432 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Beg, IS, 1890. 



The eull texts of the game laws of all the States, Terri- 

 tories and British Provinces are given in the Book of the 

 Game Laws. 



WILD TURKEYS IN THE OVERFLOW— III. 



[Continued from Page &1L~] 



I CANNOT write of all the incidents of our stay in the 

 woods— it would take too long to detail the doings of 

 each day. We enjoyed it all. I will sketch in a few more, 

 only confining myself to those which I may deem of most 

 interest to the general reader. 



The rabbits were a part of us on this trip. We never 

 saw the like of them before and never expect to again. 

 They were everywhere that there was land, and often far 

 out in the overflow a half-mile or more from land, on logs 

 and stumps. On our approach, one would sit until we 

 were quite close, when he would leap off with a noisy 

 splash and swim lustily away. They are good swimmers 

 and fully capable of living through an ordinary overflow, 

 if not preyed upon, getting their" food from leaves, bark, 

 etc. The woods were thick everywhere with their car- 

 casses. It hardly seemed possible that hawks and owls 

 could eat so many. Probably the varmints joined in the 

 destruction. 



The disturbance of turkeys by the hawks continued 

 throughout the trip, time and time again were they seen 

 to drive them from tree to tree, though the warfare was 

 never continued to the ground. One day we flushed a 

 large flock of turkeys from near the mound. They took 

 to trees 200yds. away in the overflow. Generally it will 

 be half an hour or more before turkeys will return to 

 ground after having been flushed to trees, so a position 

 was taken where we were sitting against a large tree 

 facing the turkeys, and a long wait was expected. In 

 less than five minutes, however, we heard rapid, sharp 

 clucking and, on looking down through the treetops, saw 

 the hawks making war on the apparently defenseless tur- 

 keys, which took rapid flight and came pouring back to 

 the mound, where it is needless to say one or two were 

 shot. On the ground the hawks never bothered the 

 turkeys so far as we saw and but one turkey carcass was 

 found, and it is believed it was that of one that had been 

 wounded in that vicinity a couple of days before. We 

 noticed, however, where hawks were seen flying over- 

 head that almost invariably turkeys were to be found 

 feeding beneath. So often did this prove to be the case 

 that, after the two or three first days, we would watch 

 for hawks, and on seeing them cautiously go in and look 

 for turkeys. 



One day I was calling- above camp where the large flock 

 on the first day had been found. Soon a large hawk flew 

 over and took perch on a tall limb, probably 75yds. away. 

 I had not forgotten that first day's experience, and his 

 hawkship offered a capital shot, and as he appeared to be 

 my previous toi-mentor, I determined to sacrifice the tur- 

 keys that I knew to be within hearing and measure arms 

 with him. The rifle having been gotten well in hand, I 

 felt sure of success. I used a rest from the tree at my 

 side. At the crack of the gun he came spinning to the 

 ground with one wing open. He proved also to have a 

 broken leg. With his sound leg and bttak he fought fero- 

 ciously for his life while being dispatched with a stick. 

 He was of the largest species and unusually large, I felt 

 revenged. This is the only one shot at, though every day 

 we could have killed several by devoting some attention 

 to them, and it is the one regret of our trip that we did 

 not kill a score or more of them. It is now our belief, 

 with all the lights before us, that the hawks preferred to 

 have the turkeys on the ground, where, in feeding, the 

 rabbits would be made to stir, so they could sail down 

 and enjoy a feast. 



William did not develop into a sportsman. There being 

 but little to do, except when L. and I were in camp, we 

 thought to give him some enjoyment. After the first 

 two days we practically abandoned the camp ridge as a 

 hunting ground and went further away. The big flock 

 continued to use it, though cautiously, as a feeding 

 ground, William was duly instructed as to the manip- 

 ulation of the hammerless shotgun and though not 

 showing a profound comprehension of the weapon, we 

 thought he would be able to use it. He was told to go up 

 the ridge about halfway, select an open place, where a 

 view could be had for some distance around him and sit 

 down with his back to a tree, to keep his body still and 

 his eyes open, that surely he would get a shot at a turkey 

 if he remained long enough. He was warned not to open 

 up on the rabbits, as no shooting not strictly in our line 

 was wanted. But he never got his turkey. 



One day while L. and I were on Hewlett we heard a 

 shot plainly in the direction of camp. That was William 

 as no one else was at that time in that part of the woods' 

 We put it down that William had at last got in his work. 

