Kennels: 9667 Clarkston Rd. Three Forks, MT 59752
Mailing address: PO Box 405 Manhattan, MT 59741 (406) 579-4060 | renee@bigskyhounds.com www.BigSkyHounds.com
Masters: Renee Daniels-Mantle and Lori Dooley
Past Master: Marie Griffis
Honorary Secretary: Liz Richards
Huntsman: Renee Daniels-Mantle
Colors: sky blue and black
Territory: throughout Montana
Meets: Wednesdays and Sundays, September to April
Welcome to Beigh, Big Sky Hounds’ official digital newsletter. Published a few times a year, Beigh will keep you informed about what’s happening, upcoming events, schedule and fixture cards, useful tidbits, interesting articles, membership, and entertaining reads about the heartbeats surrounding BSH and foxhunting.
Find issues at www.bigskyhounds.com, where you can sign up to receive it by email, or on Facebook.com/BigSkyHounds.
Make Beigh better by contributing ideas, photos, stories, events, and information. Promote your business, services, things for sale, or opportunities. (The small charge to advertise will help feed and support the hounds and get you in front of a few hundred, very enthusiastic, fellow foxhunters.)
Dear BSHers,
After a long and very cold, hard winter in Montana, the Big Sky Hounds are ready for spring to...well, spring. Weather permitting, we’ll be walking out hounds on Wednesdays and hunting Sundays through February. Regular Wednesday and Sunday hunts will resume March 5th, again weather (and participation) dependent, through the 2023 CLOSING MEET on April 30th. Plan to attend CLOSING WEEKEND April 29-30, where we can rejoice, re-visit all those memories that made BSH what it is today, and show thanks to everyone who has been a part of this magnificent journey. What an incredible ride this is! Just look at the photo on the proceeding page, taken in the spring of 2014, to see the smiling faces of the founding BSH members. Who knew what was in store for us? And here we are, ten years later, recognized, with an award-winning pack, and expanding across the entire West with the greatest names in foxhunting having lead us to this momentous time and carrying us into the future. We broke the mold and will continue to do so!
Looking forward, Big Sky Hounds has big plans. We’ll be broadening our horizons with new and exciting meets and country throughout the West. Montana remains the birthplace of Big Sky Hounds and has some of the best hunt country in the world. Watch for events throughout the year in Big Sky Country as well as the Big Skies of the West. Check out our website for more information. And be sure to attend the CELEBRATION OF WESTERN HUNTING in Miles City May 12 22. Reserve at www.BigSkyHounds.com.
Inside, check out the articles about how we hunt and take care of hounds in sub-zero temperatures, how Fred Berry liked our Opening Meet, what St Hubert is all about, and celebrate the stirrup cup.
Big Sky Hounds, with its pack of Walker Hounds, is the northernmost (latitudinal) cold-country pack in North America. The kennels are also located exactly at the confluence of the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin Rivers that create the Missouri River. We can hunt through winter because Montana doesn’t have as much snow or lake-effect weather as some Canadian counterparts. However, the extreme seasonal temperatures and conditions of Montana do present unique challenges to maintaining a happy, healthy pack of hounds, fit horses, and a predictable hunting schedule.
A good kennel setup handles all seasons: shelter from rain is essential in spring; summer needs shade and breezes; windbreaks are required in the fall, and winter requirements are maximum sun exposure while also protecting from snow. For weeks now, we’ve experienced abnormal subzero night temps and day temps below freezing. It put a crimp in our season and sped up winter preparations for our kennels. Below are the typical preparations we undertake each hunting season.
My kennels are simple and functional for a sole handler, but they are laborintensive. They accommodate ten to thirteen couple. They were designed to open north on the shady side in summer and have southern exposure in winter. Grass (and weeds) grow tall in the summer around the 6’ no-climb fencing to provide shade then are cut in the fall for more sun exposure. Warm, well-insulated sleeping lodges are essential. The hounds must be able to get out of the cold and wind, especially at night. Smaller is warmer. Mine are 8’x8’, with 8’x8’ caged porches under the same roof. Doggie doors have clear, rubbery flaps. Man doors and windows close tight for winter. Benches, floors, and porches are bedded in deep straw. I do not use artificial heat, as this keeps the hounds acclimated to the weather, so they are game to hunt and will encourage dogpiling. Each lodge can comfortably handle twelve hounds, but often one has more than the other.
I have one big outdoor yard and two medium-sized pens, connected to the lodges and caged porches. Gates are opened and hounds can roam wherever they want on non-hunting days. Each outside area has 4’x8’ loafing benches, kept free of snow, dog houses, and windbreaks. The pens, benches, and feeding areas are covered in fresh straw because the ground is frozen with a frost level several feet deep, and the yards are covered in
Big Sky Hounds, winter image in relief. Photo by Scott Allsbrook.
