296 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



there were no turkeys found on the Missouri or its 

 tributaries as far north as the then location of those 

 tribes Knife River. 



I suspect that in the Rocky Mountains turkeys sel- 

 dom or never crossed the divide between the north 

 and south forks of the Platte, and that they never got 

 as far west as the Black Hills. 



No bird is more gentle and unsuspicious than the 

 turkey until it has learned that man is an enemy, and 

 after that no bird is more wary and alert. Mr. Hen- 

 shaw speaks of the lack of suspicion on the part of these 

 birds, and Captain Carpenter tells how when his com- 

 mand was preparing to establish Fort Niobrara a wild 

 turkey came to the camp and ventured out of the under- 

 brush to feed on the grain spilled by the animals. 



When Florida first began to be a resort for northern 

 tourists, turkeys were very abundant and not at all 

 shy or suspicious. They often associated with the 

 domestic turkeys, and one wild gobbler became so tame 

 that he would feed unconcernedly within a few feet 

 of a man. On this point Dr. Ralph, writing about 

 1890, said to Captain Bendire : 



"One can hardly believe that the wild turkeys of 

 to-day are of the same species as those of fifteen or 

 twenty years ago [that is, 1872 to 1875]. Then they 

 were rather stupid birds which it did not require much 

 skill to shoot, but now I do not know of a game bird 

 or mammal more alert or more difficult to approach. 

 Formerly I have often, as they were sitting in trees 

 on the banks of some stream, passed very near them, 



