SEARCHING FOR THE ILLUSIVE HARE ON THE ALLEGHENY

VIDEO FROM THE HIGH PLATEAU OF THE ALLEGHENY

Presented by the:

January 20th, 2018 was a beautiful day on the high plateau of the Allegheny. We were searching for hare on private land adjacent to the Allegheny National Forest. 

We, Kaz and Barbara, Brenda and me, were looking in a laurel patch which is known for harboring the illusive snowshoe hare.

We were fortunate as the hounds found the scent of the majestic hare right away.

Hounds with us today were Kaz's Maggie and Nikki. I have with me Sammie, Kipper, Aero and Hollie.  

January 20, 2018 In the Laurel Patch. No snowshoe hare appeared on the video above but there is narration.

On this next video the hare appears to the left. For some unknown reason he reversed and backtracked. He was running right at Kaz. Maybe he saw Kaz and turned around. Kaz did not see the majestic snowshoe hare.

Hare in the laurel patch 01-20-2018.

On this video Sammie and Areo are on the scent of the hare shown above.

January 20, 2018 Sammie hot on the hare above.

A TRIBUTE TO A TRUE HUNTER, SPORTSMAN AND PIONEER.

November 5, 2009

From the archives of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

Dateline: November 5, 2009

A TRIBUTE TO A TRUE HUNTER, SPORTSMAN AND PIONEER.

Doyle Thomas Wolford was born April 28, 1913 near Sigel, Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania and died July 27, 2002 near Shippenville, PA. He lived and worked his entire life in the hills and mountains of Pennsylvania. Tom was a houndsman, hunter and a true sportsman.

His parents were John Henry and Rebecca Jane Asel Wolford.

Tom's ancestors came from Ireland and Germany.

The Wolford school near Sigel, PA.

"Tom" as he was known by his friends and family left Jefferson County as a young boy with his family moving to McKean County and settling in the village of Walkertown, in the "oil patch" of Pennsylvania.

Tom worked and played in the woods all his life. From a young age he owned fox hounds, bobcat dogs, squirrel dogs, "coon" hounds and dogs as family pets.

He was a great deer hunter.

Tom worked his entire adult life on the oil leases of South Penn Oil Company which later became Pennzoil Company. During WWII he worked the "Victory Shift" at Dresser Manufacturing plant in Bradford, PA.

It was in the thick woods and on the steep hills of McKean County, Pennsylvania where Tom hunted with friends, family and his many hounds for fox, raccoon, bobcat and squirrel. And many hounds there were. I have pictured only a few of these beautiful animals.

I enjoyed many of his wonderful hunting stories and many times wished I would have written them all down.

As with all huntsmen and hounds some were happy stories and some were not. Losing a hound to whatever reason is always a sad story. Stories of successful hunts are the happiest  of stories.

As they say, "One picture is worth a thousand words."

Below are many thousands of unspoken words in picture.

Some of these pictures we know the year and some we do not.

(Below) Tom with red fox 1939.

(Above) A young Tom and "Joe". Look at Tom in his Sunday Suit.

(Above) "Lizzy Lee" 1937.

(Above) "Butts"

Note the outhouse or privy to the left and the push type reel mower on the right. This was the only type of lawn mower we had before gasoline self propelled mowers.

Tom Wolford with bobcat. (circa 1943)

Above: Tom and the late Simon Young with red fox and bobcat around 1943. Simon reported the cat was treed by the hounds while hunting for fox in the Farmer's Valley region of McKean County. He also remembers the bobcat was old with worn out teeth.



(Below) Tom with "Hi Noon". Note the pressure plant in the background. High pressure water was forced down "intake wells" to force the crude oil out of the oil wells.

 The doghouse was made from "sucker rods". Sucker rods went down the oil wells to facilitate sucking the oil out of the ground. When the change was made from wooden rods to steel rods the wooden sucker rods were everywhere and used for everything. They were made of cypress wood and impregnated with crude oil, of course. The sucker rods would last forever. 

Above:

"Tommy"

(Below) "Rattler"

"Rattler" was a squirrel dog. Tom used a ".218 B" hunting rifle for everything from deer to squirrel including deer, turkey, fox and bobcat.

(Left) Tom and "Rattler". Rattler was a Rat Terrier, hence the name, Rattler.

(Left) Tom, Noon and Joe. Again, the hounds are atop a sucker rod dog house.

(Below) A young looking Tom and a beautiful hound named "Speed".

Left: Great old fox hound Buff.

