As I sit by a warm fire tonight I begin to think of some really good hunts that I have been on and the time we put in to our hounds.
As of late we have really been putting the miles on some of our hounds. We have raised a litter that just doesn't seem like they ever get tired. I have 2 and brother Jon has one. Since the week of November 6th 2016 I have ran my Two a total of 10 or 11 times and my brother has ran his 14 times now most of those have been daylight runs on average of 6-7 hours each time. We have ran them one time All night long 12 hours. As I left work early today I begin to think this would be first week off for awhile and how I was looking forward to just being around home with family as we are preparing for what we call good snow 2-4 inches. I know folks but we live in Alabama and that's a big deal for us. Back to the hounds I have been thinking a lot lately about some old timey hunters we used to know and hunt with and how I do believe these mates would make the cut with them and how Foxhunters use to strive to keep hounds like this in there kennels. I have begin to think why has people went so much to straight speed with no drive, no being able to run something on there own with a mouth they can tell. I think about some trials and the people I have met and how it seems the sport has went so modern. I remember back at the 2 day Derby looking at hunters who was young with good hounds and I asked a couple how is this dog bred in the 3rd generation to us that line is big. They had no idea oh the hound is off of you name it some big stud and then I would ask what is this hounds mouth like 2 answers I got was they just got kinda of a chop mouth. Really?
Listen really most like to Win hey we all do but I tell you it came to me last Saturday morning while running hounds with brother that we must continue to have hounds that has made the grade and put in the time the term True Grit is not just a name it is a way of life it is a hound that has been viewed, tried and our heads did not turn just because we liked there momma. No I am not telling you that we have any great and wonderful hounds as we Don't. But nevertheless we are in the looking for one that could dominate and show the signs of being True Grit.
So as I sit by the fire I trust some one is enjoying the sounds of hounds tonight and when the ol Rooster Crows in the morning you really think about what is going on and how it has took generations of breeding and watching hounds to have him do it all night. Or if you cast about Daylight please don't just look at a screen actually walk the roads and see what hounds are doing what.
Foxhunters we need to realize we have such a great privilege to be allowed to have and run hounds and from time to time compete with our friends at Field Trial.
Happy Hunting to All and May the Lord of Glory bless you
True Grit Kennel
Etowah County
Kyle Blakeley
Your telling the truth it kind of bothers me. Fellows that I have hunted with over the years could tell you the pedigree the type mouth and really anything you wanted to know. It trip me out to tell someone after a hunt that I like the mouth on their hound or how a hound came by me hunting, and they look at me like I'm crazy and say did you see it running. They could care less about anything else.