Reprinted from FoxhuntingLife.com
snow and snowpack. Hounds can’t stand, sit, or lay on ice or snow for long without getting cold, but they like to be outside and sun themselves. When it snows, the straw is fluffed or covered over with fresh. This creates a nice bed of insulation over the frozen ground. I use half a bale of new straw a day on average. Once set up for the freeze, it’s more difficult to handle the occasional warm days. When the snow melts, the straw gets wet and must be removed. Yards get muddy, then icy at night.
Poop doesn’t stink when it’s frozen. But it does sink and freeze into the snow. I pick up every piece of poop daily, but when it snows for days, some piles don’t surface for weeks. I’ve become a professional shit kicker, required to dislodge the piles from the snowpack. Each hound usually poops two to three times a day on winter feed. Kennel cleaning is arduous.
Because of communal living and dogpiling to keep warm, I don’t keep intact males. I mix boys with girls, and puppies must be old enough to co-mingle and eat with the adults by October. Older hounds have difficulty staying warm and fat in the winter. One incurably grouchy hound will upset a whole lodge. The Walker breed, though hardy and able to hunt in cold climates, is not really a cold-weather hound. They do not have standup hair with a fuzzy undercoat or little pointed, furry ears. They tend to be lean. If it’s below 10 degrees, I usually don’t hunt, unless it’s sunny and calm. Ears lose a lot of heat and are susceptible to frostbite. I try not to make them drag through the snow or go down on the ice in bitter temps for too long. Luckily, their feet are exceptionally tough, designed to protect them from cold. Since hounds sweat through their paws, I had thought they’d be prone to getting cold, but the increased capillaries and blood flow make them penguin-like. However, if the footing is icy it will cut their pads to shreds.
Big Sky Hounds following the huntsman's horse in the "winterline" of deep snow. Photo by Renee Daniels. It’s difficult to keep the hounds fit in winter. They get bored, fight, and exhibit weird behavior, so they require a lot of attention. Most years, we can hunt through winter. Lately, either
winter has been harsher, or I’m older and less resilient. Deep snow with icy or windy conditions causes us to cancel hunting. Though I remember years when my horn would stick to my lips, we still rode through genuine *pogonips and had a blast. If the snow is deep, hound exercise is a breeze because they fall in right behind the horse and don’t stray. On those occasions, I don’t need much help. But, if a *chinook comes through and freezes a hard layer over the top of the snow, the hounds can usually stay on top, but horses scrape their legs up and tire fast.
*pogonip: a phenomenon when, in extreme cold, a dense fog turns into tiny, ice particles.
*chinook: a warm wind.
I feed a quality dog food with a high fat and protein content. Many calories are required to stay warm, but most are easy keepers. It’s a delicate balance, to keep them in shape, not too thin or fat. These hounds don’t have thick fur; they need fat. Bigger-sized hounds are better for proportionate heat loss by radiation. Hounds are fed outside, a daily warm wet mash, and then often a second dry kibble feeding if it’s really cold. Free choice food can’t be left out because of magpies. I like to give the hounds something warm in their bellies every day. I learned not to feed flesh, as it’s too lean and difficult to feed in frozen temps. I also ignore old fryer oil from the local restaurant because it isn’t that healthy or helpful. Water freezes in minutes here. I use heated water buckets, that are emptied and cleaned daily. The hounds are not that fond of warm water unless it’s very fresh. It gets funky fast. Urinary and bowel issues happen if hounds don’t drink enough. Fifteen milliliters of straight cranberry juice can cure a hound of a pee problem as fast as a human. Olive oil helps with constipation. I don’t change food too suddenly because diarrhea during a freeze can be serious. Helpful note: pile chipped ice far from gates and fences. It will accumulate and stay there for months, becoming a monument to winter, well into spring.
Coyotes are prolific here and impervious to the cold. Snow makes it easy to track them and identify their hunting grounds, trails, and dens. Training puppies in the snow is wonderful. You can set them on trash tracks or good lines, without a doubt, letting them learn what to hunt and what not to. The short days are an obstacle to hunting. Oftentimes, the coyotes are out before we are able.
