52 THE WILD TURKEY. 



tinuing their ravages in the fields. He filled the trench again, and one day- 

 seeing it quite black with the Turkeys, whistled loudly, on which all the 

 birds raised their heads, when he pulled the trigger by the long string 

 fastened to it. The explosion followed of course, and the Turkeys were 

 seen scampering off in all directions, in utter discomfiture and dismay. On 

 running to the trench, he found nine of them extended in it. The rest did 

 not consider it expedient to visit his corn again for that season. 



During spring, Turkeys are called, as it is termed, by drawing the air in 

 a particular way through one of the second joint bones of a wing of that 

 bird, which produces a sound resembling the voice of the female, on hearing 

 which the male comes up, and is shot. In managing this, however, no fault 

 must be committed, for Turkeys are quick in distinguishing counterfeit 

 sounds, and when half civilized are very wary and cunning. I have known 

 many to answer to this kind of call, without moving a step, and thus entirely 

 defeat the scheme of the hunter, who dared not move from his hiding-place, 

 lest a single glance of the gobbler's eye should frustrate all further attempts 

 to decoy him. Many are shot when at roost, in this season, by answering 

 with a rolling gobble to a sound in imitation of the cry of the Barred Owl. 



But the most common method of procuring Wild Turkeys, is by means 

 of pens. These are placed in parts of the woods where Turkeys have been 

 frequently observed to roost, and are constructed in the following manner. 

 Young trees of four or five inches diameter are cut down, and divided into 

 pieces of the length of twelve or fourteen feet. Two of these are laid on the 

 ground parallel to each other, at a distance of ten or twelve feet. Two other 

 pieces are laid across the ends of these, at right angles to them; and in this 

 manner successive layers are added, until the fabric is raised to the height of 

 about four feet. It is then covered with similar pieces of wood, placed three 

 or four inches apart, and loaded with one or two heavy logs to render the 

 whole firm. This done, a trench about eighteen inches in depth and width 

 is cut under one side of the cage, into which it opens slantingly and rather 

 abruptly. It is continued on its outside to some distance, so as gradually to 

 attain the level of the surrounding ground. Over the part of this trench 

 within the pen, and close to the wall, some sticks are placed so as to form a 

 kind of bridge about a foot in breadth. The trap being now finished, the 

 owner places a quantity of Indian corn in its centre, as well as in the trench, 

 and as he walks off drops here and there a few grains in the woods, some- 

 times to the distance of a mile. This is repeated at every visit to the trap, 

 after the Turkeys have found it. Sometimes two trenches are cut, in which 

 case the trenches enter on opposite sides of the trap, and are both strewn 

 with corn. No sooner has a Turkey discovered the train of corn, than it 

 communicates the circumstance to the flock by a cluck, when all of them 



