168 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



bird, because of the greater killing range of 

 the rifle, and consequently is surer of his game, 

 particularly if he is a marksman with a cool 

 head, steady hand, and good vision. If one de- 

 sires to be a first-class, all-round turkey hunter, 

 my advice is to employ the rifle, and when a 

 turkey is found, aim for the body, and that part 

 of it that covers the vitals. If you do not do 

 this you are likely to see your game running 

 away as fast as his legs can carry him, for, unless 

 your bullet has passed through his body, striking 

 a vital part, the bird is likely to escape. If cir- 

 cumstances are such that you cannot procure a 

 rifle, or are wedded to a shotgun, I should advise 

 the use of No. 6 shot, and would recommend aim- 

 ing at the head of the bird, unless they are young 

 birds and quite near enough to make sure your 

 shot. Do not use buckshot if you can procure 

 any other. Should you use No. 5 or 6 shot and 

 aim at the head, you will be surprised to learn at 

 what range you can kill a turkey. Some hunters 

 who use a shotgun prefer No. 6 in one barrel and 

 No. 4 in the other, using one for the head and 

 the other for the bodv. The reason that I do 



