The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-22
wHrrEcAPPING WILD TURKEYS.
A Novel Method of Securing the Game
Tried in the Snow.

Tried in the snow.
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
There are so many ways of hunting the
wild turkeys that it would seem the ex-
tinction Of the game will only be a ques-
ton of a few years. All the ingenuity
of the woodsman and the amateur MINI
rod is tested In attempting to outwit this
exceedingly cunning old roamer of the
forest and field. 1t remained for Col.
Sampeal Holiday to spring the latest and
most effective method of hunting the wild
turkeys.
Last winters said Holiday, Il went
up to Boiling Springs, on the Gasconade,
the weather was very cold and the bass
consequently sought the warmer water OF
the big spring, ! tried a day fishing, do
ing fairly well, and then a nice eight-inch
snowfall came to mantle the bottoms
across from where ! was stopping. 1 saw
three different droyes of turkeys in the
field where corn had been raised, scratch
ing around in the snow for food
The sight of those fine old fowls made
fishing seem tame 50 / went up to Joe
Iotherldge's house to rig up for trip ar
ter turkeys. His wife had hung out some
clothes to dry, and / noticed the sheets
were almost as white as snow. Right
then an idea struck me, and secured one
of those white sheets. got my gun and
shells and was soon on the other side OF
the Gasconade with the assistance or
Lother1dge and his boat. Before ascend
ing the bank TO the field / took the sheet
wrapping it about me so as to conpIetelv
cover my body, head and all. i arranged
and use my gun quickly. I cut two small
holes in my CHASTITY garment to peep
through and then carefully assembled the
When my head rose above the bushes.
Whlch We're weighted down with snow. 1
saw about fifteen turkeys. scratching
away Tor stray kernels of corn. Bending
forward to a holf-stooping position l be-
gan TO move on the birds, very slowly and
silently. The snow being light and deep
il was easy to push my feet through 1t in
stead Of raising them above the surface
and so plowed my way along toward the
coveted game. got within 100 yards Of
the turkeys when / noticed they were
gradually working towards me, so 1 sat
down in the snow and waited. 1t was
perhaps half an hour when l was almost
surrounded with the unsuspecting flock
l did feel as if it were taking a most in
fernally mean advantage of the game but
then remembered how many times 1 had
tramped through the mountains and val
leys from early morning until nightfall
only to be rewarded with a distant
glimpse OF the smallest bird that prowls
through the woods. Then my heart grew
hard and fingered the triggers of my gun
IN manner that boded mischief to at
least one gobbler that was kicking snow
almost on top of me. One time the same
long whiskered old bird came so close I
could almost have reached him with my
hand.
After studying my victims. or victim
for some time, l suddenly sprang up
threw aside the snowy mantle, and If
would have made mule laugh to have
seen the surprise of the familiar old COB
bier, and all the rest, for that matter But
] didn't have time to chuckle but once be-
fore my gun had to be used. L got the big
gobbler and two hens before the echoes
of the shots had died away along the sun
set hills to the westward. Then old Long
Joe Lotheridge came running up with that
iognOmy in twain.
"'wen, I'll be burned if tibet don't list
knock ennything / ever seed. Well git
out en- give EN- a ghost dance long when
moons up bout hour er so. 'Spect they'll
Jist cross over in yon holler en- camp
in the black oaks. Well jist put on
out the hull gang Then Joe dragged
his length of anatomy away toward the
sunset, chuckling as he went DANCED if
tibet trick amt sumthin we'uns oughter
got on to long ergo
Il lugged the turkeys down to the boat
and soon had them hanging up by the
Joe signaled from beyond the icy waters
to come over with the boat. He had To-
Gated two roosts in his short absence.
and was so eager and expectant that he
would hardly pack some wood for the
old lady to get supper with. But at
about 10 o'clock that night we We're all
logged out in as nice-looking whitecap
suits as ever ordained a Texas county
member of that organization.
The moon was full at the time. and
when we reached the roosting place we
gether on the trees, and as near the
track as possible. We had thick felt
boots on, and could scarcely hear our
selves as we cautiously worked our way
up to shooting distance without creating
any suspicion or causing a bad dream
among the sleeping birds. As it was
cold, the turkeys heads We're drawn
down as close to their bodies as posi-
BILE, and not one stretched his neck be-
fore the shot whizzed about some and
into the. others. Four fell, and then the
a tl1e.
valley indicated that at last the awaken
ing had come and our presence was
known.
Usually turkey takes tumble before
he is shot, but our makeup was too much
for him that night. The birds scattered in
every direction. some alighting in trees
side of the hill. Joe and myself after re-
calling ourselves from a small phial, work
ed up the ravipe and were again among
the scattered flocks. Here a funny thing
happened, and have had many a good
laugh over the recollection of it Since We
noticed big gobbler that had alighted
on the ground coming down the hillside
toward us at race horse speed, scattering
the snow with his big feet like a pillow
in front of a locomotive. We squatted
down, and whispered to Joe not to shoot
until the turkey got past us. On he came
as if he suspected that regiment of bad
shutters was hot on his trail.
Joe was in front of me, and when the
turkey had almost bumped against him
his big hand went out and closed in on
one of the frightened birds feet, and then
the fun began. / took the old mountain
GERS weapon, and for the next five min
utes there was a scrap that was worth
going to old Mexico to see. The old bird
was big and lusty, and you know that even
a wounded gobbler can make il lively for
an able-bodied man that graDples with
him; and when Joe finally got his prey
by the neck. intending to shut the big
birds wind Off, the way that gobbler
thumped, kicked and scratched poor Io-
which part / was playing. The noun