186 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



variety of notes, and each has its meaning, 

 however singular that may appear. The 

 turkey has no song, and the notes it employs 

 are either conversational, call, distress, or alarm 

 notes. 



Early morning, when they are dropping down 

 from their roost, is the best time to study their 

 language as well as their habits. If you go near 

 a flock of tame turkeys and begin to yelp and 

 cluck, they will reply and keep it up as long as 

 you do, so you can soon learn their language. 

 If the turkeys be wild ones, keep well out of 

 sight, for they will stand no familiarity. I 

 am not, however, a stickler about keeping out of 

 sight when calling. I prefer to sit in front of a 

 tree that is on the side from which the turkey is 

 expected to approach, rather than to get behind 

 it. I sit in front of the tree in such a manner 

 that a turkey with the keenest eye in the world 

 will not identify me, if properly fixed, clothed, 

 and motionless. The explanation of this is that 

 the gobbler is not looking for a person, but for 

 another turkey; and as it can think of but one 

 thing at a time, it sees nothing that does not 



