356 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



been flushed by a dog into the trees, and one uses a shot- 

 gun, it is often impossible to slip near enough to shoot 

 them, and the best way is to walk right ahead as though 

 you were going to pass by them, always "circliug gradu- 

 ally nearer, and avoid getting behind them. If one hesi- 

 tate or waver, he is almost sure to scare his turkey when 

 employing this method. As in courting, so in this, ' ' Faint 

 heart never won fair lady." But the trustful, confident, 

 steady-going, quick-moving soul is very apt to \Ain; stUl, 

 of course, he will sometimes fail, though less often than 

 when the slipping process is tried. When using a rifle, 

 I generally try to slip on turkeys in the trees, because 

 when they are approached openly they watch the 

 hunter closely, and when he stops to shoot they often fly 

 at once, giving him no chance to draw a bead; and then, 

 when I have a rifle, I can make much longer shots, and 

 take more time in selecting an open place through which 

 to send my bullet. I have never found this way of walk- 

 ing openly around them to succeed, except when they 

 had been flushed by a dog or by shooting at them. On 

 the roost, they do not sit so well. They seem to think 

 that the hunter has not seen them, and is going to pass 

 them, not noticing that he is gradually getting nearer to 

 them. Whenever he stops, though, they have their fears 

 fully aroused, and are off like a shot, as a rule. 



Calling Jeff to heel, we go to where Bob shot the 

 young gobbler that flew away crippled, and taking the 

 course he flew, Jeff is sent out to find him, a task soon 

 performed. Five turkeys now swing by their necks to 

 trees; three fell to Bob's gun. I am glad for him, and 

 give him my congratulations. 



"Well, Bob, we could doubtless find other turkeys 

 scattered through the Bottom, if we would take time to 

 hunt them, but I believe we can do, better by calling 

 them." So we go out near where Jeff flushed the flock, 



