we call it running dogs when we go to the pen

Scott I appreciate the association with the names you mentioned above me in your post but I have a long way to go before I will ever have a pack of foxdogs that would be able to be mentioned with the likes of the Poor Sams, Wilson Winslows,Poons, and the others you mentioned. Those guys earned the right to be mentioned as some of the best that have put down behind a grey. I have had the chance to hunt with Poor Sam on several occasions before he sold out but none of most of the rest. He was one of the best houndsmen I have ever been around. I am almost in the position where I will be able to hunt three days minimum a week soon. As Rooster said that is what it takes if you want to able to catch greys on a regular basis. My drive is the love of running game to catch and raising hounds that have what it takes to do so. There is just nothing like it and not many races you will ever here sound like it either when they are right up his hind parts bout to sink tooth in him.Hope to see you at a deer trial this year to meet you face to face. I think you and the poet would have a good weekly poetry battle if ya started, your pretty good.

Russell, I am more than a little thick-headed. For the most part, we are jockeying words and like that great Canadian songwriter Hank Snow and great outside grey foxhunter, Chris Barber, both advise -- I'm moving on.
I understand the time, effort and money you put into getting a pack of hounds that would do what you wanted.
Do you REALLY think that if you switched to pen running and your goal was to beat the Hoehners, Sonny, Ducote, JW McGee, the Huffmans, the Corbett's and the rest -- you could do it with any LESS work, ability or funds?
If your goal was to win outside trials, would it be completely effortless and painless to out-do John Fields, the Purvises, Barefoots and the rest?
Do you really believe it's harder to catch gray fox consistently than reds or coyotes?
We all have our preferences, abilities and time allotments. I'm sure lots of pen runners wouldn't consider me or my hounds representatives of that branch of foxhunting either.
I understand that by foxhunting, you mean outside gray foxcatchers. There, however, has always been a generic term that we all referred ourselves as -- foxhunters.
I might not meet your standards; you might not meet mine. You can pick your friends but you can't pick your family.
Good luck with the beagles. They are amazing little hounds, not my thing but I admire what they can do.
And, like Forrest Gump -- that's all I have to say about that.

First off I am not a Fox Hunter. Please do not call me one. I am a Coyote hunter that uses American Fox Hounds. I have the write to be called a Coyote Hunter, because I have hunted on the outside fo 39 years, and my hounds have pulled down over a thousand Coyotes, Yes over a thousand, over the 39 years I have averaged 40 a year. I had my best year in 1980 I got 69 that year. I am sure that my hounds would look silly trying to run a gray fox. I have tried some fox dogs here on coyotes and none of them worked out, it takes a totaly differant dog and style of hunting, I was glad to see that Rooster and Kyle have the sence to know the differance. I would say Eric has the write to be called a coyote hunter for all the years he hunted on the ouside. This is my opinion and dose not count for much, if anything. Hope you all have good running where ever you run.

I NEVER MET WILSON IN PERSON, BUT ONE OF THE GUYS I USED TO HUNT WITH KNEW HIM GOOD, I ALWAYS HEARD HE WAS A DARN GOOD HOUNDSMAN AND FOXHUNTER.

HE ALSO USED TO START HIS FOXHOUNDS ON DEER IN THAT PEN, THEN BREAK THE ONES WORTHY OF KEEPING OFF. HE SAID "IF THEY CANT PUNISH A DEER, WHY DO I EVEN WANT TO CARRY THEM FOXHUNTING?" AND AS MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT IT, HE'S GOT A POINT.

My old thick lips will drive a red fox to the ground in 20 minutes to be sure!!!!Am I a foxhunter???

Look forward to meeting you too Danny. I won't be battling with the poet though...he's too witty for me!

He dont know the poet like we do, does he Woodduck?