162 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



gobbling within a radius of a few hundred yards, 

 but each keeps to himself, and by frequent and 

 persistent gobbling and strutting secures the 

 society of such hens as may favor him with their 

 presence. 



After the disbanding of the old gobblers is the 

 best time in the whole season to bring them to 

 call, as they will come to almost any call, yelp, 

 or cluck; except the mogul himself. His bigotry 

 and vanity render him most indifferent to the 

 seductive coquetry of the females, much less 

 to human imitators. Being assured of, and 

 satisfied with, a well-filled harem, he gives little 

 care to the discordant piping of the hunter, or 

 even the gentle quaver of a hen. 



In this latitude — from 30 degrees to 33 de- 

 grees north — the gobbling season begins about 

 the first week of March, ending the last of May, 

 embracing about three months, though the time 

 depends much on the thermal conditions of the 

 spring. If the weather be dry and pleasant the 

 season will not last as long as if wet and chilly. 



