Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-11-18

turkeys were bred and reared on farms-a mat.
ter Of no great difficulty to accomplish, say the
experts-they would be docile enough and with
proper protection, would multiply rapidly
The fact that wild turkeys have maintained
their foothold to extent in long-settled parts
Of their old territory-as, for example, in Vir-
gnia and Maryland-appears to Indicate that 1t
would be entirely practicable to restock portions
Of their former ranges But, inasmuch as the
country ancently occupied by them is now for
he most part populated by human beings, it is
| necessary in order to accomplish the object sug-
asted, that their multiplication shall be encour-
}ged under conditions of at least partial domes-
icaton-that is to say, by farming the birds for
pleasure and profit.
It is believed that, if proper protection were
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 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 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
acres, should not afford admirable sport under
amusement more delightful than turkey hunting.
But, if farmers could be persuaded to take up the
idea and to breed the birds, they might sell shoot
ing privileges to sportsmen at d rate which would
put much more money into their pockets than
they could gain by sending the fowls to market
If the business were suitably managed farms of
500 to 1000 acres would yield larger revenue
from wild turkeys than from poultry, sportsmen
being usually willing to pay several times more
for the fun of shooting birds than the latter would
fetch marketable game. For such purposes, Of
course, it would be neither necessary 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
customed source of food supply.
The wild turkey is prolific and takes kindly to
civilization. Like it's tame congener, 1t is great
consumer of injurious insects particularly grass
hoppers, and such would be useful to the farm
err The female lays from Is to 20 eggs for
clutch" but raises only brood in year
Foxes, hawks and owls are 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 farm-yard 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 matter, 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 difficult to realize that less than 100
| years ago wild turkeys abundant that
they often sold for six cents apiece, very large
one weighing % or 80 pounds, occasionally fetch
! ing as much rs cents. To-day large speci-
men, gobbler preferred, is worth SIS. The species
has been wiped out, not by sportsmen, but by pot
| hunters, who kill the birds on the roosts, trap
! them in pens, lie in ambush for them attract
! ing them within easy shooting distance by imita-
| ting the call Of the hen or the young "poult."
On Fishers island, in Long Island sound most
! interesting experiment has already been made il