Ferry to Foxhunting

[Painted_Wings]

I think there are only two hunts in the country that have fixtures they have to take a ferry to. One of them is Bridlespur. We only hunt this fixture once a year, usually a weekday. I was able to go for the first time this year.

Although this fixture is only 30 miles from our farm, it seems like the other side of the world. We ride a small private ferry across the Mississipe River to Calhoun County Illinois. This is a penninsula between the Missouri and Illinois rivers and is almost like stepping back in time with farmland and orchards and old homes dotting the countryside.

Here are my photos and hunt report. The country goes right to the edge of the Mississipi river. Some photos are taken overlooking the river. It is just beautiful.

http://www.pbase.com/lesliegra/hunting090225

[trafalgar]

It sounds like something from the 30s … wonderful!

[SLW]

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a very nice fixture!

[Beverley]

That looks like the ferry I took when I hunted with y’all a couple of years ago? Very fun.

I did used to take White’s Ferry across the Potomac to hunt, back in the 70s and early 80s when I lived and hunted in Virginia but kept my horses in Maryland. For the Loudoun West centennial back in the 90s, they did use the ferry to take horses and hounds across, as in the olden days. And they all stayed on board!

[kookicat]

Wow, fantastic country! I love the looking out over the river pic.

[armandh]

don’t want no bridges

with the closest bridge way up stream the east side of the Golden Eagle ferry has remained much the same as it was in the days of steam boats pulling in to the various landings.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1W1GGIE_en&ei=jxutSe2wBaaoM92YheAE&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=calhoun+county+IL&spell=1

while the west side http://www.sccmo.org/Visitors/ is on the fast track to being as developed as St Louis County.

the boat ride is a jules vern time machine.

[strawberry_roan]

Wonderful pictures and what a treat to take a ferry to a fixture! :)

[Mudroom]

How do the horses in the trailers react to being on the boat? Any problems?

[altjaeger]

Thanks for posting those pictures.

What was the revolver used for? Did you get onto any game? I’ve come to believe that that type of terrain (open, rolling fields with woods and brush along the streams and gullies) is the best for successful hunting AND for being able to watch the hounds work.

[JSwan]

I so look forward to your hunt reports - thanks for sharing!!

Beverly - White’s Ferry has changed a lot. Now it’s used to transport urbanites in their SUV’s back and forth from DC.

Sigh…

[Painted_Wings]

We had just seen about 15 deer come out of the woods and cross the field. The whip placed herself on the deer line and drew her pistol. The pistol is loaded with rat shot. If the hounds would have come out of the woods on the deer line she would have fired it to discourage them from following the line. The hounds were steady though and none followed the deer line. We had a very blank day that day. After a very cold spell it warmed up over 70 that day and the scenting conditions were terrible. Last year at this fixture they jumped a bobcat. There are also fox and coyote at that fixture but none to be seen on that day. Only deer and turkey were viewed and there were lots of them.

Due to needing to save my two experienced horses for Shawnee hunt week, I took my four year old. She seemed to deal ok with the river crossing as did the other horses on the ferry with us.

[Nlevie]

Ok - I just have to ask - is that a gun holster strapped across the Whip’s chests ? Seems awfully obvious - it that how they’re always carried ?

[Nlevie]

Ok - I just have to ask - is that a gun holster strapped across the Whip’s chests ? Seems awfully obvious - it that how they’re always carried ? I just always thought guns should be carried more discreetly if used ?

[armandh]

nope

it is on the saddle
a radio is on the chest strap for emergency use.

[Ibex]

@Mudroom;3920788

How do the horses in the trailers react to being on the boat? Any problems?

I don’t know this ferry specifically, but out here we take horses back and forth across ferries all the time; I don’t know of anyone whose ever had a problem.

This one is between home/barn and one of the big showgrounds:
http://buzzer.translink.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/albion-ferry-river.jpg