My horses are shod with snow poppers and aggressive sharp shoes from November to April. Pine tar putty packed under the full pads prevents thrush. Horses are not blanketed, clipped, or stalled. They hair up and handle the elements, just like the hounds. I feed as much dairy-quality straight alfalfa as they can eat, but some stay out on pasture all winter and do well. Thoroughbreds are hard keepers and not suited for this country, however, Appendix crosses do well. I like big-footed, heavy-boned draft crosses for snow hunting. They might be slower, but they’re stronger, stay sounder, hair up heavier, and their skin is tougher, especially on their legs. They can plow through an occasional drift I accidentally fall into and come out the other side ready to continue, like a reliable freight train. During hunting, horses and people get sweated up so we only take short breaks, and back at the trailers we use coolers until the horses are dry. Extremely cold, dry conditions can expose *bleeders. I’ve had a few, but that’s not too serious. Away meets are a challenge, as everywhere is warmer than home.
*bleeders: horses who, after strenuous exercise (especially in extreme cold), have blood trickle from their nostrils, caused by burst capillaries in the lungs or nasal passages.
One year, I went to southern California in February for performance trials. I kept on sharp shoes, which is dangerous when trailering. I’ve *corked a few and recommend hauling nose to tail. I also body clipped for the trip, which I usually don’t do. The temperature was almost 100 degrees different (-20 when we left to almost 80 degrees there). On the twoday trip down, we went through three blanket weights. Then the horses had to stay blanketed for the rest of the season.
*corked: corks, aka caulks or studs, are the sharp parts that are added to a horseshoe for traction, like cleats. To be “corked” is slang for what happens when a horse wearing sharp shoes is stepped on by another horse or itself, causing an injury, usually to the coronary band.
Warm is our proper attire. Carharts, scotch caps, and insulated boots in oversized stirrups are common. A heavyweight Melton with a couple of layers underneath and a fleecy stock tie is comfortable. Hunt caps or helmets are often covered with ear flaps or a headband underneath, but I avoid them as I can’t hear with them on. We don’t jump because the ground is frozen solid and we’re wearing sharp shoes. Since there is no need to jump, some use western saddles. BSH members are tough. Only subzero temps, concern for the hounds, bad road conditions, deep snow (although getting bucked off in the fluff is better than the dirt), or the dreaded wind causes us to miss hunting. I could write a book on leading a field over frozen, rugged terrain. Normal rules for the hunt field do not apply.
There are days I question our sanity. But horses, hounds, and humans here seem especially suited to this. It initiates a sort of euphoria that is caused by something other than thin oxygen and near hypothermia. Slipping into a toasty lodge to talk with my hounds reminds me of being in the warming house at the ice-skating rink when I was a kid, sans the hot chocolate window. Sharing a cup of hot coffee from a thermos or lighting a bonfire at a check to warm our toes makes us feel exceptional. We’re a team, in a war against the elements and the mediocrity of normal existence. Hunting in Montana in winter pushes each one of us just a little past where we thought we could go, and we’re exhilarated and proud once we’ve done it.
That’s how memories are made.
Cress Whitman
Becky Bigelow
Kallie and Cassandra Mitchell
Jemma Klatt
Lisa SLover
Becky Bigelow, Brittany Baldwin, Kallie Mitchell
Brittany Baldwin leading the field on Fritz, Hanna Clark left Lori Dooley right, Lisa Slover at the back.
Dhara’s ears
Lori Dooley
Kayla Dusenberry says, Just Ride
The “Royal Ratcatchers, Kiley Haugland, Brittany Baldwin, Becky Bigelow, and Lori Dooley, with hosts Liz and David Richards
Erica and Henry Heinrich
Lori Dooley, Erin Lyons, Becky Bigelow
Cassandra and Kallie Mitchell
Natalie Sullivan and Christine Warzecha
If you are in Montana, you need to hunt with the Big Sky Hounds. Great hounds, great country, great people. It is, as their web site says, “Foxhunting Montana
They are the real deal.
I was lucky to be in the Bozeman area for their opening weekend and celebration of their 10 Friday-cowboy up day. The night before, Joint MFH Lori Dooley let us park our fishing/hunting van at her barn, and that morning she put me on Mission, a great ex
We met on the edge of a farm above Three Forks, Montana. There were untold thousands of acres of mixed wheat fields and rangeland. My English saddle was in the minority, as most of the riders, including Renee Daniels, joint huntsman, rode western. Don’t ever say you can’t ride fast and far in a western saddle!
I was honored to be invited to ride with Renee. She has put together a crack pack of hounds, including Lincoln, who won last year’s Western States’ Performance Trial, and who competed for the national championship in North Carolina. Her hounds put on a clinic of cold trailing in open dry country. So impressive. And Renee understands the need to entertain the folks that are riding in second and third flights (most riders!) Whenever possible, we waited for them to catch up and she told them what was going on.
