The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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DEPRIVING AN EAGLE OF A NICE MESS OF TURKEY
By S. C. Turnbo
Just below the mouth of the Mahan Hollow and on the west side of the old Isaac Mahan farm on Little North Fork is a bluff or steep hill which John Mahan, son of Isaac Mahan, says that he saw some eagles and a flock of wild turkeys have a lively time one cloudy morning in the month of February. In describing the incident Mr. Mahan said that there were two bald eagles and a gray eagle attacked a flock of 40 turkeys in the face of this bluff. When one of the eagles would strike at a turkey it would dodge the stroke and after the big birds with the big talons had struck at the turkey some time without securing one for a meal the two bald eagles become discouraged and flew off. The gray eagle stayed with the turkeys and struck at first one and then another of the flock until he hit a large gobbler with his claws and disabled it. Then it took the eagle a half an hour to finish killing the gobbler. When the turkey was dead and the eagle was preparing to feast on the meat I scared the eagle away and took the dead turkey to the house. Its beard was seven inches in length and the turkey before it was dressed weighed 23 pounds."
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