Subject Guide
Mountain West
Malachite’s Big Hole
Turkey Hunting by Moonlight:
In his journal, Rufus Sage describes hunting turkey in 1842:
"My experiments in turkey-hunting made me a proficient shot by moonlight, a feat which adds materially to the sport. This is done by maneuvering so as to have the turkey in a direct line between the marksman and the moon, causing its shadow to fall upon his face, -then, raising his rifle to a level from the ground upwards, the instant the sight becomes darkened he fires, and, if his piece be true, seldom fails to make a centre shot.
The most feasible mode of hunting turkeys is to watch their roosting places at night; and, after the moon attains the required position, they may be killed by dozens in the above manner. They rarely leave their roost on account of the firing; but remain, half stupefied with affright, while they are picked off one after another by the practiced hunter."