 But on our return he said he had no turkey, and denied 

 having shot or heard a shot. Generally, William was 

 truthful, and we were inclined to believe him, though 

 we could not account for the shot. Later, one barrel of 

 the gun was found to be foul and we began to surmise 

 Always, on going to camp, William was found to be in." 

 lhis was at all hours of the day. We further noticed 

 that when he had seen turkeys as he had on several oc- 

 casions, they were seen from camp. We then put it down 

 that our boy was afraid of the woods, and though pro- 

 fessing to go out and look for turkeys, he had not done 

 it. loward the end of the trip, on clearing away a rifle 

 range, a bush near the launch was noticed to be mutilated 

 with shot. It was riddled at short range. But why the 

 u? fc ™f-^ : ? iacle or how made we could only guess. Prob- 

 ably William saw something or heard something and let 

 fly from the launch. 



One day I made a horrible shot. I promised L. and 

 Conway I would tell it, and I guess I'll have to do it, 

 though I m not feeling well and am in no trim for writ- 



We had gone to the mound. It was a favorite place. 



f!, n °f'V r0lmd th f 6 80 mucl1 that aft *r a while we 

 fl£ L- a ?°* her m °und, not over 300yds. away, with a 

 flat, thickety swamp between, mostly covered withover- 

 As to Nation, these mounds are somewhat of a 

 ™7™h' T 'P^ pt to r a ^wold raftsmen and a limited 

 fv Tt ^° o 0th ^ rs - The > comprise the highest ground on 



wh^ i% S 7?r er " Th ^ y lie back iQ ?he ^fods some | 

 where, off of the river. The amateur woodsman might 



spend two weeks in their vicinity and not find them, so 

 completely are they hidden away. We stumbled on one 

 by accident on our first trip, and then the other in the 

 same way on this trip. We always found them inhab- 

 ited. At the time I write of three head of cattle were 

 found on one. They were half -starved, and surely would 

 starve on this limited range. As we moved about their 

 eyes followed us, looking demure and sad enough. But 

 we could not rescue them. The mounds were already 

 liberally strewn with the bones of animals starved or 

 drowned in former overflows. The bones of these cattle 

 would no doubt go to join the others. It was sad indeed 

 to watch the poor brutes. But that shot— yes, yes; I was 

 about to forget. Excuse me. 



On the whole trip it was the only day a gobbler had 

 opened for us. It was a bright day, and the woods, at 

 least in that part about the mounds, took on a beautiful 

 aspect. On the east mound, he probably had ranged away 

 from the water, and, having short memory, had forgotten 

 about the great overflow which day after day continued 

 to rise and encroach on his domain; so, after we had called 

 quietly and bewitchingly for some time, he made attempt 

 to reply. But he had not done such a thing for many 

 days before, and he was young anyway, and his voice 

 cracked. He improves somewhat presently and L, and I 

 move over in his direction to see if he means business. 

 He in*o ves to mean not much, for he nmkes hut slow pro- 

 gress toward us. However, we'll await his pleasure, hav- 

 ing learned by sad experience the great virtue of patience 

 in turkey hunting. While working faithfully on this 

 fellow for some time, we get an answer from the direction 

 of the other mound. We listen for his next note to get 

 him located. We get it. We also get another point — this 

 second chap talks to our notion. He has an excellent 

 voice. Strong and coarse as a base viol or dumb-bull. It 

 begins to sound like old gobbler times. We hasten to take 

 a new position between the little and the big gobblers. 

 We wade through water and. locate on a clay root, on the 

 knob of earth projecting above the water, L. lying face 

 down and I sitting on one leg and hip. Soon I change to 

 a large log twenty or thirty yards toward the younger 

 turkey, leaving L. on the clay root, thus affording greater 

 chance for a shot from the two positions. The gobblers 

 are acting nicely, the big one coming up fastest. 



I looked at L. and would give a nice note for his photo. 

 He is all aglow, and fairly sinks into the yollow earth to 

 keep hid. I like his style very much. There is spirit in 

 it. It is all good— except his face. To the four winds 

 with that face! It will play havoc if that old fellow gets 

 a glint from it. Then I'll take L. off in some lonely and 

 secluded spot and do something desperate to him, 



The young turkey quits. Guess he thinks the masto- 

 don too close. Probably he has met him before, and just 

 now would like to gobble to him afar off. The other is 

 still bellowing— is now close. He seems to be opposite L. 

 not 20yds. away. Why don't he shoot? I steal a glance 

 at him and find he has gone down in the earth two inches 

 more, and has only his forehead and eyes above. I would 

 now give two notes for his photo. It will be his first 

 gobbler. Why don't he shoot ? Won't the boy ever shoot ? 

 I can't see the turkey for a dense thicket near me: surely 

 L. can. Now he has passed L, a little. 



"Ah! What a beauty" as he steps in view. "What 

 glossy rich feathers! What lordly mein!— and L. does not 

 shoot!" My heart is in my mouth— the Mar lin that has 

 been lying across the log is pressed to my shoulder and 

 the trigger touched. 



