Volume 33, Number 3 & 4 - Spring 1994
A Fox Chase in the Ozarks
by J. Lon Dennis
How pleasant the sound of hunter’s horn
As on the still air its music is borne
Which calls together the eager hounds
In answer they bay with musical sounds
Which echo back from forest and hills
And the hunter’s heart with rapture thrills.
The dogs circle around in a quiet way
To find where a fox has chance to stray
When a lusty bawl proclaims the fact
That Lead has scented a fox’s track
With eager bayings they are off like a gale
across fields and meadows on the fox’s trail.
Soon faint and low but musical still
Comes the deep toned bayings from distant hill.
As the sound increases it tells us the pack
Has circled around and is now coming back.
We can tell by the singing of Lead and Spot
That the trail now is getting very hot.
As nearer the hunters the trailing dogs come
We distinguish the deep bass tones of Drum
And the clearer tenor tones of Dart.
Spot, Speck, and Bowser sing a baritone part.
While Tray and Bruno, Tiny and Belle
Are helping the musical chorus to swell.
Then close to the hunters the fox runs by
The pack soon follows in full hue and cry.
In silent rapture the hunters stand
And listen to the music of the baying band
And experience one of life’s great thrills
A fox chase down in the Ozark Hills.
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