to make use of a “blind” into or be- 
hind which they secrete themselves 
from the birds which they or a com- 
panion are endeavoring to call within 
gunshot. 
AFTER many trials, some successful 
and others the reverse, Tom and 
I, who have hunted much _ together, 
abandoned the blind entirely as worse 
than useless, more often would either 
alarm the birds or hinder a fairly good 
shot when the birds had come within 
range. If used at all then an incon- 
spicuous blind should be made; a few 
loose sprays over a bent-down sapling, 
a little, long, trailing moss or two or 
three palmetto fans with the long stems 
thrust into the ground will suffice bet- 
ter than a more elaborate structure. 
The objections to the use of a blind are 
that the birds do not always come up 
just where they are wanted for a good 
shot and a screen may prevent a quick 
change of base, any blind cuts off free 
range of vision, most important in 
watching for the keenest-eyed bird that 
ever flew or fled afoot! 
When no blind was used we would 
back up against a big-boled pine, some- 
times together or again twenty or 
thirty rods apart. At such times Tom 
manipulated the bone and we had a gen- 
eral understanding as to the area each 
gun should cover. 
Under such conditions the requisites 
are inconspicuous clothing and absolute 
quiet as to sound and movements. If a 
head, eye or hand must be moved let 
it be ever so slowly and when the bird 
is coming up make no motion towards 
shooting until he is within range and 
then work quick! 
When “calling” the on-coming birds 
will generally be heard answering for 
some time before they are seen and 
great care must then be observed that 
they be not alarmed by too much effort 
to attract them. Better let them be the 
anxious ones to hear else they may be 
sent off by some false note or other 
give-away of the game. 
Not infrequently the old hen is able 
to entice the brood together and 
off to safety at such times and the hunt- 
er’s calls are of no avail for be it re- 
membered the bunch at this season is 
made up of the old hen and her reared 
young. These stay together from May 
when they are hatched until the follow- 
ing late winter or early springtime 
when the mating and nesting season 
arrives again. During this interval the 
gobblers of more than a year old are 
bachelors for sure, go it alone or rarely 
two or three may hold together in an 
uncertain companionship. 
As the days grow longer and red blood 
flows faster, the old gobblers hang 
Page 645 

From the Outing Library 
Just after dawn—calling them up 
around in proximity of the droves or 
bunches, roasting now in the same 
swamp but not in close company. Anon 
come the days of grand passion, strut- 
ting and gobbling, and the shyest of all 
game birds becomes a comparatively 
easy victim for the expert hunter. 
However, let the novice be not de- 
ceived and let him take good heed to 
those last two underscored words. In 
hunting the older gobblers at this sea- 
son the hunter must be on the ground, 
or within hearing of the far-resound- 
ing, mellow-toned ‘“obble-obble-obble” 
at least a half hour before the faintest 
sign of approaching dawn. Good ears, 
good wind and a good knowledge of the 
lay of the land are requisites for a 
successful hunting of the old gobbling 
bird. 
When the first love-call is heard, if 
he is thought to be within range of a 
stalk, the run must be prompt and 
rapid, taking advantage of all paths or 
helps for easier and more silent travel, 
the object being to get as nearly as 
possible to the calling bird without 
alarming him and while he is yet on his 
perch. 
F he should be at a considerable dis- 
tance when first heard, it may be 
necessary to stop at times, on the run, 
to get another bearing on his location, 
for it is of the utmost import that he 
(Continued on page 690) 
