The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-02-16
The Wild Turkey.

Spring used io be the favorite time 70
shoollng turkeys, and although he prac
Q tlce was bad and has been abolished lustl
. recall with intense pleasure many
morning spent IN the bush cbirpip,
3 through the bone" to allure .eobblip0
, turkey cock to his death. knew wber,
! the BIRDS roasted in the heavy timber o
the swamp aud before day break / used I,
go to spot near the roost and hide nv
self IN bush blind"-a sort of tent form
ed of bushes. There with my rifle or cros.
Dow Gas the long bow was not suitea 10
the purpose) began initiating the crv Of
the turkey hen, This would soon be ans
~ered by the gobble OF a cock who w.s
perched in the dense top of some giant
oak or pine in the swamp jungle OF soutb.
ern river bottom" Many time have
called turkey to me before /. was vat
lisht enough to see how to aim my wesp.
on. Usually the distance was 80 abort
however, that nicely Of shooting was not
required. For this last popular method
OF pot hunting the cross bow WAS tho hast
weapon OF all, because it made so little
noise wheu fired that one could call mn
and kill bird after bird without ALARMING
the rest l recall several instances in
which ] killed from two to six turkevs
from the same blind during the space Of
an hour or two.
when use gun | conform 10 the
strictest rules of the cunning craft. bu,
when take up the gun Of the savage then
90 as the savage shooter does. After all,
however why is it any more savage 10 call
turkey up TO you and shoot il with n
cross bow than 1t is to lay its neck ON n
block, as yonr butcher does and cut IL in
Two The gunner (and am one some
times says that II is ignoble to shoot a
oird before 1t flies. So it is, in a sports
mans view, II you use shotgun loaded
win 2o0 or 800 pellets Of shot, but il Won
Use cross bow and one quarriI then il ia
'ery noble to shoot your game as best You
an And speaking Of genuinely thrilling
port, know OF none 80 fine AS this lurk- =
ns under cover and Turing a turkey to
our shot, when your weapons accurate
abse is not more than twenty FIVE yards. y
Let The morning be clear, sparkling.
AIRY, frosty one. with perhaps Just hint u
log hanging low ia the woods and a u
'reak OF daylight cracking the east. Take II
own your heavy old Spanish cross bow b
I'D your broad headed quarrils, swallow q 1t
nall cup OF coffee and go forth to your ar
ind near the roost. BE very careful In W
'proachins, so as not TO let the birds Di
low, and as sosn as yon are hidden begin tn
eir turkey 'yelp' or croak. The sounds m
u have strange effect as they break da
Stiffness and go echoing through the
'ods, aud they may try your patience
ising ior 9 response, bat at length il
y come, npi1e quite indescribabe and
mitable. the gobble Of the cock, far of =
The tbiekest part OF the forest. -
L always excites me, the first answ er Of
game, and have great difficulty in ~ ~
Aing fall control Of my nerves, so eager -. /,
! for tbs shot. He is a very cautions !,
patient bird. never burrying, no mat
3ow much you coar. Inch by inch, az ~ ~
'ere, he ereeps sIong, stopping here 49,.
there TO let fall bis wings aud strut, -
% stand aud listen. but be does not
10 gobbie at irregular intervals a. he
rneys towards you. on bis zigzag route r.
ough the dense uDderbrush, aad there -
omething 10 bis manner which, although
cannot SEQ him. sssufes you that be Il
70 come into view At last Now you
= back The string Of your cross bow IN
set II securely 10 the mock Of the mt, -, ~
lay hessy qasuil 10 place. Mean
you have no. stopped yelping at pro. =,
Intervals Soon enough yon hear
bs rustic 10 the old dead leaves lef.
Iron ~ialer. lie is coming very near.
X, that low. mpified roar ID the sound
lskes Eben be struts. Look out nov. 'Ns'
! be secs yon hrst your arsi chance il T,
;, A ios bash shakes right before you ,ul
more tasn iwelye yards away He is tells