Mr. Fokest and Stream, history is history. Falsehood 

 is not history. Any coloring leading the mind away 

 from the exact and cold facts, may be an approximation, 

 but not true history. I make a faithful record— that 

 gobbler was missed. He stepped lightly — even daintily 

 away without a stagger. I tried to get in another shot, 

 but if successful, that would have been remarkable with 

 a rifle. As a rule Mr. Turkey is never rattled. In such 

 emergencies, his course is taken as though previously 

 mapped out— and it is the best one, all things considered, 

 for his safety. He simply disappeared suddenly— that's 

 all I know about it. 



I had to meet L. who, coming up, said: "I would have 

 piven a dollar had you waited two seconds. In three or 

 our steps more I would have downed him." 



"Crackey! Are you bankrupt? Haven't you got more 

 money than that? I would raise you a few chips on that 

 gobbler. Why didn't you shoot? I wanted you to kill 

 him." 



"I could not for the thicket. You have played didledy- 

 be-hob-hob. How did you miss him? You used to shoot." 



"Well, now, let's see whether 1 missed him. There 

 ought to be some feathers there. I certainly had the gun 

 on him." 



We hunt and hunt for feathers. Abandon them and 

 then look for ball. We get the course, we get the dis- 

 tance (shall I tell it? 17yds.) but find no sign and start to 

 go- 



"Here it is. Now, what kind of a shot was that? Why, 

 here's a 5in. sapling between you and the turkey shot 

 through and through." 



"Lawrence, we have looked too long. Let's get out of 

 these woods. This sight is too strong,! saw through that 

 sapling." 3 



It took me two days to recover from that shot; and as 

 to hearing the last of it, I never expect to in L.'s day and 

 generation. J 



Two days afterward I paddled back to the mound 

 alone. I was not at all satisfied with my record down 

 there and wanted to even up. I left the canoe lOOvds. or 

 mo i'\J 5a S k xn the owflow anrl waded out to the souUi 

 and bluff edge of the west mound in water 2ft deep 

 This mound is only 4 or 5ft. above the surrounding 

 swamp is probably 25yds. wide and oval in shape. It is 

 covered with some undergrowth. On reaching it I 

 stopped for a short rest and to steady my nerves I 

 wanted to be calm and cool this time for any emergency 

 onr^ 6 ^ 01 '^ of thiS n mound thfi ridge extends for 200 or 

 oOOyds. to the overflow. Having had one day without 

 disturbance I was certain that turkeys would be seen I 

 kept a little m the water, so as not to rattle the leaves 

 and moved around the edge very cautiously to the right 

 watching closely every spot as it appeared on the rfdge 

 beyond the mound. I was some time making the quad- 

 rant of the circle, when my eye was attracted by a 

 motion a considerable distance down the ridge. I stood 

 perfectly still and watched for some time to make out 

 what had made it. I was afraid to raise the rifle and 

 solve the question with the sight lest I be discovered. As 

 usual I found turkeys, 



Up to that time not a deer had been seen. AVe had ex- 

 pected to find some of them on the ridges. In January 

 we had noticed considerable 3igns though we saw none. 

 And this time there was not even a track. They had 

 proved up their reputation for sagacity and departed for 

 higher territory. 



On making out the turkeys I slowly got down to earth 

 on my knees in shallow water. Soon it was found that 

 I could not manipulate myself satisfactorily in this posi- 

 tion and, with due regard for the situation, I proceeded 

 to change it by crawling forward to a rather small tree. 

