34 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
command a good view in every direction. Having care- 
fully scrutinized the ground, my companion said it was 
@ good spot in which to build a blind. 
‘* But there are no turkeys here,” I exclaimed. 
“Then we must try to bring them here,” was the 
quiet answer. 
As he seemed to know his business, I said nothing 
more, and, seating myself on a prostrate log, I calmly 
watched him as he hewed and bent oak, pine, and mag- 
nolia saplings, and arranged them into a sylvan screen. 
He cast a glance at me occasionally which signified that 
he thought I was not dead in love with hard work, and, 
as he interpreted my feelings rightly, I did not offer to 
explain matters to him. When he had finished it, he 
asked me if I had ever built a blind, and I replied that 
I had not. 
“You look as though you wouldn’t care to, either,” 
said he, in a sly tone. 
“« Not particularly.” 
“You wouldn’t even know where to build one, if you 
tried, I suppose? ” 
“Not so well as you.” 
“‘Thank you; this is a turkey morning; compliments 
ain’t in season. But, as I really think you don’t know, 
I'll tell you: 
The first thing is to select a good position in a place 
which turkeys are known to frequent, and then to build 
the blind so that it will conform in appearance with its 
surroundings, for turkeys are suspicious of everything 
unusual in the lay of the land. It must have a clear 
space in front, to enable you to fire at an object thirty or 
forty yards away with some assurance of success. 
When you get inside the blind, take your bearings, 
and make up your mind not to shoot at a turkey until it 
gets to a certain point, for it looks, on account of its 
size, to be nearer than it actually is. You must’nt get 
