This Sunday my hunt has been invited to a joint meet in northern NH with the North Country Hounds and it’s a live hunt!
Wentworth is a drag hunt which is all I’ve known.
I’m so excited to go on a live hunt. What’s it usually like? I’ve been told that it’s often quieter than a drag hunt, but can get fast and unpredictable if the hounds take off on a scent. 
A bunch of us are going up the day before and staying at the masters house and barn. I’ll have to give a full report on Monday.
UPDATE: Report on an amazing hunt!
I want to begin by extending my full gratitude to Joint Master Dr. Ketterer for opening his home and barn to three of us so we could arrive the day before and not have to make the 3 hour trek to Lyme, NH so early in the morning.
There is a reason every street name ends in “-hill” in the north country! Once off the highway, the roads were dirt, just a little over one car width with deep gulleys on either side! And the hills…oh my. My truck did things I had no idea it could do!
North Country had 14 couple hounds working that day. The hunt began with long walks down steep fields, through the woodsy gulleys and high ridges. The hounds were quiet for a while, but about an hour into the hunt, they gave voice and were all 28 of them in full cry! The sound was haunting, beautiful as it echoed off the mountainsides and carried through the valley.
Sent chills up your spine and brough tears to my eyes! The hounds were running down the mountain straight for us! We almost crossed their line, thankfully a keen field master halted us just in time to see the pack break from the treeline and come screaming down the field right in front of us!
We did not get to see any quarry, which dissapointed the members of North Country as they were sure that line would have led to a viewing. I was far from dissapointed! That was the most magnificant sight and sound I have experienced in the hunt field!
The territory was epic. One path led us up the steepest meadow I have ever ridden. Once at the top of the ridge, we turned around to a view of the mountains enshrouded in mist; low hanging fog rising from the valleys. Another path led us through vast farmland right on the banks of the Connecticut River.
At some point, one of the hounds pulled up lame. They loaded him in the hound truck to sit out the remainder of the hunt. He was one very unhappy boy! Everytime the whips would get on the walky-talkies with the driver of the truck, all you could hear was that poor boys whailing and howling…he wanted to be with the rest of the pack!
We saw the hound truck drive past shortly afterwards, and the laid up hound was in the front seat, paws on the dash, nose glued to the windshield…in a minute, we swore he would be driving the truck!
Near the end, the pack took off on a line that led them through deep woods over a ridge and beyond. The staff managed to collect most of the hounds, but by the time the fields were dismissed for tea, there were still six or so missing and the Master, Huntsman and Whips went after them. (Thank goodness for GPS collars!)
North Country had such warm hospitality for their guests and served us the most spectacular lunch of marsala marinated chicken, roast beef slices with horseraddish sauce, BBQ chicken legs, exotic rice salad, ceasar salad, garlic bread with cookies and brownies for desert.
Oh, it was such a wonderful time. I can’t wait to join them next year for the next joint meet!
We’ll see soon enough!