After the hunt there was a wonderful breakfast. That night, Liz and David Richards let us park the van in an Aspen grove beside a creek and a cabin. The next day, the Richards hosted a hunter pace on their farm north of Belgrade. It was well attended, and a great way to lure people into foxhunting.
The weekend continued with parties and a formal hunt on Sunday. But my buddy Tom and I had to move on. There were trout to catch and birds to shoot.
From Renee Daniels: If you want to do something really western, next May we’ll be visiting our country in the eastern part of the state and having a week 21 and will stay for the World-Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. We hunt some incredible (huge) ranches over there and have gotten to be very good friends with the ranchers, so we often help with their cattle, sometimes branding, sometimes gathering big Main Street parade during the rodeo weekend. and we all bid on and bought a bucking horse together and then sent him down the road with a stock contractor. It’s a big time. And we can fix you up with horses!
Renee Daniels, Fred Berry, and Lori Dooley
St.
Hubert's Day (The Blessing of the Hounds) by Eugène Isabey (1803 – 1886), Paris, France. {{PD-US}} This painting was sold from the artist’s studio in 1887, following his death. It was then resold at several auctions in the US until it was acquired by the St Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in 1976. In 2021, the Center sold the painting through Sotheby’s to support medical care costs.
On October 9th, Opening Day, Big Sky Hounds held a wonderful Blessing of the Hounds. Overlooking a classic fall tableau of golden leaves beneath a crystal-blue morning sky, the ceremony was led by David Richards and accompanied by Mark McLoed, playing the bagpipes. Around fifty hunters and followers, in formal attire, had a stirrup cup, heard a traditional prayer, and were presented with St Hubert medals. Following the service, all rode off for the first formal meet, marking the opening of the fox hunting season.
Almost every hunt across Europe and North America conducts a similar ceremony, usually held in the fall during Opening Meet, Thanksgiving, or St Hubert’s Feast Day (November 3). Similar rituals have been conducted since the Middle Ages. They are often so elaborate that they include Mass, feasts, parades, and fox hunts and are attended by hundreds, if not thousands, of people, horses, hunting hounds, and dogs.
Receiving a St Hubert’s medal is one of the most memorable parts of the Blessing. Hanging from a ribbon, often of the same color as the hunt’s, they are usually blessed with holy water and then presented by a priest or an officiant. Hunters consider them keepsakes and wear or carry them year-round while hunting, a talisman to ward off bad luck and keep them safe.
Though a brief account of St Hubert is often recited at a Blessing, most fox hunters know little about the patron saint of hunting and the tradition of the Blessing of the Hounds.
Hubertus, or Hubert, was born in 656 in the Kingdom of the Franks (now France). He was the eldest son of the Duke of Aquitaine and grandson of King Cheribert. According to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, As a youth, Hubert went to the court of Neustria, where his charming manners and agreeable address won universal esteem, gave him a prominent position among the gay courtiers, and led to his investment with the dignity of "count of the palace.” He was a worldling and a lover of pleasure, his chief passion being for the chase, to which pursuit he devoted nearly all his time. (Brown, C.F.W. (1910). St. Hubert. In The Catholic
Company. Retrieved from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07507a.htm)
Hubert led a decadent life. But, when his wife died during childbirth, he retreated from the court and went to the country, king solace in the forest, his hounds, and hunting. Legend holds that he again chose to hunt on a Good Friday instead of attending church. While pursuing a magnificent stag, the creature suddenly stopped and turned, and the vision of a crucifix appeared between its antlers. Hubert then heard a voice that told him he must turn to the Lord and lead a holy life, or he would go to hell. Later accounts say the stag also spoke to him, instructing him to hunt ethically and explaining that animals are God’s creatures and should be regarded with higher esteem. That Good Friday was the last day Hubert would hunt. The experience so moved him that he immediately gave custody of his infant son to his brother and sought spiritual guidance from Bishop Lambert in present-day Belgium. He denounced his titles, gave his wealth to the poor, and was ultimately ordained as a priest. Later, while Hubert was away on a pilgrimage to Rome, Lambert was assassinated. The pope is said to have seen the murder in a vision that also told him to appoint Hubert as bishop. Hubertus continued to lead a pious life as Bishop of Liege, converting many pagans, honoring the memory of Lambert, whom he considered a martyr, building a large cathedral and place of worship, becoming a spokesman for all outdoor and outdoor-sporting activities, and conducting Blessings of the Hounds. He died in 727. On November 3, 825, his remains were transferred to present-day St. Hubert, Belgium. That day is recognized as his day of feast.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Hubertus, the Bishop of Liege, was highly venerated. In 1744 he was named the patron saint of hunters, huntsmen, and hunting hounds. He is also the patron saint of dogs, forest workers, mathematicians, opticians, butchers, machinists, and metal workers. There is some discussion about whether a similar story of St Eustace (AD 118) was attributed to St Hubert or whether the legends are entirely fictional. Regardless, St Hubert’s name is most associated with the revelatory vision of the stag and the subsequent honor of hunting with hounds.
