many thousands of acres and right by the Calamus reservoir and the sights were spectacular. We struck off on the first coyote fairly quickly and covered a lot of territory to the west of the meet, which was at Kahlant's Ranch. We lost that one in a few miles, then found again in a wildlife preserve on the NW edge of the ranch. Hounds ran that one, which was viewed twice, to within about a mile or so of the reservoir. These two efforts accounted for a couple of hours of reasonably hard riding.
There were only a couple of minor falls and they were mostly due to being bounced off by a huge jump over a moderate fence by their horse. All the jumps were nice coops and most had wings as they were over wire fences, and the jumps were not nearly as challenging as the terrain. All in all it was a good day and we were in for the hosted lunch at about noon.
Quite fun.
Today we took out 7.5 couple of hounds, 1.5 couple were seasoned hounds and the rest were this seasons young entry! The day started, from Henry and Joan Kahlandt's ranch, where we have our tempory kennels. From the meet we headed across the first field behind the ranch to the first draw. Hounds took a line away across the open into a large ravine, checking in the bottom. I cast the hounds through some Cedar Trees, the hounds re found the line and once again pursued it until the line was foiled by a heard of cattle, where I called back the pack and went on to the next draw, with a brief stop at the 'Whoopee Wagon's ' to water the field and then on a water tank to water the hounds.
Soon after I started drawing the next gully the Whipper-In that had gone on
point, viewed a Coyote and Holla'd it away. Hounds took the line well once
they entered the covert, and opened up speaking beautifully, hunting the
Coyote very well and all hunting as a pack, totally ignoring the Deer that
were seen leaving the covert. All spectators that were with us all viewed the
Coyote as he left the covert and all very much enjoyed watching my very young
pack pursue him! After this run, the weather was really against us, as it was
hot and dry. With sand blowing in or faces we headed back to The Kahlandt,s
ranch for a hearty lunch. All hounds accounted for. I could now relax and
enjoy the rest of a warm spring day in the Sandhills of Nebraska.
Matthew Cook. Huntsman.
Pictures to be included when available