The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-06-15
THE WILD ANGLERS.
ANIMAL FISHERS THAT ARE QUICK,
SUEE, WARY AND SHY.

Chicf impnE Them Are the Heron.
thc tSiusas'Icr, the Mink. the Wa
ter snG..e uEd the Swapping Tur-
ue-How They Land Their Prizes.
ANY one who can suppress for
awhile his eagerness with the rod on
q trout stream and summon patience to
lie In wait and watch the ways OF
beasts AID BIRDS" said one who had
evidently been able 70 do so. will dis
cover that he is not the only fisher in
those waters. Chief among the other
fishers are the heron, the klngfisher,
the mink, the water snake and the
swapping turtle.
"An angler passing down in a brook
intent on his rod will rarely see any OF
these wild fishers at their work, for
they are all wary and shy. perhaps
with the exception Of the water snake.
No angler has ever fished between the
elder skirted banks of any trout stream
without discovering one or more of
these reptiles-harmles except as TO
their woeful appetite for trout-twisted
around some overhanging branch.
watching for prey.
zone day while fishing in a Sullivan
county brook lay down in the shade
of maple 20 eat my lunch and smoke
pipe. While thus in Quietude saw a
blue heron drop down on the edge OF
the brook only rod or two away. Aft
er few minutes OF statuesque watch
ing the long legged bird darted its
head down into the water, withdrew II
with large trout in its bill and few
away.
"Not more than Ave minutes afte-
the heron had disappeared mink
came swimming up the brook. In a
pool nearly within my reach the mink
dived. A moment later II appeared
with q good half pound trout In its
mouth.
"This expert fisher had scarcely gone
its way when harsh voiced kingfisher
alighted on n dead limb overhanging
the brook twenty yards from where |
lay. The bird was not long on the limb
before down IL went in the water and
came up with trout. l was trying to
figure out what the probable drain on
the trout population OF the country
might be from the inroads Of these
wild marauders when a water snake
came gliding up the stream carrying a
trout In its mouth that was big enough
TO talk about. Then | thought II was
time for me to get 10 fishing again be-
fore. these expert and persistent wild
fishers had robbed me of my chance
for sport.
"Herons, like swapping turtles. select
the largest trout for their prey. They
usually fish at the foot of some deep
pool Poised on one long. slender leg,
the heron. as immovable as il II were
carved from stone, waits patiently the
passing of some lusty trout from the
rapid water below into the pool.
"The wait is seldom a long one. Sud
denly the long neck shoots out like an
arrow, and the great bill is buried for
an instant I'm the water The aim is
rarely at fault, and when the birds
head appears in sight again a large
trout usually comes up with II. The
heron rises lazily from the creek, trail
ing its spindling legs, and files home
with its savory burden.
"Late In the season, when trout begin
to congregate where small spring runs
empty into the stream, the heron will
be found fishing there. as II seems to
know well, as does the kingnsher, all
the habits OF the fish It loves so well to
feed upon. One heron with free scope
on trout stream will likely take from
II a thousand trout. many OF them
heavy with spawn, during the time this
big bird fishes, which is from the time
the ice leaves the creeks In the spring
until II forms on them again the fol
lowing winter.
"The mink fishes all winter long as
well as in the summer. In fact, II Is
during the icebound period that II Is
most destructive to trout.
"The kngisher is not so certain in It's
aim as the heron, but one failure never
discourages this winged marauder. II
will resume its perch on the dead limt
AN outlook 1t seems to prefer-settlC
down with its watchman's rattle cry
and watch and dive until the prize Is
won.
"The klnghsher is no stickler for size
In trout, but tries for the first thai
comes along. 1t is a greedy fisher, or
rather, perhaps the family that IT feeds
has an Unsuitable appetite, for the birt
has been known TO return ten times e
the same place within an hour ant
carry away a trout every time. A
catch which IL makes in that length o.
time the best of anglers nowadayi
would consider something TO boast of.
"water snakes, basking by the hun
dreds along every trout stream, fsl
with SO much tact and cunning tina
they number their prey by thousand
from the time they come out Of thei
alternating places, which is as soon a
The weather begins to get warm, unit
the approach OF winter drives then
back into their holes.
"rhere is no knowing TO how great