Encyclopedia. New York: Robert AppletonMost interestingly, he was also considered a healer of rabies (hydrophobia) and was called upon to protect and treat humans and dogs from the viral disease and to ward off madness and lousy behavior in hounds by using “St Hubert’s Key.” The key is a sacramental, a metal nail, cone, or key blessed by a priest, used to eradicate rabies or associated maladies. The metal object is heated and then applied to the site of a dog bite, possibly cauterizing the wound and presumably killing the rabies virus if caught early enough. The key was also used like a branding iron on dogs to ward off rabies and humans and protect them against a rabid animal's bite. The barbaric method was so respected that the Catholic Church endorsed it until the early part of the 20th century.
The Blessing of the Hounds is a twelve-hundred-year-old ceremony that is little changed. Hunting hounds, hunters, dogs, and their owners have been blessed in this manner for over a millennium. In America, the tradition has been adapted to center around fox hunting and often involves the communities where the hunts occur. The oldest hunts in the country have been conducting Blessings for over a century. They are often the most significant outreach events of the year. Church ceremonies are usually held on Thanksgiving and closely resemble the ancient Masses. Hounds are still paraded in front of holy places. St Hubert’s Feasts still feature wild game, celebrate the hunt, honor the quarry, and promote principled hunting practices. Though Hubertus hasn’t presided over these sacred observances for a long time, his name is still invoked with reverence, his image adorns the cherished medals, his beloved age-old sport is still honored, and his spirit fills the adventurous hearts of fox hunters worldwide. And they are blessed.
Key-reliquary of Saint-Hubert, made in cast bronze dating from the 8th century for the handle and from the 12th century for the knot and the bit. It contains a fragment of the chain of Saint-Pierre. Classified as Treasure of the French Community on June 16, 2012. Comes from the Sainte-Croix Collegiate Church in Liège and is currently on deposit at the Treasury of the Cathedral of Liège while the collegiate church is being restored. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
The Vision of Saint Hubert (c. 1617) by J. Brueghel and P. P. Rubens, Prado, Madrid. {{PD-US}}
Iron nail called "St. Hubert's Key", used for cauterising dogs bitten by rabid beasts, De Mortillet Collecion from St. Hubert, Belgium, 1880-1920 Science Museum Group Collection © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum This image is released under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Bonny Dodson and Lori Dooley Becky Bigelow and Erin Lyons
Sydney Lessinger and Emma Pierce
Ilearned about Crackers in Cedar Key, FL when I dropped into Curmudgeonalia, a gift shop with an admirable selection of local books and art.
The owner, and self-proclaimed curmudgeon, was a man named Dick Martens. I recall he was a short, whitehaired older gentleman with intelligent, sparkling blue eyes that occasionally wept blood. He carried with him a Kleenex, but stared you right in the eye as if being so comfortable with his malady that he dared you to say anything or notice, or was at least impatiently understanding as you moved past the initial shock. I don’t regret the first few moments I lost, observing him instead of listening. He was the opposite of a curmudgeonintelligent, insightful, and friendly with the demeanor and dress of a retired professor. Sadly, he has since passed away and his shop is closed, but I’ll never forget meeting him and the stories he told me.
I had heard the cattlemen of the South were sometimes called Crackers because they used bullwhips that cracked loudly to move, with the noise, their cattle through the thick underbrush and swamps. I asked Mr. Martens to direct me to any books about local ranching and Crackers. He did, but took the time to correct my understanding of the Cracker Culture. ll stick with the two that the curmudgeon lit upon, but with the help
A cracker is a braggart, with an origin in the Gaelic word craic. Among the Irish, it could mean entertaining talk or boisterousness and bragging, and as the Irish enjoy immensely spirited talk, craic also means fun, a good time, and showing off. In Florida and the South, it is something different. Dana Ste. Claire from the Orlando Sentinel summed it up best by diplomatically Since the huge influx of new residents into Florida in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the term Florida cracker is used informally by some Floridians to indicate that their families have lived in the state for many generations. A simpler and more fittinng definition of a Cracker is "a self-sufficient inhabitant who scratches his/her living from the soil or from raising livestock," a description of a Southern "plain folk" culture. Self-sufficiency was a signature characteristic of Crackers. After an hour or so of Cracker tutorials from Mr. Martens, my book bag filled, he left me with a parting joke that, even after a decade of hearing, just recently slapped me in the face.