Below: Tom, far right, Jack Bishop, second from left. The other two are unidentified.

Jack Bishop was a great hunting buddy of Tom's as they hunted fox night and day.

Jack and Tom traveled to North Carolina to hunt fox on one occasion.

In case you don't know, Tom was my beloved father-in-law.

NEW HUNTERS AND OLD HUNTERS VENTURE FORTH

HUNTERS, NEW AND OLD VENTURE FORTH INTO THE WILDS OF THE ALLEGHENY HIGH PLATEAU.

Excuse my hat.
From left to right: Autumn Bish, the High HareMan, Brayden Murray and Will Murray. Kaz is behind the camera.

On December 27, 2017 five members and six beagles ventured forth to the High Plateau in search of the illusive snowshoe hare and were granted success by the red gods of hunting. Several "Tally Hos", a.k.a. sightings, were awarded the hunters.

Autumn was awarded her new Big Woods Hare Hunter ball cap signifying her membership and many outings since 2009.

Brayden and William were awarded Big Woods Hare Hunter ball caps signifying their beginning interest in becoming future Big Woods Hare Hunters.

Above: Hunting in the mountain laurel.

Mountain laurel patch east was full of hare tracks and the hounds were immediately tonguing during our first outing of the regular snowshoe hare season. On December 27, 2017 the air was frigid with brisk winds out of the north. Several sightings, a.k.a. "Tally Ho"s were enjoyed by all present.

Below: Brayden hunting the mountain laurel patch.

The six beagles did an outstanding job. Considering the snow and cold, the pack, consisting of Kaz's Nikkie and Maggie, the High HareMan's Kipper, Sammie, Aero and Hollie, did an exemplary job.

As we entered the laurel patch the hare had paths worn through the laurel. Busting a hare out of the laurel would be the test.

Finally, the hounds did enjoy a 300 yard chase out of the laurel. All enjoyed a second long run during the day.

Brayden suffered what looked like possible frostbite on his face at the end of the long cold day. No damage was done to his face and we did not face reprisal from his mother.

Autumn, Kaz and the High HareMan hunted the high plateau the next day (December 28th) and enjoyed several chases but without a "Tally Ho".

A hare track is all we could muster a picture of on December 28th.

The feisty hounds chased the illusive hare to the bounds of hearing on some runs going as much as 500 yards before turning back. A good day was had by all.

GRATEFUL MEMBERS VISIT OUR NATIONS MOST SACRED SHRINE.

GRATEFUL MEMBERS VISIT OUR NATION'S MOST SACRED SHRINE

Freedom:

"All gave some, but some gave all."

Arlington National Cemetery with remembrance wreaths placed by 75,000 volunteers from Wreaths Across America.

On New Years Eve 2018, four members of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny took time out to pay their respects to some of our nation's fallen heros at one of our nation's most sacred places. The pictures say it all. And, yes, it was a little cold but all hearts were warmed.

"On Saturday, December 16, 2017, at 1,422 participating locations nationwide, grateful Americans in every state placed more than 1,565,000 remembrance wreaths. At Arlington National Cemetery specifically, 244,700 wreaths (one for each marker there) were placed by more than 75,000 volunteers, the largest crowd to ever participate there.
Nearly 500 truckloads of wreaths were transported across the country through a network of hundreds of volunteer drivers, donated trucking and diesel, and countless hours of dedicated volunteers committed to the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach."-Wreaths Across America website.

"A person dies twice: once when they take their final breath, and later, the last time their name is spoken."--unknown

"We are not here to decorate graves. We're here to remember not their deaths, but their lives."—Karen Worcester, Executive Director of Wreaths Across America

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. Service to country is the common thread that binds all who are remembered and honored at Arlington.

Main entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.

At the top of the hill is the Robert E. Lee Memorial or the Arlington House, formerly named the Custis-Lee Mansion. Once the home of Confederate General, Robert E. Lee, it overlooks the Potomac River and the National Mall in Washington, DC. During the American Civil War, the grounds of the mansion were selected as the site of Arlington National Cemetery, in part to ensure that Lee would never again be able to return to his home. However, the United States has since designated the mansion as a National Memorial to Lee. Although the U. S. Department of the Army controls Arlington National Cemetery, the National Park Service, a component of the United States Department of the Interior, administers Arlington House.

The primary mission of Arlington National Cemetery is to serve as the final resting place for the men and women who honorably served in the Armed Forces and their immediate family members.

