The Carlisle independent., 1909-11-18

turkeys were bred and reared 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 extent in long-settled parts of their old territory-as, for example, in Vir- ginia and Maryland-appears to indicate that it would be entirely practicable to restock portions of their former ranges. But, ir 2smuch as the country anciently occupied by them is 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.
 It is believed that If proper protection were given to such enterprises by the law sporting club and wealthy individuals owning 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 enter prise. At the present time not few such organi- zatioRs 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 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 suitable restrictions. There Is form of outdoor
 
 But, farmers could be persuaded to take up the idea and to breed the birds, they might sell shoot ing privileges to sportsfnen at 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 800 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 as marketable game. For such purposes, of coarse it 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 customed source of food supply.
 The wild turkey is prolific, and takes kindly to civilization. Like it's tame cengener, it is great consumer of injurious insects particularly grass hoppers, and such would be useful to the farm CT. The female lays from Is to 20 eggs for a "cHtch," but raises only one brood in year. Foxes, hawks and owls deadly enemies, but 1t would be the business of the farmer to protect the birds from these foes, he does in the case of his farm-yard poultry. As for human poach- CTS, 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 fu influence, which has never yet failed of sue cess in affairs of the kind.
 It seems difficult to realize that less than 100 l years ago wild turkeys abundant that they often sold for six cents apiece, very large one weighing 25 30 pounds, occasionally fetch | ing as much as 25 cents. To-day large speci- | men, gobbler preferred is worth $5. The species has been wiped out not by sportsmen, but by pot | hunters, who kill the birds the roosts, trap them in pens, or lie in ambush for them attract ing them within easy shooting distance by ipita- l ting the call of the hen or the young "poult." l On Fishers island, in Long Island sound, most | interesting experiment has already been made IT.