Beagle hunts are family fun
Winner: Pictured are Dan and Max Thornsley with the prize winning beagle Champy. Photo contributed to The Beacon
COSHOCTON – When the weather is nice, Max Thornsley can be found outside running his beagles.
He used to be a coon hunter, but his children got him into beagle hunts.
“My daughter and I bought the first beagle in 1998 from my son’s father-in-law and that’s where it all started,” Thornsley said. “I really like being with my dogs and outdoors. The first dog I bought became a champ. I’ve had pretty good luck with my dogs. They have to be a good hunter and have line control, but sometimes it also involves luck.”
He has four dogs right now and is a member of the Tick Ridge Beagle Club in Plainfield and the Coshocton County Beagle Club.
The Coshocton club meets at 7 p.m. the first Sunday of the month at Schumaker Farms and sponsors a national hunt at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds and the Don McVay Sr. Memorial Hunt at Schumaker Farms.
Thornsley would love to see the Coshocton group also sponsor a kids’ hunt.
“It’s good clean fun,” he said.
Thornsley has grandchildren who enjoy handling beagles and his wife GiGi also likes the activity.
“She goes and watches and has her own dog, but I hunt it,” Max said.
His son Dan started beagle hunting in 1997 after his father-in-law got him interested in club meetings.
“I enjoy the people and listening to the beagles run,” Dan said. “I just love being outside with Mother Nature.”
He currently has six beagles and two coon dogs.
“I run them every day to get them ready for hunts and also work with them on the bench,” Dan said. “They all have different personalities. Some of them are laid back, some are hyper and some are lazy.”
Like his father, Dan enjoys sharing the sport with family.
“My youngest likes to run beagles and my oldest likes to coon hunt,” Dan said. “I also like being with my Dad and enjoyed being with my late father-in-law. My wife has even gone out a couple of times.”
If you would like to find out more about beagle hunts, come to the UKC Hunting Beagle Nationals Friday through Sunday, April 17-19, at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds. For information, call 740-545-0984 or 800-338-4724. Admission is free for spectators. The event is hosted by the Coshocton County Beagle Club and sponsored by Nestle Purina.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Arts & Entertainment
