The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-11-20

turkeys were bred and reared on farms-a mat
ter Of no great difficulty to accomplish, say the
experts-they would be doce enough and with
proper protection, would multiply rapidly
The fact that wild turkeys have maintained
their foothold to some extent in longsettled parts
Of their old terrtory-as. for example, In Vir-
gna aud Maryland--appears to indicate that 1t
would be entirely practicable to restock portions
of their former ranges But inasmuch as the
country ancienty occupied by them is now for
the most part populated by human beings It Is
necessary in order to accomplish the object sug-
gested that their multiplication shall be encour-
aged under conditions of at least partial domes-
tication-that is to say, by farming the birds for
pleasure and profit.
II is believed that, II proper protection We're
given to such enterprises by the law. sporting
club and wealthy individuals owning or leasing
large tracts would gladly go into the business OF
breeding wild turkeys-not for market of course,
but for the pleasure derivable from such an enter
prise. At the present time not a few such organi
cations and proprietors of great private estates
maintain similar preserves for the quail or bob
white" holding field trials In competition, to test
the ability Of dogs to find and point the birds
These field trials are in reality dog races, and no
shooting Of the quail is allowed.
Where wild turkeys are concerned. however,
there is no reason why such extensive preserves,
covering in some instances many thousands of
suitable restrictions There is no form Of outdoor
amusement more delightful than turkey hunting.
But II farmers could be persuaded to take up the
idea and to breed the birds, they might sell shoot
ing privileges to sportsmen at a rate which would
put much more money into their pockets than
they could gain by sending the fowls to market.
II the business were suitably managed farms of
500 to 1000 acres would yield larger revenue
from wild turkeys than from poultry sportsmen
hafn viii f0 nay
for the fun Of shooting birds than the latter would
fetch as marketable game. For such purposes, Of
course, 1t would be neither necessary nor desir-
able that the fowls should be too tame. On the
other hand experience has shown that wild tur-
keys are not disposed to go far away from an ac.
customed source of food supply.
The wild turkey is prolific and takes kindly to
civilization. Like its tame congener, 1t is great
consumer Of injurious insects particularly grass
hoppers, and such would be useful to the farm
er The female lays from Is to 20 eggs for
clutch" but raises only one brood in a year
Foxes, hawks and owls deadly enemies but it
would be the business of the farmer to protect
the birds from these foes. as he does in the case
of his farmyard poultry. As for human poach
ers, adequate laws for protection against them
would have to be passed: but the sportsmen If
once they became interested in the natter, could
be relied upon to exert in this direction power
full influence which has never yet failed OF sue
cess IN affairs OF the kind.
1t seems difhcult to realize that less than 100
years ago wild turkeys We're so abundant that
they often sold for six cents apiece a very large
one. weighing 25 or 80 pounds occasionally fetch
ing as much as 25 cents To-day large speci.
men, gobbler preferred, is worth IS. The species
has been wiped out not by sportsmen but by pot
hunters. who kin the birds on the roosts, trap
them In pens, or lie in ambush for them, attract
ing them within easy shooting distance by inita-
ting the call Of the hen or the young poultr
On Fishers island, in Long Island sound. most
interesting experiment has already been made IL