The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-02-23
TURKEYS AS FIGHTERS,
AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE
IN A MISSOURI WOOD. A
a Hantsr pioks or Cobblsr, .t VIII
While the Foes Continues aud no At.
tsneion Il Paid t. Him or HIS Rife by
ths Csmbatahts.

ligerant bird. but sometimes he nuts
on his war paint and goes forth to
do battle. The St Louis Globe DEM
ocrat says that j. L. Foster was out
hunting q 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 q deep ravine. With
the instincts Of an old gobbler hun
ter. he made hasty detour and land
ed on the opposite side of the ravine,
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 tho ravine he saw an.
other drove Of turkeys making their
way with great speed down the steep
declivity 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 to command q
view OF the hollow and very close to
the first flock of turkeys. He saw
the second drove rushing at tho
others like a brigade of soldiers
making q charge. The number was
about equal on each eide when the
fight began. The fapping of wings
and the angry squalls OF the turkeys
could be heard for quarter of a
mile. Foster watched tho 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 rifle. AS
the old fellow toppled over tho
turkeys on the opposing side dashed
at the dying bird and Us long as no
gave q kick they teIabored him with
wiugs. feet and beaks.
With the biggest gobbler gone
from the ranks OF the turkeys that
made the charge down the hill, they
began to waver 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
squalized things once more, and tho
battle went on hotter than ever. The
zobblers. which were in the majority,
lid most of the hard fighting, while
The old hens sputtered and pecped
Ind pecked when a good opportunity
offered ITSELF Tho gobblcrs would
get hold with their bills, then they
would pull aad haul each other about.
occasionally striking out with one
'oot. thon wing; sometimes they
would come together with both feet
snd make the feathers Autter and
iy.
Foster. not caring to kill any moro
,f the turkeys, walked boldly out
among the battling birds, who were
10 deeply interested in the fight that
they hardly needed his approach,
and it was not until he yelled at them
and waved his hands that they took
Sing.
"lt is really amusing to watch
lock of young turkeys when they
encounter their first snow-storm,"
'aid Foster. '.The old birds don't
mind it. but the youngsters 60 all to
pieces. and If you happen in their
vicinity ut such time 1t is only q
question of how many of them you
want to slay. The old turkeys, in
their efforts to quiet the fears Of the
tenderfeet, go almost frantic them
selves. and then tho 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 l could not stand
q moment. Every few moments q
snow squall would swoop down across
the range before strong northwest
gale. and it was during ono of these
little billiards that l witnessed a
scene that was calculated to make
sven an old professional hunter hi
larious. Icame 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
turkeys. There appeared to be
thousands of them from the noise
and hustle they were making. Get
ting o good position looked down
into the hollow, where it seemed as
If all the turkeys from the hills for
miles around were assembled and
were holding high carnival. They