The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-22
REAL ouTwrUTED


lapses Of a great mind Taking him by
and large" an old turkey gobbler is
the quickest, swiftest, ,shiest and most
knowing animal with wings or without.
He can run like a greyhound, smell like
a deer, see like an eagle, and fly like
wild turkey You may have spent two
hours crawling upon your hands and
knees over a mountain open or in NOV
ing with noiseless footsteps, each one
of which is considered with careful de-
liberation, and a single, sudden turn of
your head, snap Of twig or CLEAN of
sunshine on your gun will send whole
gang mile away and up the
mountain. Upwards it always is.
When a wild turkey does not like the
looks of things he wants the rockiest
and toughest summit of the particu-
larly highest headland of the topmoSt
ridge of whole range, and he gener-
ally gets it. If it is steep, he runs, and
he can run up faster than you can fall
down. If it is a gentle rise. he thrashes
the air with his mighty wings clear UP
above obStructing treetops and then
away he sails with velocity that be-
longs to a 20-Dound feathered cannon
ball.
Take a dog along, if you will, and
when the gang is busy feeding, your
cur may surprise them so quickly as TO
make flush. Off they will fly, scat
tering in every direction, no two birds
together. If it is afternoon they will
want to get together for the night. and
IN few hours you hear far off, 2
plalntln qu-urck, qu-urck, qu-urck
qu-urck, qu-urck, qu-urck, qu-urck-
seven notes, the last three coming
one of the rare individuals who can
make and manipulate a turkey-call,
take from your pocket the wefl-worn
hollow bones of wild gobbler's wings,
be still as death, and initiate that
queer invitation. You will probably be
conscious that it is answered and have
some delicious sensations: nay, it NAV
even come nearer and lead YOU to
madly strain your eye-nerves trying to
see through entirely opaque under
brush. But unless those turkeys are
very young and foolish, or are hens
this viii be ali. An old gobbler will
have thought it all out long before he
steps within range, and silently fly
away. leaving you to wonder why the
answer don't keep on coming.
The thoroughbred and glorious way
to XIII turkey is to go out alone in
the mountains with your Winchester
and half d dozen cartridges and just
look for the noble old fellow Not
that just looking viii do-to make
much of a success you must listen for
him, feel for him, taste for him and
smell for him, too; and, above every
thing else, wait for him. Get into just
the widest and most secluded glade
you can climb TO. where the only har-
vesters of the chestnuts and hickory
nuts are the squirrels, where the tea
berries, huckleberries and wild grapes
grow only for the pheasants and tur-
keys; where the wildcat screams at
night, tt fox pounces on the rabbit
the black bear hunts for bee trees, aud
the big-horned owl is villain in many
nocturnal tragedies. Keep in the un-
glade. Take note OF what there is
for a turkey to eat and see if the dry
leaves are scratched up.
Walk about a mile an hour. and \
don't put your foot down unless you |
know what kind of a noise it is going
to make. Don't be sure it is a squirrel |
you hear scampering over the leaves
until you see him or hear his chatter. !
See everything that your eyes can take |
in and keep them looking steadily on |
points in distant leaf-colnred slopes |
until they see many things that did |
not appear at first. Stop sometimes |
and don't move anything but your eve |
balls for five full, silent minI.tes. |
Never make any sudden move: consid- |
er whether the last nights frost has |
fallen on this area of ruff1ed and torn |
up leaves where plainly strong toes |
have been laying there the rich dark |
earth or the sweet remains. of the |
chestnut crop.
When you decide that the scratching |
has been done this morning, see where |
it began and remember what ground |
lies in the direction to which it tends. |
Then follow, moving more slowly and |
carefully. Come to steep mountain |