The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
HUNT IN OKLAHOMA
Trailing Wild TurkeySin the
Usage Reservation.
BIRDS SHOT AFTER HARD RUN
Dog an Indispensable Part of sports
mans eutfEt-Barbeeued Turkey
Cooked in the Open One of The
Chief Delights OF the Hunt-NIay
Travel Far Before Getting Shot.

Hunting the wild turkey in winter
weather. in the Usage Indian reservation
in Oklahoma. is princely sport, according
TO the Kansas City journal. The alert
ness. strategy. and swiftness Of this mag
nifcent bird OF the forest tit it 20 elude
its most patient pursuers, and a we'll
trained dog is Indispensable The turkey
dog owned by our leader, Don Sagers, the
ranchman. was a strange looking mon
grel. "a cross between "a pointer and bull
terrier. but his mixed pedigree had pro-
duced a wary. tenacious trailer
The sun was high toward the meridian
before the hunters had penetrated the
long, deep canyon where eight big gobbeTs
were known 10 make their home. The
powders that had tumbled down and
piled themselves as barriers 10 entrance
on horseback sOrely tried the strength
and endurance of the hunters.
Far up toward its head tine canyon wild
ened into a narrow meadow land. through
which ran a springfield rivulet. along
whose course grew q fringe Of elms. oaks.
and sycamores. The meadow was deep in
brown grass. with "a growth Of green
at the roots. On the hills We're black
jacks and other small oaks. Small
acorns, on which wild turkeys delight to
feed, clattered down In abundance.
A winged shadow arose "a quarter Of a
mile ahead, and sailed in strong fight 10
the craggy wall Of the canyon, followed
by another and another. until half a
dozen turkeys had left the hunters gazing
in blank surprise.
Birds VIII scatter.
There's your game. said Don. but
getting &c is different thing. They viii
scatter in the hills. and even il the dog
should strike a trail. wen have "a horse
and turkey race and lots OF travelling
before we get a shot Get out Of here
and hit the high places"
The horses. left tied AZ the mouth Of
the canyon. We're soon mounted, and an
hour later were high tn the hills with
their riders. The locality where the tur-
keys had gone was marked and the dog
turned loose.
- mes knew what was expected Of him
auC began working tEe ground thoroughly.
Su.denly he threw up his head. stood with
his eyes hail closed. shifting the air, and
then tr5tted straight ahead Putting his
nose % the ground he bounded rapidly
away. Fresh turkey tracks ia The moist
earth showed that Bones was on a good
trail The turkey was running hard. his
tracks looking as IL they had been made
by jabbing the tines of Il small rake in
the ground That his Unexpected visitors
had frightened him badly could be seen
plainly in his short flights. and in his zig
zlg course
Riding Was Fast.
The riding was almost as fast and hard
in following Bones as il had been in
climbing the side Of the canyon. Bones
pointed turkey in the same manner as his
father pointed quail. and 60 insure a shot
il was necessary 20 keep reasonably close
70 him.
The trail followed by Bones Ted down
into draw between two high hills
Zones was ahead. hot in pursuit. To the
left was heap Of brush, a '-windfaILr
almost hidden in tall erass. A sudden
rustling and swayiuE of the grass caused
the lucky hunter TO lfI his gun just as a
gobbler Numbered out Of bis hiding place.
He fell at "a distance Of twenty-five yards
with broken wing and q death wound in
his neck
This gobbler proved not e. be the one
that Bones was trailing. but hearing Oh,
dos pass. bad hidden himself only 20 fly
N The noisy approach Of horsemen.
Bones was far ahead when the hunters
Spurred up 10 0yertakc him. He could be
seen high up on a steep hillside, working
gradually downward
Look Look, There il goes shouted
Don. as a turkey launched from the hill
and alighted in the deep grass in tie liz
lie valley below.
Bones bounded down the hill. and the
hunters ga,oped forward and dismounted.
The turkey undoubtedly was very tired
after such q long race, and was hunting
cover. Bones crept forward stealthuy. I
smelled out each track. and froze sud
denly in position. Step by step the hunt
eTs advanced. but no turkey could bee
seen, nor did blade of grass move sus-
piciously. A feeling OF disappointment
was relaxing the tension. when hImp
boom, the turkey-auother big g5bbler- /
spraug up almost under Dons feet. 4 /
rear shot pitched the gobbler headlong
into the grass, which be tnrashed down /
for space Of several feet before making
his last kick
Joys Of Barbecued Turkey.
Not least of the joys % a. turkey hunt is /
the barbecued wild turkey gobbIer that |
follows. TIE bird for months has been /
upon acorns. grasshopDers. sue /
culent herbs. and wild berries. His flesh /
has grown richer and richer upon the /
choicest delicacies of nature.
The carcass of the biggest Sobbler had /
hung all night in tree. to receive the I
contributions If h0ar frost and 4
and incidentally, 10 protect If 1
from proving coyotes.
The cook skeWVred the gobblcr on Il |
green hickory stick. and suspended it over
a bit OF Goals. As it Drowned and roasted /
the cook basted il with melted butter.
vinegar, salt, pepper, and little sage. /
For two hours he devoted himself 30 his
task. The meat absorbed the basting /
liquor. mingling fits natural juices. and |
blending the whole into harmony.
Then the brown crust2d bird was borne /
proudly on a big platter TO the camp table
by the cook. who said he hoped de gen
lemen would be pleased" Don carved /
the turkey, and If without grace. with the I
far better accomplishment Of iberaljty
The few Introductory words Of praise soon !
gave way 10 an unsDeaka0le silence. !
broken 0ftener and oftener as the hungry
hunters progressed toward satisfaction
IL there should be a man with the belief
that full satisfaction is no longer possible
in this vale of tears. let him eat barbe-
cued wild turkey in camp on the Ope-
tonka
Ills New Guest.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
\ neatly-dressed young woman walked
-imidly into a certain hotel in New YORK
some time ago while the proprietor hap