- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Messages
- 6,595
- Reaction score
- 300
Friends,
As I told "WesTex" that I would, I want to share a true Northeast Texas fox-hunting story here.
First, in Northeast Texas fox hunting is FAR different than it is in VA & the Mid-Atlantic states, as there are NO "pink coats", throughbred horses, glamourous society ladies "dressed to kill" in "designer hunt attire" or any of those "effete" things.
Instead, we Texican "hillbillies" have SLOW fox-hounds (The hounds are bred to LOOK grand running, sound beautiful on the chase but NOT even come close to catching the fox or wolf, as we want to run the quarry on many other nights. = The PERFECT "night hunting hound" LOOKS beautiful standing still or running, SOUNDS wonderful baying, has a "harmonious bay that blends into the whole" but is so slow that I can outrun him!) and we hunt the fox at night, with the primary idea to sit by the fire, tell lies, drink corn likker & listen to the dogs run. = The "job" of the houndman/huntmaster is to set the dogs on a trail and then to know where to build the fire, in the center of where he believes that the fox will run in circles.
(My Uncle Jack was one of those "noted hound men", who after WWI where he was "gassed", devoted the majority of the rest of his long life to breeding VERY SLOW but beautiful hounds, hunting/fishing, drinking "corn likker" and "taking rich sports" from the city out to enjoy EasTexas fox hunting.)
On one particular deep winter night in 1958 (I was a shirttail kid, who was "allowed along", provided that I "kept a low profile" & was "seen but seldom heard".), my uncle was "entertaining" a group of rich doctors & lawyers from Dallas. The food and coffee had been consumed & now the fruit jars were being passed and everyone (except me - I was allowed only Dr.Pepper.) was "well lubricated" & "sweet as a peach".
The "Dallas sports" (paying "guests") were well into the 3rd or 4th half-gallon, when the pack hit on a hot & heavy trail, with "Jubal Early" leading the chase at "full cry".
(My uncle had, as usual, "guessed right" & had built the fire in just the right place to be in the center of the chase. = We had "front row seats on the 50 yard line".)
About 2AM, "Mr Roy", one of my GF & uncle's childhood friends, threw his head back & bellowed, "GAWD ALMIGHTY! Would you just listen to the beautiful music of that chase?"
One of the lawyers opined, "HOW WONDERFUL!!!" and then, "I can't ever remember any better chase music. NOT EVER!!!"
One of "the Dallas sports"(a well-known neuro-surgeon) then complained, "I can't hear any of the music for all that (obscenity deleted) barking!" = That comment "brought the house down" & the jug was passed again & again, as my uncle "moved the pack" onto other hot trails, by calling on his hunting horns.
"A GOOD TIME was had by all.", until about 4AM, when it was time to "P---- on the fire and call the dogs".
(Nice memory. = As you've likely guessed, "I had one hell of a good time 'tagging along', when I was a kid".)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, satx
As I told "WesTex" that I would, I want to share a true Northeast Texas fox-hunting story here.
First, in Northeast Texas fox hunting is FAR different than it is in VA & the Mid-Atlantic states, as there are NO "pink coats", throughbred horses, glamourous society ladies "dressed to kill" in "designer hunt attire" or any of those "effete" things.
Instead, we Texican "hillbillies" have SLOW fox-hounds (The hounds are bred to LOOK grand running, sound beautiful on the chase but NOT even come close to catching the fox or wolf, as we want to run the quarry on many other nights. = The PERFECT "night hunting hound" LOOKS beautiful standing still or running, SOUNDS wonderful baying, has a "harmonious bay that blends into the whole" but is so slow that I can outrun him!) and we hunt the fox at night, with the primary idea to sit by the fire, tell lies, drink corn likker & listen to the dogs run. = The "job" of the houndman/huntmaster is to set the dogs on a trail and then to know where to build the fire, in the center of where he believes that the fox will run in circles.
(My Uncle Jack was one of those "noted hound men", who after WWI where he was "gassed", devoted the majority of the rest of his long life to breeding VERY SLOW but beautiful hounds, hunting/fishing, drinking "corn likker" and "taking rich sports" from the city out to enjoy EasTexas fox hunting.)
On one particular deep winter night in 1958 (I was a shirttail kid, who was "allowed along", provided that I "kept a low profile" & was "seen but seldom heard".), my uncle was "entertaining" a group of rich doctors & lawyers from Dallas. The food and coffee had been consumed & now the fruit jars were being passed and everyone (except me - I was allowed only Dr.Pepper.) was "well lubricated" & "sweet as a peach".
The "Dallas sports" (paying "guests") were well into the 3rd or 4th half-gallon, when the pack hit on a hot & heavy trail, with "Jubal Early" leading the chase at "full cry".
(My uncle had, as usual, "guessed right" & had built the fire in just the right place to be in the center of the chase. = We had "front row seats on the 50 yard line".)
About 2AM, "Mr Roy", one of my GF & uncle's childhood friends, threw his head back & bellowed, "GAWD ALMIGHTY! Would you just listen to the beautiful music of that chase?"
One of the lawyers opined, "HOW WONDERFUL!!!" and then, "I can't ever remember any better chase music. NOT EVER!!!"
One of "the Dallas sports"(a well-known neuro-surgeon) then complained, "I can't hear any of the music for all that (obscenity deleted) barking!" = That comment "brought the house down" & the jug was passed again & again, as my uncle "moved the pack" onto other hot trails, by calling on his hunting horns.
"A GOOD TIME was had by all.", until about 4AM, when it was time to "P---- on the fire and call the dogs".
(Nice memory. = As you've likely guessed, "I had one hell of a good time 'tagging along', when I was a kid".)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, satx
