EXTREME SEASON CONTINUES WITH SADNESS

TALLY HO!!

Greetings to all Big Woods Hare Hunters,

Today, Monday January 26, 2009, Andy, myself and six hounds exited The Allegheny High Plateau with mixed emotions.

The High Plateau had greeted us with crisp, invigorating air (single digit temperatures) and blue skies. The snow pack had settled some over the weekend and it was not known whether this was good or bad. The snow pack seemed a little thicker now possibly making going somewhat tougher for the hounds.

The hounds hit a Supreme Varying Hare almost “off the tailgate” and the chase was on for more than five (5) hours through deep snow. They did have a couple of break downs and a loss or two but the fact remains they received their exercise and gave the Hare some too. The extreme conditions would not hinder these extreme hounds. Desire and conditioning would be no match for the elements.

Andy and I saw the Hare several times each which made our day. No one could ask for more. The hounds (Nellie, Molly, Patch, Gracie, Wiggles and Speckles) did an outstanding job. Considering the conditions they may have did better than outstanding.

Now the bad news.

As we were hiking back to the trucks with hearts full of joy we were about to be shaken back to reality. There, dead on the road, laid the broken, frozen carcass of a Snowshoe Hare. Apparently, struck and killed by a snow machine sometime the night before. The lifeless body of one of God’s most magnificent creatures brought sadness. Even the hounds, you could sense, were cheerless so noble an adversary had met such a senseless and untimely end.

Fortunately, one does not see Hare hit on the roads or snowmobile trails very often. This is probably the first or only the second time in my life I have had to witness such a terrible disaster.

Fraternally In Beagling and Hare Hunting,
Joe