TURKEY SHOOTING 441 



were living apart from the females and young. Fe- 

 males and young were seen several times, but were not 

 molested. Evidently these birds wandered far and 

 wide, for tracks a day or two old were often found 

 along some ridge, and no fresh ones were seen in the 

 vicinity for days. It did not appear that the birds 

 returned regularly to the same roosting place. Several 

 old roosts were found, usually among tall pines, near 

 the head or along the walls of some side canyon, which 

 were evidently occupied occasionally. None appeared 

 to have been used very long, and at least two had only 

 been occupied once. The birds spent the day wander- 

 ing over the broad and gently sloping ridges between 

 the canyons, and as evening approached worked to- 

 ward one of the canyons and roosted wherever night 

 overtook them. 



"Finally, on the ninth day, soon after noon, I came 

 upon some big gobbler tracks, which were evidently 

 only two or three hours old, and decided at once to 

 follow them. There were about fifteen of the old fel- 

 lows, and in crossing patches of soft soil they left a 

 broad trail, which became very indistinct, or disap- 

 peared altogether, on rocky ground. I had gone only 

 a short distance when my hunter, whom I supposed far 

 away, came up. He had found my moccasin tracks 

 following the turkey trail, and quickly overtook me. 

 I was very glad to see him, for it was difficult work, 

 and even with our combined skill at trailing we made 

 slow progress. Sometimes we had no trouble for sev- 

 eral hundred yards, then suddenly we came to places 