I live alongside my kennels. Hounds dictate my schedule, from sunup to sundown and often through the night. The kennels are a little redneck, but comfortable. The yard fences are six feet tall, made of no-climb wire so they can’t climb out, with buried chicken wire at the base so that they can’t dig under. The kennel and lodges’ gates are chainlink or solid panels.
Hours every day are spent with my hounds, feeding, watering, exercising, cleaning, doctoring, sorting, re-sorting, hauling, hunting, and raising them. When I’m not with them, I’m thinking, talking, or writing about them. If you visit, you will be subjected to stories and education about hounds ala Mr. Martens.
The hounds cannot leave their enclosure without me. Aside from their spacious yards, their only freedom is hunting or walking out. Despite being miles from another dwelling, we’re just a few hundred yards from a commuter road and a busy railroad. it’s imperative they don’t run around unsupervised. They must always be within hearing distance, as I use my voice and horn to communicate with them.
One of my worst fears is that the hounds escape, en masse, from the kennels when I’m not there. This has happened only a couple of times, once by malice, and once by a faulty
latch. They always come home, eventually, but two were lost to the road when I was away from the ranch. The scenario is the stuff of nightmares.
For three years now, I’ve had this particular kennel setup, which (though modest) is the most hound However, it is not without its fallacies, especially when it comes to Checkers.
Anyone who knows my hounds knows Checkers. He rest, and a complete crackup. He looks like a curmudgeon, but he old soul. He is sweet, funny, loyal, brave, a great hunter, and just different and aloof from the rest. He reminds me now of harmlessly mischievous, exuberant Dick Martens, sans the hankie. Checkers learned to climb the solid gates of the kennels and escape years ago. He dismay the rest of the hounds. Countless times, I trudged across the yard to catch him, put him in, and lock him somewhere numerous times a day. He never went far. Usually, he was waiting at my front door in the morning or lounging in the shade unti kennels. If we hadn’t hunted or exercised hard in a day, despite tucking them all in at dusk, the pack would alert me in the middle of the night when Checkers escaped. It woke all of us. Occasionally I fruitless ambition. He slept in my bed, quietly growling at the TV and protecting me from particularly large moths or strange
Recently, a young, slightly neurotic hound named Detour learned to follow Checkers over the gate. Two hounds out, together without supervision, is not good. It drives the rest of the pack insane, and it roads, and go places they shouldn’t.
Every time I’d hear the tell-tail sound of a deserter, no matter what time or state of dress, I latches. Shine flashlights. Count dogs. I didn
Finally, my father and I braved the sweltering heat to erect simple mesh wire extensions above the solid gates. It took a few but little money and required no feat of engineering genius. Upon completion, I sat back and satisfyingly watched Detour scal face-first into the wire, and fall back into the dirt. Checkers never even tried. He
Now I sleep. There have been no raucous riots in the kennels, no escapees. But I kind of miss my game with Checkers. I blame Detour for ruining his harmless deviance and feel a little bad for him, stuck in the kennel now with the rest of the obedient because his ingenuity wasn’t appreciated, all because of the invention of a humble little two
The other quiet night, lying without my faithful, funny, furry companion, I remembered the words of the old curmudgeon. With an earnest, admiring tone, he said,
“You know, a Cracker, every day he will leave before sunup to trudge across a swamp to get to his barn and care for his livestock. Rain or shine, healthy or not, a Cracker will faithfully trudge back across that swamp at sundown to settle his livestock. Day in, day out, flood or famine, hot or cold, a Cracker will brave the elements and get up and slog through that swamp so that he can feed his animals. I had listened solemnly. Then, he cracked a smile and laughed, “But a Yank? He’
2023
Fixtures will be announced one month prior and posted in the online (www.bigskyhounds.com) calendar, by email, and in the monthly newsletters. All meets (including roading) are weather dependent and require 3 riders, in addition to huntsman, to commence. Participants should indicate whether they will be riding with BSH by 8pm the night prior to each meet and an announcement will be made via BSH Updates FB Messenger each evening prior. For more info call (406) 579-4060.
Watch the website for schedule additions and changes. We’re adding new fun things all the time!
