The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-12-18
KILLING WILD TURKEYS.
RARE SPORT IN THE INDIAN
TERRITORY.
General Shsridan's Diplomatic Ambuscads and
Its HagnlfoOnt Results-Fun Only
for the Onlcers-TrOops Camped
in . Turkey ''ROOst"

IOF Lne WlIQ turkey makes us nauntS
In the timber-the woods were full OF
them. During the winter expedition
against the Indians in 1862, writes
Major Inman, portions of the com mand,
particularly those companies which
escorted General Sheridan on his mis-
sion to Fort Sill, lived for days on
them, and shooting them by moonlight
afforded an immense amount of sport
to the officers, in which the general
INDUCED largely.
On the North Fork Of the Canadian,
is place still known as "Sheridan's
Roost." The general was an old
sportsman. After going into camp
at this place, on the evening OF the
9th of December. the command found
themselves in turkey roost."
Sheridan had himself made the dis
covery, and he Immediately gave Or
ders that no one, either officer or
man, should leave the camp without
his permission, because, if anyone
commenced to prowl around, the birds
whould not come back TO their ac-
customed resting place at night. Just
as the last rays OF the setting sun sunk
behind the low mountains on the west
of the camp, the general and about sev-
en- officers, whom he had selected as
panions, left their fire and wandered
slowly into thick woods where he had
discovered early IN the afternoon
the coveted birds were in the habit of
congregating to roost Each of the
officers at the suggestion OF the gen.
eraI, took position on the ground to
watch until the time should arrive for
the birds to seek their sleeping place.
They did pot have long to wait, as
before 1t had grown fairly dark, two
or three magnificent focks came walk
ing down the ravines leading TO the
valley. At the head OF each flock. as
they unsuspectingly advanced, was
fine male bird, upon whose bronze
plumage the moonlight glinted as it
sifted through the interstices of the
trees. When he had arrived at the
place at which the flock under his
charge had been accustomed to roost,
he stopped, glanced all around for
few seconds and then, apparently salts
fed that everything was all right, he
gave signal-a sharp quick. shrill
whistle. At that instant every bird in
the flock with one accord raised with
tremendous futtering Of their wings
and alighted in the tops of the, tallest
trees. At this juncture, all the various
focks having become settled in their
several roosting places, the general
gave the word and every man COM
menced to fire on his own account.
The turkeys fell like the leaves in the
fall, but did not seem to have sense
enough to get away from their doom;
they few from tree to tree at every
shot but persistently remained in the
immediate vicinity Of their "roost"
with all the characteristic idiocy of
sage hen, which appears. according to
my observation, to have less sense
than any bird that flies.
1t was time that all honest men,
whether ''in camp or court" were in
bed before the general and his party
left the ground, so exciting was the
rare sport. After counting the num-
Der of birds that had fallen, it was
discovered that they had bagged near
ly 100, Of which the general had killed
the lions share. The now historic
spot was called "Sheridan's Roost."
which name is retained to this day.
Another turkey shooting occurred
previous to the one above referred to,
in which the whole of General Clusters
command took part 1t was about
eighteen days after the terrible battle
of the Washita, and Custer was chas-
ing the fugitive savages towards Fort
Cobb. The weather had been very
disagreeable- snow and furious
wind. The troops had been wading
through about foot Of snow. and the
horses were nearly starved, because it
was impossible to get at the grass ly-
ing so deep under the snow. That
night the command went into camp on
the Washita, and it was soon discov-
cred that accidentally they had
pitched upon an immense turkey
roost. 1t was not yet sun-down when
the picket line was stretched aud pre-
parations for the mems scanty supper
begun. Eagerly expecting that the
birds would come to their haunts at
the usual hour. the cooks were little
perfunctory, anticipating that the bill
OF fare would. that night, vary ma
terially from the customary sow-belly
and hard-tack.
So sure enough, just about sundown,
the turkeys began to return from their
search for food, and 1t was a most re-
markable sight to watch the evident
surprise of the birds rs they approach
ed tn cir roost to discover that their
ground had been usurped. Several
aocks rounded up'' in full view of all,
and 1t could be noticed that they were
bewildered and did not know what TO
do. They stood still, apparently para-
lyzed, for some time, and as other
fiocks soon arrived they all began to
fly up into the trees right in the mid
die of the camp. AT this moment
everyone seemed to be imbued with
the desire to shoot and fusillade be-
gan, resulting in the tumbling off the
trees OF fifty or more Of the bronzed
beauties; and. OF course, driving all
the remainder from their roosts until
the air was full of the frightened birds
As night drew on, not knowing or