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Show The Word from Boulder Although 1 have made numerous inquiries, I haven't found anyone who has yet seen anything of the flock of wild turkeys released in the foothills a month ago by the Fish and Game Commission. I hope they will fare better than I think they will. I hope a beneficent Providence will shield them from the ravages of coyotes, bobcats, weasles and trigger-happy boys. Somehow 1 had always associated wild turkeys with eastern seaboard states especially those south of theMa- son-Dixon line. Still, I don't know why I should. We used to have a flock of semi-wild turkeys here at the ranch. These birds subsisted and multiplied without much assistance. They built their nestb in the brush and trees along the creek and on the hillsides, and roosted in the high cot-tonwoods and sometimes on the comb of a very high barn we had. During the winter months they would come in to share the wheat we threw out for tho chickens. At Thanksgiving and Christmas time the boys would stage 1 a turkey shoot, and our rela- ! . tives and friends would get a nicely dressed turkey through the mail. When I lived in Garland my family was on the receiving line for years. Then camfc one fall this was after I had moved to the ranch when we must have felt over-generous or the boys were too enthusiastic during the hunt. When we got around to counting the surviving birds, there were only four all males. This was hardly an auspicious stake for next year's crop, I didn't feel too bad, for I had my sights on a flock of lovely white, round-bodied turkeys belonging to our neighbor. I bought four white hens and a gobbler, and they made themselves at home in our yard. Come nesting time I let them find sheltered places along the creek and on the hillside. And that was the last I ever saw of my turkey hens. No families of fluffy white poults ever appeared. After diligent search I found four separate rings of white feathers and four ruined nests. Evidently the too-plentiful predatory beasts hereabouts like turkey meat. Let us hope, (continued inside) BOULDER though, that the wild newcomers will be able to out-wit them. We are happy to hear, through a communication from the Associated Civics Clubs of Southern Utah, that the unfinished parts of the Henrie-ville-toEscalante road i s scheduled to be let out on contract in the near future. Providing the Parks Service can be induced to take over the "Dump" road, this will no doubt place the Escalante-to Boulder road next on Garfield County's list for improvement. If only the two "flats" sections could be oiled soon, we could wait awhile for the canyon sections. Anyone who would ride one morning with the school bus would agree that no road in the state needs to be oiled more than this one. Under direction of Superintendent Ardean Bench, students of the Escalante Seminary presented a program Sunday afternoon based on stories from the Old Testament. Those participating were Re-non Roundy, Linda Reid, Lee Ann Spencer, Lanna Alvey, David Shurtz, Joyce Lyman, Lorraine Baker, Pauline Griffin, Val Jean Haws, Warren Woolsey, and Lynn Mclnelly. Arthur Alvey is recovering at the Panguitch hospital from an operation on Monday for gall stones. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Thatch- er, son Clinton, and two small children of Wellington were visitors at the Parley Coleman home over the weekend. Glen Ormond is home for a month's leave from his job in Wayne County. Mr. and Mrs. LaFay Cole- I man returned from Salt Lake Friday, Her father Mr. Johnson is still seriously ill. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde King returned Sunday from Payson where Mrs. King attended a meeting' of the Payson Cow-belles association. |