JULY 2022 - 9am ROADING – from the kennels
Thursday 7th
Sunday 10th
Wednesday 13th
Sunday 17th Wednesday 20th
Sunday 24th
Wednesday 27th
AUGUST 2022 – 9am ROADING – from the kennels
Sunday 7th
Wednesday 10th
Sunday 14th
Wednesday 17th
Sunday 21st (begin second horses conditioning)
Wednesday 24th
Sunday 28th
Wednesday 31st
SEPTEMEBER 2022 – 9am
Saturday 3rd – Hollowtop Mountain Trail Ride - Pony, MT
Sunday 4th – Roading - kennels
Wednesday 7th – Roading - kennels
FALL HUNTING BEGINS – 9am MEETS – informal/conditioning/ training
Sunday 11th – Hunt
Wednesday 14th - Hunt
Sunday 18th – Hunt
Wednesday 21st – Hunt
Sunday 25th – Hunt
Wednesday 28th – Hunt
OCTOBER – 10am meets begin
Sunday 2nd – Hunt
Wednesday 5th – Hunt (RRH arrives MT)
Friday 7th – RRH Meet
BSH 10th ANNIVERSARY OPENING WEEKEND, HUNTER PACE & BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS –
Saturday 8th - Hunter Pace & BBQ, Colors Awarded
Sunday 9th - Opening Meet & Blessing
Wednesday 12th – Hunt
Sunday 16th – Hunt
Wednesday 19th – Hunt
Sunday 23rd – Hunt
Wednesday 26th – Hunt
Sunday 30th – Halloween Costume Hunt & Party
NOVEMBER – 10am
Wednesday 2nd – Hunt
Sunday 6th – Fall Forward Meet (end daylight savings)
Wednesday 9th – Hunt
Sunday 13th – Hunt
Wednesday 16th – Hunt Sunday 20th – Hunt
Friday 25th - Thanksgiving Meet
Sunday 27th – Hunt
Wednesday 30th – Hunt
DECEMBER – 10am
Sunday 4th – Hunt
Wednesday 7th – Hunt
Sunday 11th – Hunt
Wednesday 14th – Hunt
Sunday 18th – Hunt
Wednesday 21st – Hunt
Saturday 24th – Christmas Eve Meet
Wednesday 28th – Hunt
JANUARY 2023
Sunday 1st – New Year’s Meet
JANUARY & FEBRUARY
Regular Wednesday and Sunday hunts will be scheduled throughout January & February, weather permitting. A two-week winter break will be scheduled sometime during these two months.
MARCH – 10am
Wednesday 1st – Wenchday Celebration Hunt (Start of Women’s History Month)
Sunday 5th – Hunt
Wednesday 8th – Hunt
Sunday 12th – Fall Back Meet (start daylight savings)
Friday 17th – Butte St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Sunday 19th – Hunt
Wednesday 22nd – Hunt
Sunday 26th – Hunt
Wednesday 29th – Hunt
APRIL – 9am meets begin
Sunday 2nd – Hunt
Wednesday 5th – Hunt
Saturday 8th – Easter Meet
Wednesday 12th – Hunt
Sunday 16th – Hunt
Wednesday 19th – Hunt
Sunday 23rd – Hunt
Wednesday 26th – Hunt
Sunday 30th – CLOSING MEET
MAY 13th – 21st – Miles City Joint Meet and Bucking Horse Sale
Bryce Canyon SFH & RRH Joint Meet, UT – September 7th – 13th
Cottonwood Guest Ranch, NV RRH Meet – September 30th –October 2nd
RRH Opening Weekend & Blessing of the Hounds, NV - October 21st – 23rd
Juan Tomas Hounds 50th Anniversary Hunt Week, NM - November 10th – 13th
Santa Ynez Valley Hounds 50th Anniversary Celebration Opening Meet & Hunt Ball, CA-December 2nd - 5th
McDermitt, NV Home Ranch RRH Meet - April 2023
ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND CANCELLATION. PLEASE WATCH FOR UPDATES AND BE SURE TO CHECK IN THE NIGHT PRIOR TO EACH MEET.
I. Private Hunt: This is the simplest and most efficient form of a Hunt. A Master, or Masters, owns and runs a private Hunt. They are self laws. Membership is by invitation of the Masters only. There are no members per se because there is no voting. Donations are accepted from the subscribers and/ or there are subscriptions. Subscribers have no say, no rights and are the guests of the Master. In a private Hunt (also some Subscription Hunts) joint Masters may be appointed or dismissed by the Master who owns the Hunt, hounds and kennels.
II. Subscription Hunt: There are various forms of subscription packs. Subscription packs are similar to private Hunts. The Masters can be elected or appointed by committee or they can be self-perpetuated by the Masters themselves with no approval necessary. The foxhunters in a subscription pack are called subscribers. These subscribers have no input in the decision making process of the Hunt. In a subscription pack the subscribers are charged a fee. This fee allows them to hunt. Masters make all decisions and are liable for all financial requirements. Most subscription packs incorporate for tax purposes. The structure of the by-laws is essential for the smooth operation of a subscription pack unless it is a private subscription pack and the Master owns the hounds and kennels.
