52 
THE WILD TURKEY. 
tinuing their ravages in the fields. He filled the trench again, and one day 
seeing it quite black with the Turkeys, whistled loudly, on which all the 
birds raised their heads, when he pulled the trigger by the long string 
fastened to it. The explosion followed of course, and the Turkeys were 
seen scampering off in all directions, in utter discomfiture and dismay. On 
running to the trench, he found nine of them extended in it. The rest did 
not consider it expedient to visit his corn again for that season. 
During spring, Turkeys are called , as it is termed, by drawing the air in 
a particular way through one of the second joint bones of a wing of that 
bird, which produces a sound resembling the voice of the female, on hearing 
which the male comes up, and is shot. In managing this, however, no fault 
must be committed, for Turkeys are quick in distinguishing counterfeit 
sounds, and when 'half civilized are very wary and cunning. I have known 
many to answer to this kind of call, without moving a step, and thus entirely 
defeat the scheme of the hunter, who dared not move from his hiding-place, 
lest a single glance of the gobbler’s eye should frustrate all further attempts 
to decoy him. Many are shot when at roost, in this season, by answering 
with a rolling gobble to a sound in imitation of the cry of the Barred Owl. 
But the most common method of procuring Wild Turkeys, is by means 
of pens. These are placed in parts of the woods where Turkeys have been 
frequently observed to roost, and are constructed in the following manner. 
Young trees of four or five inches diameter are cut down, and divided into 
pieces of the length of twelve or fourteen feet. Two of these are laid on the 
ground parallel to each other, at a distance of ten or twelve feet. Two other 
pieces are laid across the ends of these, at right angles to them ; and in this 
manner successive layers are added, until the fabric is raised to the height of 
about four feet. It is then covered with similar pieces of wood, placed three 
or four inches apart, and loaded with one or two heavy logs to render the 
whole firm. This done, a trench about eighteen inches in depth and width 
is cut under one side of the cage, into which it opens slantingly and rather 
abruptly. It is continued on its outside to some distance, so as gradually to 
attain the level of the surrounding ground. Over the part of this trench 
within the pen, and close to the wall, some sticks are placed so as tp form a 
kind of bridge about a foot in breadth. The trap being now finished, the 
owner places a quantity of Indian corn in its centre, as well as in the trench, 
and as he walks off drops here and there a few grains in the woods, some- 
times to the distance of a mile. This is repeated at every visit to the trap, 
after the Turkeys have found it. Sometimes two trenches are cut, in which 
case the trenches enter on opposite sides of the trap, and are both strewn 
with corn. No sooner has a Turkey discovered the train of corn, than it 
communicates the circumstance to the flock by a cluck, when all of them 
