Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-01
KILLING WILD TURKEYS.
RARE SPORT IN THE INDIAN
TERRITORY.
General eheridnn's Diplomatic Ambuscade and
It's Magnificent Results-Fun Only
for the Ofncers-TroOps Camped
in q Turkey ''Roost.''

region, which includes the Wichita,
Canadian and Beaver rivers in the
Indian territory. was the habitat of |
our noblest indigenous bird, the wild !
turkey. TO employ u slang phrase
for the wild turkey makes it's haunts
in the timber-the woods were full of
them. During the winter expedition
against the Indians in 1869, 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
Mt this place. ON the evening OF the
eth OF December, the command found
themselves in turkey roost.'
Sheridan had himself made the dis
covery, and he Immediately gave c"-
ders that NO One either officer or
man, should leave the camp without
his permission, because, if anyone
commenced % p-owl around, the birds
whould no. come back to their az
custom ed resting place at night. Just
as the last Gays of the setting sun sunk
behind the low mountains on the west
OF the camp the general and about sew
en- officers, whom he had selected as
com 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.
eral, took a position on the ground to
watch until the time should arrive for
the birds to seek their sleeping place.
They did not 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 a
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 a
few seconds and then, apparently salts
fled that everything was all right, he
gave a signal-a sharp quick. shril1
whistle. At that instant every bird il
the hcck with one accord raised will
u tremendous huttering OF their wing
and alighted in the tops of the TALES
trees. At this juncture, all the various
tlocks having become settled in thei
several roosting places, the genera
gave the word and every man com
menced to fire on his own account
The turkeys fell like tho leaves in tn
fall. but did not seem to have sens
enough to get away from their doom
they few from tree to tree at ever
shot, but persistently remained in tn
immediate vicinity OF their "roost
with all the characteristic idiocy OF
sage hen, which appears. according t
my observation, to have less sens
than any bird that flies
1t was timo that all honest mer
whether Gin camp or court" were
bed before the general and his par,
left the ground, SO exciting was tn
rare sport. After counting the nun
Der of birds that had fallen, it WI
discovered that they had bagged nea
ly 100, of which the general had killt
the lions share. The now histor
spot was called "Sheridan's RoOst
which name is retained to this day.
s5 Another turkey shooting occurr
previous to the one above referred
in which the whole of General Custer
command took part. 1t was abo
eighteen days after the terrible bait
of the Washita, and Custer was cha
ing the fugitive savages towards FC
Cobb. The weather had been We
disagreeable-cold, snow and furio
wind. The troops had been wadi
through about foot Of snow, and !
horses were nearly starved. because
was impossible to get at the grass
ing so deep under the snow. II
night the command went into camp
the Washita, and it was soon disc
cred that accidentally they h
pitched upon an immense turk
roost. 1t was not yet shutdown VIII
the picket line was stretched and p
para,ions for the mems scanty supl
begun. Eagerly expecting that
birds would como to their haunts
the usual hour. the cooks were Iii
perfunctory. anticipating that the
OF fare would. that night, vary
terially from the customary sow-b'
and hard-tack.