COW CAPERS

**Jax** · 10-28-2010, 07:07 PM

This may have been posted on the Old Board not sure Enjoy. J.
Cow Capers.
I was standing on a bridge over a river late one afternoon planning a sneak attack on a couple of trout I had earmarked as likely prey for the evening rise as I watched a small herd of dairy cows having a drink of water as they crossed the river on their way to the milking shed. A voice at my elbow broke my reverie and almost had me leaping into the river in fright.
It was the landowner and with a twinkle in his eye, he offered to tell me a story of a trout catching technique he had perfected in his youth.
It appears it was his job in those days, to move the herd to the milking shed each day in the heat of the afternoon. As the heat on some days was quite oppressive, he would often let the cattle linger in the river to cool off before carrying on to the shed for milking.
One afternoon as he lay in the shade of a handy willow tree with his two trusty cattle dogs curled at his feet. He noticed a little trickle of milk streaming down stream from one of the cow’s udders.
What really caught his attention though was that a trout was following the trickle of milk upstream and arriving at the source. Latched onto the cow’s teat and started to suckle. Intrigued he looked closer and was surprised to see at least three other trout busy suckling at the udders of other cows. He assured me his first instinct was to head off to the shed to tell his father but figured the trout may well have left off feeding by the time they returned, and he might look silly. Almost in despair at this predicament and wondering how he would be able to prove what he was witnessing. A kernel of an idea came to him and a plan took shape in his mind.
Waiting patiently until he was satisfied the suckling trout were fast onto their respective teats. He called his two dogs and giving them the signal to push the cows forward. He rushed at the cows shouting like a demented banshee. The combination of dogs barking and a madman rushing at them had the desired effect and the cows not used to this sort of commotion. Bolted toward safety shedding trout as they fled.
Selecting two nice plump Rainbow Trout for the evening meal from those stranded on the bank. He returned the rest to the water and headed for the milking shed well pleased with his efforts. His father was impressed with the trout, but not too happy with having to calm the cows after their mad dash to the shed.
After perfecting moving the cows from the river without alarming them too much. He assured me his technique worked for a few years until some spoil sport reported him to the local Fish and Game Ranger. Who had a word in his father’s ear about poaching and that was that.
I wonder if a cow could be charged with Cowpable Fishacide?