REVIEW OF 2002 / 2003 SEASON

         Autumn Hunting

We commenced hunting at the end of July. Scent was not good until October, but hounds worked well and foxes were killed on most days out. Interestingly, I think that there were fewer cubs about than in previous years, maybe the long dry summer was not to the foxes’ liking.

We could always do with more days out at the start of the season. Hounds can’t be made steady by only hunting in the spring and our thanks go to the Estates that made ground available to us at this time of the year.

 

Winter Hunting

The winter period went well with a good percentage of mounted days. The new law hampers us somewhat at this time of year, as it is more difficult to find people free to act as Guns. My thanks go to those who did manage to support us.

 

Spring Hunting

This season has seen our busiest Spring since the Hunt was set up.  We lost a few days due to the snow in late February, but it has been very encouraging to hear from a number of new Estates requiring our services and I hope that we can build on that. We finished hunting at the end of March.

Hounds have coped well with our hill hunting days. Fewer foxes, but numerous hares and red deer to tempt hounds, never make for a relaxing day for the Huntsman!!

My thanks go to Farsque Estate for allowing us to walk hounds through their deer park periodically which greatly improves their behavior and my confidence.

 

Hounds

The impact of the Wild Mammals Act has been that other Scottish Hunts have many less hounds in their kennels and therefore it is more and more difficult to get draft hounds. We are therefore breeding more from our own hounds and I have great hopes for the litter I took from Cumberland Farmers Countess and Eglinton Panther. There are also two puppies from Buccleuch Carbon and Berwickshire Gandolf who look very good. Roll on next season when we can try them out ( famous last words !!)

 

Terrier Work

As before, I repeat myself that we are lucky with the men that operate their terriers for us. Richard and Michael do their job with the utmost professionalism and it is a great help to me to hunt hounds with such useful ‘eyes and ears’ outside some of the timber assets of the North East, while I am crawling through the inside!

 

Kennel Visits

If any individual or group would like to visit the kennels, or would like me to come to them, I would be very happy to arrange this. Many people in North East Scotland have never been close to hounds and personal contact is the most efficient way to increase the Public’s knowledge of our role in the countryside and meet our hounds.

 

Keepers’ Sweep                                                                   

I have escaped analyzing the results this season by having a supporting Gamekeepers pheasant shooting day instead. It helped my shoot returns if not the Hunt finances !!

Conclusion

Another good Season with increasing support and land being made available to the Hunt. Our thanks also go to the Grampian Police Wildlife Officers who we liaise with about our activities throughout the year.

Please visit our web page, www.kincardinehounds.co.uk, if you need information for a project or if you’re just surfing the Net!

 

Richard Holman - Baird ,Huntsman , 28/03/2004