Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13
A DAYS RARE SPORT
Hunting Wild Turkeys in the
Indian River Country.
O.
FOUR Q LUCKY SHOTS
THEN He STOPPED BECAUSE HE
HAD ENOUGH.
Following Flock of Birds on Hand
Car-Fate Of the Inter
fering Dog.

to have been without foundation in fact.
Not only are the red men more than hold
ing their own. but they appear to be gain
ing on themselves. as 1t were; and as TO
the wild turkeys. they are now compare
lively abundant in many sections where
they were once almost unknown Wnle
1t is doubtful il New England Will ever
regain these noble birds as denizens OF Its
woods-except through the united efforts
Of game-prstective societies-in some OF
the middle and southern states they are
more numerous than ever. The yelp of the
wild turkey. in fact. can be occasionally
heard in the near vicinage of Washington.
D. c.. and Its recent habitat sighted from
the capitol dome.
My first acquaintance with wild turkeys
began about thirty years ago. when l was
hunting birds in Florida: but even in 1872,
before that state had become the winter
stamping ground Of sportsmen and pot
hunters they were not over plentiful.
hunted along the Saint Johns river for
weeks without sighting even feather
but on boat trip to the then little visited
Salt Lake L saw a small flock of turkeys,
which. however. got away without suffer
ing serious loss. though half the boats
passengers were popping at them. 1t may
have been chance. or merely hard luck but
though was three months with a gun in
my hand every day except Sundays.
never got a good shot at "Meleagris gal
lopavo" until / cut loose from my company
and went off alone into the Indian river
country.
In justice to myself 1t should be men
toned that was then hunting all sorts
of birds and did not make special en-
beavers toscapture the king royal of their
family but when my guide one day pro-
posed that we strike In from the river and
inspect a turkey section that he wot of, I
was not slow in giving assent. We had
stiff tramp OF twelve or fifteen miles to
40 81 al ,nr- L. To- IL
Hole" and arrived there by nightfall.
Making camp by lighting fire of pine
knots an spreading blankets at the foot
Of a sia 81 tree after supper Of coffee and
fapja cksx WeSs turned in and slept till
daylight 5nexE morning. When I awoke.
our blae& beg. Tom who was already
astir. ayredihat he had heard dem tor
key a-c&Hfn In de bush" for more than
half an Dlkresand listening intently 1 also
heard 4trnsWeet music. emaHating from
sHrn9 m ke s ~ IN swamp about a quar-
W1eh rds Were Plentiful.
1t wassan orida. believe. that John
BartramSe be father of American botany"
first fouff thu turkey he described under
the specie maine Of "Americana." title.
by the Nay, 1t ought to bear today, in
stead of the hybrid gallo pavo." At all
events his SON William, who accompanied
his father ON his first trip to Florida, and
who restdse 'Snere awhile. has left most
charming description of his own turkey
hunts in the penfnsular state, and / re-
called 1t as I heard the lusty calls from
tree to tree ms saIutation of the rising
sun. At the timeSof the Bartrams' visit,
in the last half of the eighteenth century,
wild turkeys were more plentiful in Florida
than were barnyard fowls. and they reck-
oned the shooting of half dozen or so
before breakfast as mere matter of
course. Times. have changed, indeed, since
the Bartrams passed that way; and yet,
as my guide and 1 crawled through the
swamp, ! could scarcely believe that
Judging from the racket going on In the
tree tops the turkeys had greatly di-
minished in number
'Thems yearlns," whispered Jim as we
crept into the underbrush and closely
scanned the trees overhead 'Tf they want
they wouldn't stay right here a-gobbin'
like all creation, an we a-crawlin' an
a-crawlfn' up onto 'em this away. Hi!
Look thar!",'~s
1 looked. following the direction indi-
Gated by his finger, and seeing a big bunch
Of what might have been Spanish moss or
forked limb of tree. threw gun to shout
der and waited for the thing to move
What you waitin for? Hits a turk;
let him have itr whispered Jim.
Il can't shoot him sitting" I WHISPERED
back. but without taking my eyes OF the
mass of moss or feathers I'D above.
you CANT. heyT Then you suttin'Iy
CANT hit him a-fiyin'," was Jim's indig-
nant rejoinder' Lemme try him, then"
His First Turkey.
Fortunately for me, Just then the object
in the tree sprang out into space. and. ac-
cordingly. | fired at once And sure
enough, 1t was turkey-a fine one. too
that came whirling down at the report OF
my gun. There was an immediate cessa-
ton Of the gobbling which had been going
on SO vivaciously and dead silence sue
ceeded.
That there were other birds about
knew full well, but as 1 stood beneath the
tree fumbling that warm bunch of blood
stained feathers and netting the bird
not care at all whether another turkey an
peared that day or not. Jim's rude accents
awoke me to the realities of the situation. 4
however: Here, what you moonin' over
that turk for, when they's more yit waitin'
thar like a man asleep. Hits a good one,
an no mistake must weigh ali of ten
pounds Give him to me and I'll tote him.
while we keep our eyes skinned fer err
nuther."
Jim was a good guide in some respects.
but inclined to be domineering in view Of
my youth sanda inexperience. We finally
to Jim only after cautioning him to be care
full not tosinjure its glossy plumaee and
above all not to lose it. Lose ft!.' he
smiled. What you take me for? AS ef
! could lose ,ten-poun' gobbier an not
know it. Go on. you're loony." 1 suppose
I so appeared to Jim: but then one can
shoot his drstwild turkey only once. of
course, and the experience cannot be dupii-
Gated. AS luck would have 1t. that morn
ing we had moved away from the tree we
were under but a few rods when we heard
a rustling of wings overhead, and out of
a tall gum. shot another turkey It pre-
scented fairly good mark, though some
twigs and branches interviewed: but any
way sent,aftenit charge Of number four
shot well hacked with black powder (for
"smokelessi' was thing unheard of those
days. and had the satisfaction of seeing
a stream of feathers float away on the
morning breeze and the big bird wayer in
Its eight
A Narrow Escape.
Hes all right yelled Jim, and even
as he spoke the turkey began to wabble
scientifically. 1t recovered itself, faltered
again, then pitched forward, falling with
mighty crash, through some bushes In the
swamp where the water was waist deem
and black as Ink Handing me the turkey
he held, Jim waded into the swamp nm
daunted by the prospect. though impt.fled
Soynewhaf by saw grass and liIv vaas.i, TJo