 This afforded me an opportunity to further investigate, 

 which was done with as little motion outside of the tree 

 as possible. The loggy look that I always carry in the 

 woods was decidedly in my favor and I did not much 

 fear being made out. The telescope was again brought 

 to use and the game could be distinctly made out a little 

 out of range. There were no less than twelve or 

 fifteen, and they certainly formed an interesting 

 spectacle as, without the least suspicion of danger, 

 they scratched and fed among the leaves. They were 

 watched for a full half- hour before they began to move 

 closer. Soon they were within range at 80 or 90yds. I 

 then nervously watched the flock through the sight in 

 search of a long beard. They seemed for a while to be 

 all hens. I was anxious to renew the contest with my 

 former vanquisher, but could not find him. I concluded 

 that any other one of his proportions would answer, but 

 I could not find such a one. Where in the deuce had all 

 the big chaps gone? While asking myself this question two 

 young gobblers worked into view, and 1 watched them 

 closely. Presently they stepped in line— this was my 

 chance— and as I was pulling the trigger— I shall never 

 forget the grand view as the third rusty-brown back 

 ranged in line, one just a little above the other. It was a 

 rare opportunity, and one that comes to few even among 

 old turkey huuters. When I fired the woods in that 

 vicinity at once became animated. There was a great 

 stir. One gobbler was down, and another was cutting 

 lively antics, all the rest took rapid wing and flew to tim- 

 ber in the overflow. I hastened to retrieve, when the 

 bird of gymnastic proclivities rose and flew after the 

 others, but was heard to fall in the overflow. A long 

 search failed to And him. I then devoted myself to the 

 turkeys in the trees, and in half an hour killed two hens, 

 not missing a shot. I felt avenged, though I had not 

 gotten my big gobbler. Then I shouldered the game, 

 went to the canoe, and paddled to camp in a cheerful 

 frame of mind. W. L. P. 



[TO be continued.] 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



C1HTCAGO, 111., Dec. 12,— This morning, while still en- 

 J gaged in the details of the toilet and hardly yet 

 fully awake, I was startled by a sound which, even in the 

 closed room, penetrated the muffled clang of the cable 

 cars and the drone of the busy streets which at that hour 

 fill the neighborhood of Michigan avenue and Eighteenth 

 street, it being only about a mile from the very heart of 

 the city of Chicago. There was no mistaking the quality 

 of that strident voice, and on the instant I knew it was 

 the honk of the wild goose. Running to the nearest 

 window, 1 threw up the shade, and there, passing directly 

 over the house, I saw a magnificent wedge of genuine 

 Canada honkers! It was almost past belief", but when the 

 window was thrown open, and the splendid music of that 

 wild chorus came pealing down, there was no doubt pos- 

 sible, and all one could do was to gaze open-mouthed at 

 what seems to me one of the most remarkable incidents 

 that could happen to any shooter. The geese, there were 

 43 of them, swung west over the city, against the wind 

 and climbing slowly, and I presume they headed south 

 after- they got their altitude. From the point in question 

 over to Lake Michigan is hardly half a mile, and it is 

 probable that the travelers had just been routed out by 

 some passing boat from their resting place in the lake, 

 where they had dropped in during the night on their way 

 south. Wild geese often drop into Lake Michigan in this 

 way, but it is usually much lower down the lake, and I 

 never hpard of a flock crossing the city this high up the 

 lake. It so happens that from my office window, down 

 town, I have a view of a window in a tall building a block 

 or so away, in which there is a printing press. All day 

 long there is visible the tireless flap, flap of the white 

 paper as it passes over the press, and I have always found 

 this printing press very good company, because "it never 

 gets tired. But to-day I have seen goose wings in that 

 paper all day long. I am sure I hope the travelers will 

 get south in safety, and they have my best regards. 



If the geese are coming down, the ducks are all down, 

 and our shooting has probably closed for this year. All 

 last week, or up to Thursday, vast quantities of wildfowl 

 were on the Kankakee. Hathaway, f the oldest pusher 

 at Mak-saw-ba Club, says he has not seen so many ducks 

 for years. They were in on the river, in the timber, the 

 marsh being frozen to great extent. We do not hear of 

 any bags of clucks being made, however, though the 

 local market hunters along the Kankakee and Illinois 

 must certainly have taken full advantage of the great 

 flurry of wildfowl that came down with the cold snap. 

 It is freezing weather now, and the mallards will hug the 

 timber or quit the country. 



On Dec. 1 Mr. Geo. T. 'Farmer killed 12 jacksnipe on 

 Cumberland marsh. This is something that never was 

 done before and probably never will be done again, and 

 it is not known here that snipe have ever been found in 

 this latitude at that date. The birds were fat. 



Mr. W. W. McFarland is lately back from Hennepin 

 marsh, with a dozen ducks, some rabbits, etc. Here- 

 ports quail plenty, though illegal now. In his hunting 

 earlier m the season on Hennepin marsh, Mr. McFarland 

 bagged 196 ducks in three days, the daily score being 81, 

 75, 40. On another day he got 40, and on yet another day 

 performed the seemingly impossible feat of killing 50 

 mallards and greenwing in one hour. This was on a 

 pass, just where the ducks turned in the wind to draw to 

 a piece of water beyond, so the bulk of the dead birds lay 

 very close together. Mr. McFarland says that over 1,000 

 ducks have been killed on Hennepin marsh this fall, but 

 the shooting has been irregular. 



Mr. W. K. Reed, also of the Hennepin, lately showed 

 me a device in use by that club on what they call a "pull 

 over" in the West, and would probably call a portage in 

 the East: anyhow, it is a place between two lakes where 

 the duck hunters have to drag their boats across by 

 hand. The "pull over" in question is thirty rods long, bu 



