MY EARLY TRAINING WITH THE TURKEYS 5 



every method so that I might excel in that 

 sport. 



As I grew older, but while still a mere lad, I 

 would often steal to the woods in early morning 

 on my way to school, and, hiding myself in some 

 thick bush, sitting with my book in my lap and a 

 rude cane joint or bone of a turkey's wing for a 

 call in my hand, I would watch for the turkeys. 

 When they appeared I would study every move- 

 ment of the birds, note their call, yelp, cluck, 

 or gobble, and I gradually learned each sound 

 they made had its meaning. I would study 

 closely the ways of the hens and their conduct 

 toward the young and growing broods; I would 

 also note their attention to the old or young gob- 

 blers, and the mannerisms of the male birds 

 toward the females. All this time I would be 

 using my call, attempting to imitate every note 

 that the turkeys made, and watching the effect. 

 These were my rudimentary and earliest lessons 

 in turkey lore and lingo, and what I have often 

 called my schooling with the turkeys. 



At this age I had not begun the use of a rifle 

 or shotgun on turkeys, although I had killed 



