Dr. Rudolf Bennitt...page 8 
 
 
        Whike no particular effort viere being made here to propagate 
 this game beyond simple protection measures, I had nevertheless a 
 most exellent opportunity to study Wild Turkey  PER SE. There are 
 aspects of fundamental im ortance which are better understood when 
 viewed in the light of personal observation. 
 
 
        The following seven years found me in California, interrupted 
 however by a two-year interlude during which I returned to the 
 pastoral tranquility of the Old South and its large game preserves, 
 to become married. 
        My ambitions in connection with game matters in California 
 soon brought me in contact with Mr. Henry Chamberlain, industrialist, 
 sportsman-conservationist extraordinary and widely recognized 
 authority and champion of the California Valley Quail. He employed 
 me to carry out several experimenti. projects with quail, and as 
 my mentor and guide in connection with the various ramifications 
 pertaining to game production I was associated with him for a number 
 of years. 
        it has always been Ir. Chamberlain's contention that ways 
 and mrans must be found to produce a better quail at less costs, 
 and that any method conducive to compromising with quality in favor 
 of quantity production (competition for lower prices) is w    . 
 Shades of Altmeister Dietzel and Dr. Niichon I Instead of trying to 
 prove his contention with the pen (although he has written somewhat 
 extensively on the subject) he furnished me with the necessary means, 
 equipment, a suitable  place etc. etc. and th.en gave me carte blanche 
 to go ahead and try something different in the way of producing 
 quail. Stipulation was however that the resulting method (if any) 
 should be adaptable to shooting conditions in Southern California. 
 To tcis end we eventually were able to demonstrate that it is 
 possible to propagate quail under semi-confined, natural conditions 
 at comparetively low costs. The result was an ideal bird for propagation

 purposes. 
         Briefly, our method provided for a low-fenced enclosure, 
well protectLed and wizh abundant cover and water. 'Within a number 
of paired quail, wine-clipped, were liberated and in due time the 
nesting was un,. er ay. Every pair raised irs brood without any 
artificial means. Sufficient feed was provided by   earlier plantings 
of small sudan grass patches, interspersed with Iffir corn (perhaps 
lespedeza would have been better) Since the progeny - if sufficiently 
protected - does not leave the parentbirds until long after full 
maturity, the full-winged yo..,% birds could leave the the protected 
enclosure at will, always to feed and water and the wing-clipj.ed 
parentbirds within. After trapping the birds and placing them in our 
specially constructed holding pens (I made all of our equipment myself) 
we had a gamebird, ready for restockingp that is to 6ay, fully 
experienced to shift for itself upon liberaoi ;n. This same thing can 
never be claimed for brooaer-raised quail which, upon liberation 
enter into an entirely new, strange and hostile world for which they 
are not at all prepared. This contention is further borne out by 
the the well known fact that only a small percentage of all the 
artificially propagated birds which are being released annually,