III. Membership Hunt: This is by far the most popular type of Hunt, whereby, the assets of the Hunt (kennels, hounds, horses, and other assets) are owned by the membership and the Hunt is operated in a democratic fashion. The membership elects a Board who appoint Masters and Officers. Masters are responsible for the hunting activities and the Board or Hunt Committee (herein referred to as the Board) are responsible for all other activities. This form of Hunt also has more problems and difficulties than other types of Hunts. As a result of responsibilities being shared by a wide range of members, the opportunity for misunderstandings and personality conflicts can result in serious Hunt difficulties if the Hunt by-laws are not well thought through and presented in a clear and concise manner. In some cases a Master can own the hounds and/or kennels. In such cases the position of the Hunt must be clearly defined if the Master is not reappointed or resigns from the Hunt. A Board appoints masters for a specific renewable term of generally 3 to 5 years. While not recommended, some Hunts appoint Masters by a vote of the membership, which may result in the mastership being a popularity contest. Experience shows when this happens Masters are forced to spend more time campaigning than running the Hunt. There can be different categories of membership within membership Hunts. These categories are sometimes tied to the degree of financial commitment. There are usually voting and non voting memberships.
Beth Hainsworth, Renee Daniels, Lori Dooley
Since the late 17th century, the "parting glass" or "stirrup cup" was offered to a departing guest as a show of hospitality. It was served after the guest was mounted on their horse (their mode of transportation) and ready to leave. Guests were presented with one final drink to fortify them for their travels. Even today, when foxhunting, the host of a hunt will offer a stirrup cup to riders who are “in their stirrups” and ready to move off. This tradition not only “fortifies” them for the hunt, but is a way of toasting to a good day of sport. Above is the painting “The Stirrup Cup” by Heywood Hardy. Below left are the stirrup cups we use at Big Sky Hounds, donated by Mark and Nancy Carman. Below center is a pewter stirrup cup, which riders grasp by the ornamental top, turn over, and traditionally port wine or sherry is poured into the cup. This beverage is called "deoch-an-doris" which literally translates to "drink of the door". Once the rider drinks, the cup is placed back on the serving tray. Below right is Nancy Carman serving a stirrup cup before a Big Sky Hounds meet.
Photos by Val Westover
Of all the money that e'er I had I spent it in good company And all the harm I've ever done Alas it was to none but me And all I've done for want of wit To mem'ry now I can't recall So fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be to you all
So fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate’er befall, And gently rise and softly call Good night and joy be to you all
Of all the comrades that e'er I had They're sorry for my going away And all the sweethearts that e'er I had They'd wish me one more day to stay But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not I gently rise and softly call Good night and joy be to you all
If I had money enough to spend And leisure time to sit awhile There is a fair maid in this town That sorely has my heart beguiled. Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips I own she has my heart in thrall Then fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be with you all.
A man may drink and not be drunk
A man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl
And perhaps be welcomed back again But since it has so ought to be By a time to rise and a time to fall Come fill to me the parting glass Good night and
Celebration of Western Hunting - Miles City, Montana
May 12 – 21, 2023
A week of chasing coyotes, cowboying, and craic. Foxhunting, ranch rides, horse racing, and the World-Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. Join foxhunters from around the globe in celebrating the western coyote hound as we hunt iconic ranches in eastern Montana and attend the rodeo festivities. It doesn't get much more cowboy than this. Four days of foxhunting, ranch rides and rodeo, stirrup cups and socials, dinners and dancing, plus the World-Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale - Cowboy Mardi Gras, and live horse racing. REGISTER AT WWW.BIGSKYHOUNDS.COM
LODGING: Miles City Hotel and Suites. Contact Mia (406) 234-1000 to reserve your room in the FOXHUNTERS block. LIVERY: Horses are available for lease. Contact Angela Murray (253) 376-6711 or angelalmurray@hotmail.com. DEADLINE FOR RESERVATIONS: March 5th. Room and ticket blocks will be released. LIMITED SPACE
CELEBRATION PACKAGE : $2100 (a la carte options available)
Includes Welcome Party, four hunts with hunt breakfasts, ranch ride and bonfire BBQ, Evening at the Tongue River Winery with wine tasting tour, dinner, and event label Port made especially for us, VIP Bucking Horse Sale tickets 18th – 21st with private pit party seating for kickoff concert, Main Street Parade (with hounds), Closing Ceremonies, shuttle service all week long, Gimlet’s Traveling Leverage Bar, and Celebration swag bag.