Re: Passing of Mr. Don Willis (Duncan Creek Kennels)
Jonathan, you did good on telling about Don. He was a True Houndsman and Foxhunter. You and I were very lucky to be around Foxhunters in our family as we had.Don always had a GOOD pack of hounds. Jackie Johnson
Re: Passing of Mr. Don Willis (Duncan Creek Kennels)
Never met Mr Willis but knew of the Duncan Creek hounds. There was a good cross made with a Ducan Creek hound and Mark Hellums. That's the only time I really saw that line of hounds in the field trial world but from reading The Red Ranger you could tell he had measuring stick hounds. I write this to pay honor but to also ask who's going to take his place. It's all about 3,4,5 hours speed & drive. Who cares about a mouth on a hound or its endurance???
Re: Passing of Mr. Don Willis (Duncan Creek Kennels)
Great job and good writing of Mr Don.
He was most definitely one of a kind. Could tell lots of stories of him and his hounds but I will only share just one as I guess it will always go with me for a very long time.
It begins with several hunters gathering up to eat supper and have an all night 2 dog hunt. No numbers on hounds just a gathering of Foxhunters who enjoyed the sport and sounds of hounds.
We gathered that evening up at Dons pen and we had supper around 5:30pm. The ones I remember there was and forgive me I leave your name out. The hunters as follows, Mr Don, Denver Nichols, Joe Gibson, Ear Dunn, me and Jon, Jesse Kitchens, and Cody Terry.
We had supper and about dark we turned loose 2 hounds a piece and no doubt everyone had brought there best 2. Mr Don turned out Cody and Abraham. We jumped and the race was on. We had 2-3 races going early and then they began to settle on one and we had all been hearing this pair of clear mouth hounds that was really bringing it. Finally we got a good look at them and it was Cody and Abraham about 10 yards ahead of every hound that was there.
Now Don never opened his mouth never talked any trash just let the hounds do his talking for him. Along about 1am they crossed the power line and the coyote run up a leaning tree and the hounds bayed. We walked down there and at this time Don got little upset with me and another hunter as we wanted to see the game in a Tree for me that was a first to see a yote in a tree.
Anyways the dogs left we had good running the rest of the night and the 2 hounds that put on the show was Abraham and Cody.
We all left whooped and looking for another hound to put run Mr Don. I have heard him say many a time by the fire, Boys whatever you do don't turn your heads. We need real Foxhunters to continue this sport because any body will hunt when there winning but we need hunters that will continue to breed raise hounds and judge them on how a Foxhound is supposed to be. Mouths, feet and endurance was a staple in his line of hounds.
He was different, he was The ol Duncan Creek Man
True Foxhunter and True to what he wanted.
I will miss the ol days of hunting with Mr Don
Lord I could tell you so many stories