A large crowd showed up for our first adventure at our new Piedmont Fixture, named after the Battle of Piedmont which took place near here in 1864. We were not disappointed! Julie and Staff moved off from our parking area at the fixture promptly at 10:00 am with 9 couple of hounds. We combined first and second flights because we have not paneled this fixture due to its novelty. Staff roaded the hounds southwest to the large harvested corn fields allowing a long, luxurious gallop for the field. We made our way up beside the Middle River allowing the hounds to work beyond the bridge on Cline River Road and circle back through more hay field territory.
It was after we crossed the Cline River Road Bridge where the hounds diligently searched for scent (once again beside Middle River now on the opposite side) that our quiet day quickly turned into a whirlwind race. Not long after the hounds began hunting an undesignated field plentiful with covert and a low lying pond, the pack entered into a large brush pile. Hounds immediately began to speak. John Meyer, MFH tally-hoed a red making a run for the cedars and Jake Arbaugh spotted a second red fox exiting the back door of what Julie deemed ‘Fox Mecca’. The pack split here with five hounds (led by first year entry Jojo) following the red fox that jumped out of the covert; however, the remaining thirteen hounds continued to adamantly hunt the covert due to the overwhelming scent.
I asked Julie if she wanted the first flight to follow the five hounds who were hot on the trail of the first running fox. She replied “yes” and she would remain to collect the hounds out of the thistle and bring them along to the pursuit. At speeds exceeding 25 mph, Sage Wise led the way after we fumbled with a difficult gate. First fight followed and we were not far behind hounds when we encountered another difficult gate. Initially Sage and I jumped off to open it together. We later received help from CJ Wise so that Sage could continue to follow the hounds while we secured the gate. Sage ran up a mowed path behind a landowner’s home but feared we shouldn’t continue on the trail because it led to their private driveway. Fortunately the landowner heard the hounds, met us at his driveway, and gave us directions for a safe passageway to where the hounds had run.
As we neared the field that we could hear hounds, the field was met by Jake and we collectively gathered hounds to stop them from moving out of territory. Julie met the field back on the Cline River Road with the rest of the hounds and VJ picked them up in the hound truck. Christine soon came along with Potomac who had lagged behind. The field hacked back through the lovely riding trails behind the Gordon’s Farm and excitedly recapped the day's thrilling pursuit.
– Stacy Thompson, Leader of First Flight