106 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



birds are treated. No bird or animal can sur- 

 vive eternal persecution. There is no trouble 

 about the birds thriving in a settled community, 

 if the proper territory is set apart for their 

 use, and proper protection given. The territory 

 should consist of a few acres of woodland, or of 

 some broken ground, thicket, or swamp to afford 

 a little cover. In such a retreat, a trio of wild 

 turkeys may be turned loose, and in a few years, 

 if properly protected, the vicinity would be 

 stocked with them. 



I have ample evidence that wild turkeys will 

 not shrink from civilization. It is the trapping, 

 snaring, baiting, and killing of all old gobblers 

 that decimates their numbers, not the legitimate 

 hunting by sportsmen. 



The shrewdness of the turkey is shown by his 

 having no fear of the peaceable farmer at the 

 plow, no more than the crow or the blackbird 

 has. The wild turkey will go into the open 

 field and glean food from the stubble or upturned 

 furrows in full view of the plowman. This I 

 have often seen, and I will cite one incident of 

 this kind, which came under my observation 



