When traveling by wagon, Major was secured to the wagon bed by a string on his leg. Once they were in the area of a turkey roost, Avery would stake Major in a clearing where the bird would be readily visible. The East Texas forests in those days were clear of underbrush and visibility was good. The hunters would hide in nearby cover and use homemade box or wingbone calls to imitate hen turkeys. Major gobbled at the hen sounds, and so did wild gobblers.
Turkeys are territorial birds.
Dominant gobblers often came to what sounded like wild hens being romanced by a male rival. 8-gauge Parker double barrel to dispatch the wild turkeys. Then he would unleash Major, who enjoyed jumping on a fallen gobbler. Subordinate wild gobblers often perform the same ritual when a hunter shoots their dominant companion. Rather than fleeing, they release pent-up frustrations by spurring the fallen rival.