as constructed of split timber, but the most successful trappers since, builrl them of old limbs and 

 broken pieces of saplings, avoiding, if possible, the least appearance of workmanship or design. This pen 

 forms an inclosure ten or twelve feet square, and three or four feet high, and is covered with like ma- 

 terial well weighted with heavy pieces of old timber. Into this pen a trench is cut about eighteen inches 

 in depth, and wide enough to admit the body of a large Turkey. The trench begins some distance from 

 the pen and gradually deepens until it passes inside of the inclosure, and then it rises to the surface 

 quite abruptly near the center of the trap. A number of poles are placed at right-angles over the trench 

 where it enters on the inside of the pen, so as to form a bridge. Corn is placed in the pen and in the 

 trench, and sparsely about the vicinity. When the Turkeys find the corn in the trench they follow it, and 

 one by one enter the trap, with heads down, eating as they enter, pressed forward by the hungry ones 

 behind. As soon as those inside are aware of the situation, they try to force themselves through the 

 openings, all the time running around the inside walls of the pen, with heads erect, and passing over 

 and over the trench on the bridge," never looking down or attempting to return by the door which they 

 entered. Mr. Audubon kept an account of the produce of one of these pens which he visited daily, and 

 found that seventy-six had been caught in about two months. 



In settled countries, where food is furnished in abundance, and is so easily accessible in the laro-e 

 cornfields, the "pen " is a useless resort, and the dog and gun are the most general means used in their cap- 

 ture. With these, the sport is quite exciting, but requires great coolness, skill, and care to be successful. 

 Early in the morning, just as daylight breaks in upon tlie tops of the forest trees, is the auspicious 

 time to find them, and with a well-trained dog they may be detected at long distances, and frequently 

 overtaken and scattered in different directions, greatly to the advantage of the hunter. If hard pressed 

 and badly frightened, they will take to trees, to cover, or will drop down anywhere if unobserved, and 

 when in cover will sometimes lay well, and may be shot at over point, similar to Quail and Grouse. 

 Ordinarily, however, they will not admit the presence of man or dog within twenty-five or thirty yards, 

 neither on the ground nor on trees without taking wing, and, at the long distances generally fired at, and 

 on account of the great solidity of their bodies, it requires a good shot and a heavy charge to bring one 

 down dead, and consequently birds frequently go off wounded, and sometimes fly out of sight, and then 

 fall dead, or, they may come down and make their escape, and afterward die from the wounds received. 

 I have repeatedly obtained the object of a shot by following in the line of flight, and ha^-e occasionally 

 found them accidentally under these circumstances. I once had a fair shot at a fine gobbler as he was 

 flying across the Scioto river, and the charge turned him over and around, and brought him back and 

 down upon the same side from which he started. Although the nature of the ground did not permit me 

 to see exactly where he fell, yet I felt quite certain he did not come down upon his feet, as I distinctly 

 heard his body strike the ground. I was at the supposed place in a few moments, with a good dog, and 

 searched diligently the drift-wood and brush which were in great abundance in the immediate vicinity, 

 but all to no purpose; he Avas not to be found. On my way home, and about two miles distant from the 

 place where he came down, the dog made a stand in the woods near the roadside. Expecting to flush 

 any thing but a Turkey, I was greatly surprised to find him pointing the lost bird, dead, warm, and wet 

 with the dew of the morning. Another time, while out with a friend, I heard the report of a gun far 

 down in the timber, and while standing, listening and looking for some manifestation, a fine large gob- 

 bler fell dead at my feet. No doubt the hunter looses in this way very many of those he fails to bag, 

 as the remains of birds frequently attest. 



Time is also a matter of importance after the bird has fallen, as frequently a very little delay may 

 loose the game. I once fired an "Ely's Grreen Cartridge, No. 5 shot," at a male bird, and he came 

 down about forty yards distant. I ran up immediately and found him lying motionless, with wings and 

 tail spread, and neck stretched out as if tetanized in the act of flying. I placed my foot on his head and 



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