The sun., 1910-01-09
/. MONSTER WILD TURKEY
THRILLS FOR 4 VISITOR AT
a TENNESSEE PRESERVE.
WaFiness OF the Big Birds-The Alarm
at the ROOst-The Flock Thst Got
rsfD ANsAy--faIIng the Turkey s-KIlling
r. -wcntysetEnt Pound specimen.

hfJ ANsay--fallIng the TurkeIs-killlng
=. -wcntyseight Pound specimen.
siy.NIyss, Tenn. Jan There are few
Cities OF the United States which have
AS good shooting within fifty miles Of
fhcir limits as this pretty river town.
10 1enneAeee there are quail in abundance,
eAa famous Hickory Valley and Tippah
preaerves owned by Herman B. Duryea
end Paul J. Rainey Of New York and
Cleveland respectively, which are known
everywhere for the quality Of the shoot
ing -thercon. being located only a short
distance away, while across the Missis-
eippf River is Arkansas. with it's myriads
81 ducks and turkeys, TO say nothing OF
tha other game birds 20 be found within
its confines
The sportsman who has never killed
q wild turkey. especially after a long
matching OF wits with this wariest Of
ghnae birds. has few new thrills coming
10 him. Almost every wooded section
cot Arkansas, Mississippi. Oklahoma or
\ Louisiana is the habitat OF this beautiful
I bird. and while the gunner on a quail
hunt may occasionally jump one in the
nsld adjacent 70 timher--a heavily wooded
spranch. as small streams are desig-
Datod IN the Southern country, being
. txvorite resort OF the big fellows
the majority are found on the ridges,
where the feeding is good.
The writer recalls his first experience
WITH Wild turkeys and treasures among
y Ms spoils Of the chase a souvenir OF a
z Robblsr 8 at made his heart leap and
do other stunts that well regulated
bqarts are not supposed to do. While
\ eaAtAd one day In the reading room OF
che Tennessee Club in this city a pioneer
epcrtsman who was a member Of the
Hatchie Coon Club on the st. Francis
River In Arkansas, about fifty miles from
s1kemphis, entered and Rsked:
sWould you like TO kill q wild turkey?
( ~ you would. be at the depot at o'clock
( to-nfgnt and well 60 to the club. Never
rntnd gun. have one. but bring some
J old clothes and shoes. for you are going
stor walk some.'
NighffaH found half a doacn kindred
tspirits 10 the smoking car en- route to
HAtchie Coon. and by Q O'Clock the camp
/ IN The woods was reached. A bite OF
I eupper. and the stranger. after having
been introduced to his guide. yomgster
tof %. was shown to bed. for an early
tstart was indispen sable.
II was still black dark when the guide
shook the stranger and told him in a
whisper that breakfast was ready. Tho
aroma Of such coffee as Southerners only
cSn drip and the kissing Of msstfed bacon
hs Il sputtered in its own grease urged a
hasty toilet. and the twain stole away
from the camp half an hour later. ready
4 for anything In the turkey line. Tall trees
were siIhouetted on every side as they
crept along. threading the woods as noise
ia<sly as possible. care being taken to
avoid steppinA on dead branches or twigs
and thus alarming tho birds.
The writer expressed surprise that such
care was necessary so close TO the camp,
6ux the guide informed him that one Of
the largest turkeys ever killed in that
BART uf the State had been shot within
few hundred yards OF the clubhouse
y ths year before.
Within mile OF the camp and with the
first oolorinEs OF dawn Illuminating the
shy the guide halted and whispered:
want to hear some turlzeys9' Upon
keiig answered in the Affirmative he took
stout branch OF tree which had been
broken OF during a recent storm and
aprfoaching rotten log remarked.
+Listen.s
Two or three vigorous blows upon the
log, which sounded like drum. set the
moods echoinR, and from three or four
dtderopt directions came loud gobblings
There they are he whispered. Look
eut; you might get a shot, FOR theyn ny
tbe moment they see you
Peering through the gray mist fn the
dfrstticn Of the nearest sounds. there was
Z mighty tapping OF wings as the birds
ons after the other left their roosts and
1sw through the trees All were beyond
ranes Of the 10 gauge gun which tho hunter
{uIl charge Of BIS. Other birds were
ofAning their noolzs uneasily, preparing for
night. and there seemed TO bo twenty-five
o. thirty Of the birds IN sight
~ The guide evidently knew where the
roost of the splendid birds was and had
planned to show the greatest possible
number. even though the chance OF securing
4 GAOtWn remote under the circumstances.
Had rifle been carried instead OF the
xk0tRun II is likely that one or more birds
could have been bagged. al there were
few opportunities for shots at trtfie more
theMa hundred yards.s
ANY attempt to approach closer In the
RApIdy breaking dawn was met with q
spesdy flight. and soon the virgin wood OF
Ku1u ard oak was as quiet as a graveyard
kt smidniRht. The ground everywhere
showed tho marks OF the birds' feet where
they bad been feeding the previous evening.
Taking the lead once more, the guide
} walked FOR half an hour deeper into the
forest which had never known an axe
6htfle and hogs roaned these forests. and
hore and there huge trees lay PROSTATE,
fdlIed by some mighty storm.
1t was an IDEAL spot for turkeys and
sia1hs Of the big birds were plentiful. On
or1e occasion . dock Of seventeen young
and old birds walked gracefully across the
path not more than 200 yards distant. IL
was Ia beautifully open portion Of the
forest, with gum trees towering aloft sixty
tr seventy feet without a limb and more
than four feet through the lower trunk
There was an entire absence OF under
brush and 1t was possible TO see long dis
fAnce.
The birds were apparently unafraid,
bet upon the hunters attempting to ap-
spr0Ach them they trotted on silently
with heads outstretched and tails droop-
ing at a speed that soon left their pur-
siiers far behind. Good runners have
found a wounded turkey too feet OF foot
for them, and it takes a smart pony to
keep pace with strong bird in the open.
About 0 O'Clock a fallen monarch OF
the forest was found and the guide de-
farruinad 10 try his eltiIl at calling Lille