48 GALLINACEOUS BIRDS 



Indiana where we expected a woodcock to spring 

 before the dog. Forester says turkeys never lie 

 close enough to be pointed by pointers or set- 

 ters or to be shot on the wing. This was no doubt 

 true of the few birds remaining in the Eastern States 

 in Forester's day, but I have repeatedly seen the dogs 

 stand turkeys and have several times seen them 

 killed on the wing like partridges. It is most unusual, 

 however. The turkeys that survive are all extremely 

 wild and wary, and the utmost skill is required to stalk 

 them in the forest. 



As objects of pursuit I do not much care for them, 

 for the reason that they do not lie well to the dogs. 

 I much prefer the open tramp behind the setters to 

 the covert stalking of any game, when one moves but 

 a half step at a time, with the utmost caution, striving 

 not to make the slightest noise. It may be that I do not 

 care for stalking turkeys, since lam not very good at it, 

 but I am quite sure that were I successful, I would 

 still be found with the dogs, I had an excellent oppor- 

 tunity to learn the turkey shooter's methods, when 

 shooting partridges several seasons with a sportsman 

 devoted to turkey shooting, but we usually parted 

 company when he discovered turkey signs. 



Another objection I have to turkey shooting is the 

 long time between shots. To one accustomed to using 

 from fifty to a hundred shells in a day, and the lively 

 work with the prairie grouse, partridges, ducks, or snipe 

 a single shot in a week, or perhaps no shooting at all, 

 seems slow. I must admit that there is much skill dis- 

 played in fairly outwitting the turkey of to-day, and 

 the sportsman who kills one has every reason to be 



