My father has often quoted some famous hunting aficionado who asserted that one of the best parts of hunting is 'the glorious uncertainty'. Will we be bored to death? Scared to death? Running until our chests want to explode? I must agree that I love waiting to see what the day may bring because as much as one may try to predict, scent and circumstance are not ruled by any laws, and anything can happen. So, while we were incredibly grateful that our landowner let us trundle over his rain-saturated grounds today, our expectations were low...SURELY it was too wet for any scent to hold. Indeed, our first draw along the tiny front brook and grassy field were quiet and uneventful. Entering the back woods, however, a short run through swampy conditions forced us to wonder if we might actually find a rabbit after all.... And then, there at the dense thicket along the creek (the creek today was a river swollen with melted snow and buckets of rain), a rabbit popped out, darted North, and then East. Whipper-in J. Roslan got the view, too, and confirmed she was running downstream, eastward along the creek. A little encouragement put the beagles on the line and away they went! We enjoyed lots of great music until we ran out of country and had to call the pack back (we did it while they were at a check, so as not to dampen their enthusiasm) What an adventure of staff getting soaked in the river, beagles swimming to follow the line, and a small but enthusiastic field encouraging all of us the whole time. Many thanks to our terrific host who let us get warm and dry in cozy indoor accommodations while we enjoyed a tasty, group-effort lunch. ...And we thought it would be a blank day...Ha! The beagles would have none of it! - Karen
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