El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-24


viii not be an affair Of any great
difficulty. Wild turkeys are still
plentiful in some Of the more remote
and least accessible parts OF the
southern states. and they can be
trapped easily enough by means long
known, and even too familiar. 10 the
pot hunter
Sportsmen say that the wild turkey
is by all odds the most intelligent
bird on this continent. But, like most
folks. IL has its weaknesses One or
these is a passionate fondness for
parched corn Another is a conEeni-
tai inability 70 stOop when trying 20
find a way out Of a trap IL has once
entered. All the rest Of this remark
able fowls psychology Is cold intel
lect-
The pot hunter builds his trap Of
fence rails. one rail long one rail
wide. and four feet high He roofs IL
with tree branches, and along one
side o. the square inclosure he digs
a shallow ditch, just deep enough 20
enable . turkey 10 squeeze through
beneath the iowermost log and into
the pen. In the ditch and outside he
Scatters parched corn Along comes
the bird. follows 4 trail OF corn into
prisoner. running about with his
head in the air 70 look for an exit.
but never thinking 20 discover the
latter by stoopiuE-
skilled TrnpperE Used.
BY this simple means skilled trap
pers in the employ Of the BioioSica1
survey can capture as many Wild -ur-
he forwarded in suitable crates by
rail under the care Of somebody
whose business il will he 20 supply
them with food and water. They viii
thus arrive At their destinations in
first class condition. and when they
are delivered IL will remain only TO
turn them loose.
wild turkeys are exceedingly hardy
and may he expected TO increase rap
idly in numbers wherever in the ma
tionai forests they are planted The
hen birds average brood Of 'poults"
is only six but she lays from is 20
% eggs. and the number OF surviving
Young viii be greatly augmented m
der circum stances where they have
few natural enemies 20 fear Expert
euce has shown that game animals
. Of any species multiply so fast under
such conditions as soon 10 overflow
the sanctuary" established for their
protection. the food supply obtaina Bile
within IT'S limits becoming INSULT
cient
Many in SOuthvvrst.
There are still many Wild turkeys
in the least iuha bited "a arts o. Penn
sylvauia- From the Atlantic coast
region they have entirely disappeared
but they are found all along the
AlleEhenies from Pennsylvania south
ward. I'm the Gulf states. in Arkansas
and Oklahoma. and IN New Mexico
and Arizona The hunter who goes
in pursuit OF them however. must
seek them FAR from The -ailrosdS arf
many miles from anv town. They
have become very Wild and difficult
20 approach. owing % the 7er-i sterce
with which they have been trapped
and hunted
Nevertheless. the Wild turkey is not
naturally q shy bird AZ all T. vas
not 80 considered in colonial DAYS.
when. rs already mentioned. it's flocks
were often seen in the near 0=iEhhOr-
lcod o. farm houses wonderful .
seems. b-- the way 70 consider the
the 18Th century fowls Of this Sneries
v ere ccu1Ihouly sold for SIX cents
apiece. though very large ones weigh
inE sc5 70 so pounds fetched as much
as 4 quarter OF a dollar Nova DAYS
a GOOD sized wild turtev Is worth s.
Even II the present time % is 1o-
~ UNCOMMON thing for Wild Eohble-
TO come out % the woods and boldly
take possession OF doueSclcated
flock afder easily varquiShinE and
rI1irE the male bird in charge Nests
lid turkey eggs found in the
rs GODS and Matched on the farm Weld
poults that grow mp nearly as tame
as ordinary farm turkeys. though
usually they manifest an inclination
20 roost separate from the latter. IN
nearby woods or on top OF the house
II is TO be expected. then. that the
flocks OF wild turkeys planted in
the national forests viii soon become
comparatively tame. While enjoying
q RANGE pra cticaliy unrestricted. thcr
VIII be in q manner semi dom est1-
Gated. and can even be supplied with
food in case OF temporary emergency
during an exceptionally severe spell
u yea Their. Providing Tor them. fur
thermore. involves no problem like
that Of the elk treceutiy distributed
in small herds among the forest re-
serves. which cannot he allowed 20
increase in numbers beyond certain
point because they eat the Grass
needed by sheep and cattle.
Horned Owl = Worst Enemy.
One OF the worst enemies OF WHO
turkeys is the great horned owl which
attacks them on the roost When the
warning cluck Of a watrhful member
puts the flock on guard they stand
upright on the limb. observing every
movement Of the circlirE zoe The
latter. as soo1 IS he has selected an
the velocity Of an arrow Seemingly
the fate OF the bird aimed 81 is in
evfrah1e. hut rapid IS is the OWLS
dart. still quicker is that 81 the in
tended prey Lowering IFS mead and
invertiuE its outspread tail upon its
back. the turkey offers 20 its enemy
-- 5--1TreT uTame nwer which the as