WILD TURKEY. 235 



went out riding with his wife. Coming on a flock of 

 turkeys in a favourable position, he proposed they should 

 catch one. After a beautiful and exciting chase, a fine 

 large cock was run down so that he could scarcely move, 

 and confined himself solely to avoiding the feet of the 

 horses. The officer had no stick to kill with, and in 

 his excitement, thinking he could easily catch a bird so 

 exhausted, he sprang from his horse and took after the 

 turkey on foot. He ran his best, but the bird ran just 

 fast enough to avoid his clutch, and finally, when utterly 

 blown and exhausted he gave up the chase, he turned to 

 see his horse disappearing in the distance, and his wife 

 on her horse in full pursuit of the runaway. He had to 

 walk about eight miles to the post, and for some months 

 after it was not quite safe to say ' turkey ' to him. 



A well-trained dog is almost invaluable in all hunt- 

 ing. He is less indispensable in turkey shooting than 

 with other small game, although when the birds are 

 scarce and wild he is of the greatest assistance. 



The most effective dog for turkey shooting is one 

 trained to rush into the flock, barking loudly and con- 

 tinuously. The birds fly into the trees and bushes, or into 

 high grass, where they squat. Those in the trees watch 

 the barking dog, paying no attention to the hunter, who 

 can approach and shoot them at leisure. Those in the 

 grass lie as close as quails, and furnish the most perfect 

 shooting. In less than an hour one morning I bagged 

 fourteen fine birds from a small patch of grass scarcely 

 two acres in extent. 



One of the most common and effective methods of 

 killing turkeys is by shooting them upon their roosts at 

 night. This is taking a rather unsportsmanlike advan- 

 tage of the bird, but is good sport, and, as numbers can 

 be more easily and certainly bagged by this method than 

 any other, it is the best when numbers are required. It 

 can only be used successfully when the leaves are off' 

 the trees. A clear starlight night is better for this 