Three members and one future member of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny make their way into Arlington National Cemetery.  The building behind is the Visitor Center. All visitors must pass through a security screening.

A first stop on a trip to Arlington National Cemetery should include the Welcome Center, located by the cemetery entrance. In the Welcome Center there are maps, information services (to include grave locations), kiosks for accessing AND Explorer, a bookstore, restrooms and water fountains. The Welcome Center also contains exhibits and displays that tell the story of Arlington National Cemetery and its significance to the nation. The cornerstone of the exhibits is a life-size replica of a bugler playing "Taps," one of the most recognizable components of a military honors funeral.

Arlington National Cemetery conducts between 27 and 30 funeral services each weekday and between 6 and 8 services on Saturday. The grounds of Arlington National Cemetery honor those who have served our nation by providing a sense of beauty and peace for our guests.

Who may be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?

(a) Any active duty member of the Armed Forces (except those members serving on active duty for training only).

(b) Any retired member of the Armed Forces. A retired member of the Armed Forces, in the context of this paragraph, is a retired member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or a Reserve component who has served on active duty (other than for training), is carried on an official retired list, and is entitled to receive retired pay stemming from service in the Armed Forces. If, at the time of death, a retired member of the Armed Forces is not entitled to receive retired pay stemming from his service in the Armed Forces until some future date, the retired member will not be eligible for burial.
(c) Any former member of the Armed Forces separated for physical disability prior to 1 October 1949 who has served on active duty (other than for training) and who would have been eligible for retirement under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 1201 had that statute been in effect on the date of his separation.
(d) Any former member of the Armed Forces whose last active duty (other than for training) military service terminated honorably and who has been awarded one of the following decorations:
(1) Medal of Honor.
(2) Distinguished Service Cross (Air Force Cross or Navy Cross).
(3) Distinguished Service Medal.
(4) Silver Star.
(5) Purple Heart.
(e) Persons who have held any of the following positions, provided their last period of active duty (other than for training) as a member of the Armed Forces terminated honorably: 
(1) An elective office of the United States Government.
(2) Office of the Chief Justice of the United States or of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
(3) An office listed in 5 U.S.C. 5312 or 5 U.S.C. 5313.
(4) The Chief of a mission who was at any time during his tenure classified in class I under the provisions of 411 of the Act of 13 August 1946, 60 Stat. 1002, as amended (22 U.S.C. 866, 1964 ed.).

The rolling green hills are dotted with trees that are hundreds of years in age and complement the gardens found throughout the 624 acres of the cemetery. This impressive landscape serves as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

One of the most recognizable components of a military honors funeral includes "Taps". Taps is a bugle call played at military funerals by the United States armed forces. The official military version is played by a single bugle or trumpet. The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfield's Lullaby", or by the first line of the lyric, "Day Is Done".

At the top of the hill is the Robert E. Lee Memorial.

Above and below: Between 1947 and 2001, privately purchased markers were permitted in the cemetery. The sections in which the cemetery permitted such markers are nearly filled and the cemetery generally does not allow new burials in these sections. Nevertheless, the older sections of the cemetery have a wide variety of private markers placed prior to 2001, including an artillery piece.

Three members of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny respectfully pose before the camera and before the solemn graves to commemorate their visit. A future member is riding on his Daddy's back.

The High HareMan at Arlington National.
As emotions well up, a normal person's heart cannot help but be moved.

@ Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery.

"There is a meticulous routine that the guard follows when watching over the graves.

The Tomb Guard:

Marches 21 steps south down the black mat laid across the Tomb.

1. Turns and faces east, toward the Tomb, for 21 seconds.
2. Turns and faces north, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds.
3. Marches 21 steps down the mat.
4. Turns and faces east for 21 seconds.
5. Turns and faces south, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds.
6. Repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard.

After each turn, the Guard executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the Guard stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.

Out of respect for the interred, the sentinels command silence at the tombs. If the guard walking the mat must vocally confront a disturbance from spectators, or a threat, the routine is interrupted, and remains so until the disturbance is under control. The sentinel will exit the mat, place the weapon in port arms position, and confront the disturbance. Once under control, the sentinel then walks on the pavement to the other side of the mat, turns to shoulder arms, and continues the routine.

Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed—the 21-gun salute ."- wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_(Arlington)

Overlooking Washington, D.C. from Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater.

Below: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or the Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument dedicated to U.S. service members who have died without their remains being identified. Wikipedia

"All gave some, but some gave all."