Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-20
THE WILD TURKEY
GOOD SPORT ON THE EDGE OF THE FLORIDA
EVERGLADES.
How tho Guide Lure Flocks of tie Birds By Imi-
tadng the Cry the Gobber-Quick Work Nee
essary When They APpear-Snmb-
ling On Them at Roost.

KsssTiEE, FLA, January 1S.-The
wild turkey offers noble game for the
sportsman's gun, but hunters have
gradually forced the large 1ocks from
their northern feeding grounds to the
secluded wilds Of the Southern States.
In the unsettled parts OF the country
lying between the Alleghanes and the
Mississippi River few Struggling com
panies of wild turkeys roam, but they
are shy and cunning and only poor rel
les of what was formerly powerful
tribe of birds.
In New York, Pennsylvania, and New
England they were hunted extensively
more than half century ago, and SO
plentiful were they, that in many local
tiles they proved a nuisance. In Mercer
County, \. j., long, narrow stretch al
marshy land, known as Bear Swamp,
was at one time their great feeding and
roosting place, and thousands of the
birds made their homes there. They
proved such nuisance TO the farmers
by eating the corn while it was in the
milk" that large hunting expeditions
were finally organized to eXterminate
them. Similar experiences are found
recorded in old journals and books In
the New England States; but all OF
these accounts refer to period varying
from 80 TO 90 years ago.
To-day the wild turkeys are seldom
found in New England. In the Dismal
Swamp of Virginia hunters occasionally
hear the gobbIe of the male, but it is
seldom that one OF these birds is shot.
The wild turkey is thus practically con-
fined tc the woods and swamps west OF
the Mississippi and in the southern part
OF the United States.
In Southern Florida good focks are
quite frequently called up by the hunter,
and the sport Of following them through
the dense hammockS of the Everglades
is only equaled by the exciting and un-
certain pursuit OF cartridges Hunting
them is not n wild chase after game
that may or may not appear at any IN
expected moment, bnt it is system
which is sure TO bring some birds within
shooting distance If it is carefully fol
lowed.
The Southern darkey with his corn
fiddle, can initiate the cry OF the old
gobbler to such perfection that focks
Of turkeys will gradually assemble
around him. Lying perfectly quiet in
his brush heap, he will continue the
Qobbling until some fine birds are close
enough TO shoot, and then he will spring
I'D and bring down fine turkey with
one shot. Two or three hunters ac-
companying the darkey will generally
secure good shots also before the birds
can escape through the bushes, but the
slightest noise beforehand or the crack
ling OF a bush may give the alarm, and
the whole flock will scurry away and
hide In some distant thicket.
We hunted for them one day on the
northern edge of the Everg lades, and
through the wisdom of our guide we
succeeded In bagging several. He was
a typical Floridian, or Cracker cowboy,
as he was more generally termed, and
though an interesting specimen OF
Southern hunter we regretted somewhat
that he was not darby. We had al
ways heard that negroes could initiate
the call of the turkey gobblers better
than any other human beings, but we
soon discovered that our guide thought
differently.
"Niggers amt no good daown here, u
he explained, deprecatingly. why
they darn't come roun' these ere Ever
glades. They'd be 'fraid of their life.
No, Sir; they knows when they's we'll
off,"
He removed his pipe for an instant
and puffed some smoke into the air. His
own bronzed face was so dark that IL
seemed as if it need only another layer
of color to make il Of black as q genuine
Africans.
"What are they 'fraid on? Why, ]
guess they're 'fraid Of these Injins in the
Eyerglades-them Seminoles that has
been so pesky troublesome in the past.
guess ye don't know that them Injins
catch every niger they kin get hold
of an keep 'em as slaves. WAL, maybe
YOU don't know it, but it's so. Ole Billy
Buster has had dozen or more right in
the middle of the 'Glades workin' him.
They're worse n the the Injins, dirty,
low-born, ann DO good. II they are
caught down here By the Seminoles
they're carted away 70 some Of the keys
in here, an they're forced TO work the