They say bad luck travels in threes. The experience of three Kansas hunts this season suggests it’s true.

One Kansas hunt–the Fort Leavenworth Hunt–went through two huntsmen this season, but both are on the mend. The huntsman from the Mission Valley Hounds–Jt.-MFH Tom Jackson–broke some ribs when his horse fell with him. And the huntsman from Coal Valley Hounds–Jt.-MFH Wes Sandness–took a spill and had surgery.

As luck would have it, Jackson was supposed to hunt hounds for Coal Valley’s opening meet the very next day after his fall. Sometimes if it weren’t for bad luck, there’d be no luck at all!

But what the Kansas hunts lack in luck, they make up for in good people. Take Coal Valley Hounds in McCune, Kan., for example. With Sandness on crutches and Jackson nursing broken ribs, opening meet forecast looked bleak. But that’s when a treasure of a girl was handed the hunting horn and a huntsman’s saga began.

On Saturday evening, Oct. 23, Rachel McLearan was busy braiding hunting horses, caring for hounds, and getting ready for the opening meet party. What she wasn’t prepared for was the news that the Mission Valley huntsman had gotten hurt at their opening meet. So, with fewer than 15 hours before the Coal Valley opening meet, McLearan learned she would hunt the hounds.

McLearan, 21, is in her third season with Coal Valley as kennel huntsman and professional whipper-in. She started her hunting career the year before that, taking a job grooming for polo player player and foxhunter Mack Braly’s barn in Oklahoma. But her lack of experience is countered with enthusiasm, tenacity and determination.

McLearan knows each hound, and the hounds respect her. Like any kennel huntsman or huntsman, she puts in long days with the hounds, conditioning horses and maintaining the hunting country. Hers is a ranching life, so cattle must be cared for, fences mended, and chores finished. Her days start before sunrise and end long after sunset.

On her debut as huntsman, McLearan blew “Gone to Meet” and softly cheered 11 couple through the digs of southeastern Kansas. Although the scenting was poor at best, the hounds hunted with every fiber of their beings. The pack hunted quickly through the bottoms, leading the galloping field of more than 60 through the country’s ups and downs.

When deer jumped up and ran from the pack, not a hound lifted its silky head. When hounds heard their huntsman, they responded immediately. Opening meet was an excellent study of hound work and a huntsman’s relationship with them.

The next week, McLearan again took the horn, which she blows quite well. This was a costumed hunt in celebration of All Hallows Eve, and the field and staff resembled a medieval court complete with pink-feathered jesters. The 12-couple bitch pack wasn’t impressed with our foolishness; they were ready to hunt.

McLearan hacked the pack into the wind, and the race was on! The hounds followed the scent into the south digs and Evil Bodark Forest. At this speed, hair nets were whisked off heads and left on branches as sacrifices. Slower field members could easily follow the trail of pink feathers gently floating to the ground.

After an hour of hard hunting, the sky opened in a deluge reminiscent of Noah’s time. Hounds could no longer hunt, so McLearan blew for home. The field was disappointed right down to our soggy limp pink feathers. For future reference, duct tape does not hold a crown on a helmet once it gets wet.

The Coal Valley hunt ball and hunt was the next event. Hunt ball chairman Nancy Adams did a wonderful job in coordinating this elegant black-tie affair. The joint masters awarded colors to Deborah Davis, Virginia Rider, Frank Shagets and Susan Young and presented scarlet coats to whippers-in Sana Shagets and Susan Satterlee. The Coal Valley members presented McLearan with beautiful photos of her and her pack at opening meet before dancing the night away.

Dawn the following morning found McLearan already with the hounds and cleaning the kennels. She fed all the horses, fed and patted the cur dogs, fed the birds, and made it home just as everyone else was getting out of bed. She was impeccably turned out in proper hunting attire within 10 minutes, then back out to tack up hers and the joint masters’ horses. At precisely five minutes to 10, McLearan was leading the pack of 19 couple to the meet.

She hacked south and drew the west dumps first. Hounds found immediately and with a mighty cry were gone. The pack raced through the ups and downs at full speed after the steely gray prey. A partner had split in view of a road whip, but the pack stayed on the gray pilot. Staff and field raced through the Evil Bodark Forest, straining in their stirrups to catch a glimpse of the hounds.

The elusive prey made a fatal mistake after being chased at top speed for 30 minutes. It worked its way down a steep bank and into a beaver hole at the water’s edge. Undeterred by the vertical terrain and frigid water, the pack plunged into the water and accounted for their quarry.

The hunt continued with one chase after another. All hounds were on and keen for more action. Road whips viewed five coyotes, so McLearan decided to pursue the closest line. Coal Valley Jackson found the line of an eastbound coyote, and the pack honored and followed at full tilt, throwing tongue all the way. Misty River Monarch, Coal Valley Frosty, Coal Valley Rodney and Coal Valley Jackson took turns keeping to the line.

The wily coyote walked slowly across the blacktop road and left no scent, forcing hounds to puzzle their way across. McLearan cheered them on, and they quickly found the line on the other side, so the pilot sped away from the tight pack and raced out of country. McLearan put the pack on another line and the race was on again. After three hours of hard hunting and five views, McLearan blew for home with all hounds on.