The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-20

The mother turkey of the woods keeps her
children under control and her side until mid
winter. By that time the brood is full grown
The young gObblers. Mr. McIhenny says then
leave their mothers and sisters and form bachelor
clubs among themselves.
Turkey society in the forests from December
until early in the spring, is made up of three di-
visiOns-the old hens and young hens; the young
gObblerS, and the old gObblers. At mating time,
In March, there is a reunion. It is then that the
old gobbers strut and gObble and call TO their
plural wives well to the hunters.
At the moment the hens begin to set, the old
gobblers, in couples and groups up to 20, again
sequester themselves from all but their own
society. SO they live, summer. autumn and win
ter. They never fight except when they show
ing off TO the ladies and then their combats are
not mortal. The rules Of their contests Of
strength permit showing, pulling, pecking and
wing-beating.
They are brave birds. as the McIlhennys all
famous hunters, will testify. Furthermore. they
wise birds. It is the exceptional hunter who
gets a sight of them in summer. They not
afraid, however, of the farmer who is blowing.
husking reaping.
Notwithstanding the spectacular enterprise Of
turkey ranching in Texas and California on a
grand scale the old farm must still be relied
upon for most OF our Thanksgiving and Christmas
turkeys, says James Hamilton Byrd in Grit. On
thousands upon thousands of farms. side
issue to her regular work, it is common practice
for the farm wife to keep half a dozen or per-
haps dozen turkey hens and a gobbler from
Early in the spring the turkey hens begin lay
ing. Then comes the brooding season. By Octo-
Der the young turkeys have grown to be big,
rangy birds, so the fattening finishing
process is begun. Little do they know they are
being fed more and more of the farmers corn
every night of the diabolical intentions of their
masters better half. Ten days two weeks be-
fore marketing they are literally Toasted grain
stuffed three four times day-until just be-
fore the enactment of the tragedy of their young
careers they should be fat as butter balls.
Although turkey ranching in Texas and Cali
fornia has almost reached the proportions of
new and spectacular industry, by far the greater
number of turkeys are raised the farms OF the
middle West-Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Kentucky,
Missouri and Iowa. New England long famous
for its turkeys, raises comparatively few, al
though its reputation still fingers. Some OF the
big turkey ranches have thousand or more fur
keys, and Of the turkey drives to market
are most extraordinary sights. The focks of the
middle West are usually less than a hundred.
Still so to 70 fine gobblers and hens weighing
from 10 to % pounds each is not a sight
and represents indeed small value.
There are still millions Of acres in Texas Okla
homa and New Mexico where the wild turkey
breeds plentifu1ly, and where turkey hunting Is
great sport But OF far more Importance TO the
turkey market is the "still hunting which is
carried on the spring In many places to secure
eggs possibly the very young birds In order to
raise the pure Nild-blood turkey and introduce It
into tame hocks. The tame turkey has degener-
ated until it Is longer the virfle bird II In
the days OF pilgrim fathers, but the wild
turkey is subject to known disease. On some
of the forest reserves the government is protect.
ing the wild turkey for this important purpose
Of using it as a breeding stock.