Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-03-31
TURKEYS AS FIGHTERS.
AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE
IN A MISSOURI WOOD.
A Hunter Picks or Gobblers at WIN
While this Fuss Continues aud no At
tention Is Paid to Him or Isis Rifle by
the Combntants.

The turkey is not classed 40 a bel
ligerant bird, but sometimes he puts
on his war paint and goes forth TO
do battle. The St Louie Globe Dem
ocrat says that j. l.. Foster was out
hunting a few miles back in the
mountains from Newburg, Mo, and
turkey was the game he was after
He had been following drove for
over two hours, and finally saw them
descend into deep ravine. With
the instincts OF an old gobbler hun
ter, he made hasty detour and land
ed on the opposite side Of the rayine,
expecting the game would come up
that way. He had concealed himself
and was waiting patiently when his
attention was attracted by the alarm
cries of an old gobbler. Looking up
to the head OF the ravine he saw am
other drove OF turkeys making their
way with great speed down the steep
decliyity into the hollow where the
others had gone Before.
Thinking that there must be some
extraordinary attraction for turkeys
in the wooded bottom, he worked his
way as stealthily as possible down
the steep and rugged descent and
was soon IN a position 10 command "A
view OF the hollow and very close TO
the first flock OF turkeys. He saw
the second drove rushing at the
others like a brigade OF soldiers
making a charge. The number was
about equal on each side when the
fight began The tapping OF wings
and the angry squalls Of the turkeys
could be heard for a quarter OF a
mile. Foster watched the fight for
about ten minutes, then walked up
within easy range Of his game and
/ proceeded to pick the biggest COB
bier and drop him with his rife. As
the old fellow toppled over the
turkeys on the opposing side dashed
at the dying bird and as long as he
gave kick they belabored him with
wings. feet and beaRs
With the biggest gobbler gone
from the ranks OF the turkeys that
made the charge down the hill. they
/ began 10 wayer and show signs OF
retreating. when Fosters gun again
cracked and the boss gobbler OF the
other side turned up his toes and
/ kicked in his death agonies. This
/ equalized things once more, and the
battle went on hotter than ever The
/ gobblers. which were in the majority,
did most 81 the hard lighting, while
the old hens sputtered and peeped
and pecked when good opportunity
offered itself The gobblcrs would
get hold with their bills. then they
would pull and haul each other about.
occasionally striking out with one
foot. then wing; sometimes they
would come together with both feet
and make the feathers tlutter and
fly.
Foster. not caring to kill any more
OF the turkeys. walked boldly ont
among the battling birds. who were
SO deeply interested in the fight that
they hardly needed his approach,
and il was not until he yelled at them
and waved his hands that they took
wing
lit is really amusing 10 watch q
flock OF young turkeys when they
encounter their first snow-storm. =
said Foster. The old birds don't
mind IL, bat the Youngsters go all Ia
pieces. and il you happen in their
vicinity at such time 1t is only a
question OF how many OF them you
want to slay. The old turkeys. in
their efforts to quiet the fears OF the
tenderfect, go almost frantic them
selves. and then the whole gang be-
comes easy prey for the hunter Last
winter was plodding along the back
bone of Callahan's Bluff, and the day
was so cold | could not stand
moment Every few moments a
snow squat would swoop down across
the range before strong northwest
gale, and it was during one OF these
little billiards that ! witnessed a
scene that was calculated TO make
even an old professional hunter hi
larious. came upon one Of those
deep hollows, or sink holes, as most
people out there call them. The
snow was almost binding, but above
the roar Of the storm / heard down
in the hollow the frightened yelps OF
AAA tANA AHHNAANo w "
thousands OF them from the noise
and hustle they were making. Get
ting good position | looked down
into the hollow, where il seemed as
il all the turkeys from the hills fol
miles around were assembled and
were holding high carnival They
were fighting, running, flying from
side TO side of the hollow aliohtino
in trees, jumping down again, and Il
seemed as il all of them were yelping
in their shrillest tones.
LAS sort OF calm came / began
using my old rifle, and when hao
six of the birds lying dead wa.
compelled TO quilt as my fingers be-
came so cold and numb that | could
neither load my gun nor feel tn,
trigger. built a fire aud thawet
out my stiffened fingers, Although
within sight of the turkeys all the
sisAa tbpv would NOT lenvp thp ,vn