The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-03
Stalking GRAY PlOyer.

The gray or grass plover is the Wild
est of all game birds, being enticed by
neither the sportsman, stool OF call. In
fact his cry is so hard to initiate that
scarcely hunter can be found who can
correctly counterfeit it. A writer in
Forest and Stream tells good story OF
a spor tsman who tried to stalk gray
plover.
Our story takes us back to many years
ago, when the pasture lands Of Orange
county, n. j., were favorite rambling
place for young plover. 1t was upon
crisp, frosty morning that four of us
crossed the bay from the beach to have
crack at the plover that frequented
the rolling upland pastures of the MAIN
, land.
The Hon. Mr.. S. was of the party, a
short. Jolly man of fifty summers, good
! sportsman, but extremely near-sighted
The PROV of our skiff had but Just grated
against the sand, when Mr. S. drew from
under the gunwale of the boat huge
cows skin, sulmounted with pair of
huge horns To put this on and securely
! fasten it by knotting q short piece of
/ fish-line around his neck was but the
work of moment. He then looked up,
I ana, Win q smile, SAID.
Boys, I've got them now"
Away to the westward rolled the hills.
! dotted here and there with large herds
I of cattle, while from the wettish slashes
| between the knolls the fuke-like note
! of plovcr was borne down the air.
"Now, boys" said the gay deceiver
"you station yourself behind the fences
and I'll start up the birds"
On went Mr.. S.. bent over in imita-
tion of COW, his gun in hand, and his
spectacles with demoniac luster gleam-
ing on his nose. We, in silent admira-
ton at his " happy thought" placed our
selves behind the fence and peeped
/ through the rails, waiting to see whether
the ruse would prove effective At last
Mr. S. saw plover light at the base of
one of the hills, and bobbing after him
he went. He had lessened the distance
! almost half and was within II hundred
! yards of his victim, when from the near
est herd ont strode bull. He was
grand animal, and the airy background
made him look larger to us than any
bovine we had ever seen before. He
was evidently angry at this impertinent
intrusion on his domains by q strange
animal, and gave his tail snap that was
both ominous and suggestive. He took
one step forward, and, like Hamlet's
ghost, shifted the morning air. There
was wicked twinkle in his eye, and an
cx,llting chuckle in his respiration, as
he sent from each nostIil a cloud of
smoke.
"Ym," said the bull, and began trot-
ting toward the unconscious S.
We screamed "Looll out !" waved our
hands, and We're frantic with apprehen-
sion for our friend. S. did not hear us,
but went bobbing on toward the plover.
1t has been said that fifteen seconds
sometimes appear like two weeks and a
half it was so with us. At the end OF
sixteen seconds Mr.. S. was standing on
his head and the bull standing over him,
looking very much surprised. The gun
went off in the encounter and the bull,
still more astonishcd. reared up, lost his
balance, and rolled over backward. Tho
. Honorable Mr.. $. jumped up in fran
tic, confused way and started for the
fence. The ball rolled over and fol
lowed in pursuit. 1t was a race of hf,
, and death. The suspense was soor
over, however, for the Honorable S
went for the fence the same way Fran
: co.'s Eavcl used to 60 through the clocl
, head iirst-and safely landed ON tn,
other side after scr0ping, by the tol
, rail, all the buttons of his vest.