Western Challenge Winning Hunt Is .... Grand Canyon Hounds

Posted with kind permission of Paul Delaney, MFH of Grand Canyon Hounds:

Western Challenge Winning Hunt Report

The Grand Canyon Hounds met at one of their most productive fixtures, about
25 miles south of their namesake canyon. The country is rolling, high desert with beautiful views of the Canyon's north rim far to the north and northern Arizona's rim country equally far to the south. Huntsman Peter Wilson hunted 14 couple of American hounds with whippers-in Jimmy Boyle and Amanda Wilson.

The field of 17 included visitors from the Caza Ladron and Fort Carson hunts. Weather was warm and dry and coats were waived for those wishing to keep cool, though a northerly breeze persisted through the day. Hounds cast at 9 AM.

After working through some antelope, hounds arrived to drink at their first
tank of the day. This is where a coyote was viewed. Hounds maintained a line of vision for a mile and a half across open country before the coyote ran up a bluff and broke the line of sight. The pack then struggled to find, casting west then east. Finally, they opened as the quarry was seen running northwest, a minute or so ahead. The coyote was pushed and the gap closed quickly, the coyote in view only ¼ mile ahead of the pack.

After 3 fast miles, the front hounds picked a check as the coyote turned southwest. RoseTree Ox and Grand Canyon Quarter (both PMD drafts from Jody Murtagh) with Kryer and Angle pulled away from the rest of the pack, to the satisfaction of Judge Grosvenor Merle-Smith, as these were from some of his favorite bloodlines. Hounds, staff, and judges galloped for several more miles before the coyote disappeared into juniper cover. Hounds checked and the horses were given a breather, the pack collected, and the field allowed to catch up. Hounds had run more than 7 miles in less than 50 minutes. The pack was gathered and taken to water. Hounds then began casting, drawing through a few jackrabbits and up onto a ridgeline.

A coyote was spotted moving eastward, downwind, and hounds were brought on but were unable to maintain a line after more than half an hour of trailing northward. The decision was made to head to the Blanco Tank for more water. (Yes, hunting in Arizona has a lot to do with taking hounds to water!)The hounds never drank, as yet another coyote was viewed. After some effort, the hounds locked on, as did Judge Adrian Dangar riding Peter's favorite mount Pinky, who ran ahead of the pack right with the quarry!

Hounds were determined and ran the scent for 2 miles, before Jump and Goblin (a draft from Red Rock) closed the gap and ran the coyote's heels another couple of miles. Both these first season hounds, lacking the support from the pack,hesitated, relieving the pressure and giving the coyote some needed distance.

Adrian was not to be deterred and continued with the coyote for another mile where it took a break on a rocky ledge. Peter gathered the hot and thirsty pack for a last-ditch attempt. The coyote proved to have more gas in his tank than did the hounds, who had run to exhaustion. More water from the nearest tank and the hounds were hacked back to trailers after a productive day."