232 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



trench in a favorable situation, put a great quantity of 

 corn in it, and having heavily loaded a famous duck gun 

 of his, placed it so as that he could pull the trigger by 

 means of a string, when quite concealed from the birds. 



The turkeys soon discovered the corn in the trench, 

 and quickly disposed of it, at the same time continuing 

 their ravages in the fields. He filled the trench again, 

 and one day seeing it quite black with the turkeys, 

 whistled loudly, on which all the birds raised their 

 heads, when he pulled the trigger by the long string 

 fastened to it. The explosion followed of course, and 

 the turkeys were seen scampering off in all directions, in 

 utter discomfiture and dismay. On running to the 

 trench, he found nine of them extended in it. The rest 

 did not consider it expedient to visit his corn again for 

 that season. 



During spring, turkeys are called, as it is termed, by 

 drawing the air in a peculiar way, through one of the se- 

 cond joint bones of a wing of that bird, which produces a 

 sound resembling the voice of the female, on hearing 

 which, the male comes up, and is shot. In managing 

 this, however, no fault must be committed, for turkeys 

 are quick in distinguishing counterfeit sounds, and when 

 half civilized, are very wary and cunning. I have 

 known many to answer to this kind of call, without 

 moving a step, and thus entirely defeat the scheme of 

 the hunter, who dared not move from his hiding-place, 

 lest a single glance of the gobbler's eye should frustrate 

 all further attempts to decoy them. Many are shot 

 when at roost, in this season, by answering with a roll 



