Roosting Birds

[Everyday Hunter]

Welcome to the T&TH forums, nytrkybstr, the best place to talk turkey on the 'net.

I roosted one last night. I never tried to get it to sound off -- it was too close. I kinda thought it was a hen because it looked small, but thought that even if it was a hen there should be a gobbler around there somewhere.

I got in there this morning at 5:30, and it flew down at 6:06. It was a hen. It answered my calls and came in partway, but then lost interest. I never did find a gobbler, except on the opposite hills and I couldn't pursue those. But I did find a huge wing feather from a gobbler, so there is one somewhere around.

My answer to your question is that in the evening when they go to roost you're trying to get a turkey to shock-gobble. So, use some kind of loud call. You could cackle hard on a box call, or use a peacock, coyote, owl, or even a canned-air horn. Once you have him located, slip out of the woods. If he's within 80-100 yards, wait until it's good and dark if the woods are open.

I was talking to a guy yesterday who said he was cutting wood before turkey season opened. He started his chainsaw and it stalled out. A gobbler sounded off. He started it and shut it off 3 more times, and each time a turkey gobbled. So, I guess you could use your chainsaw -- but be sure to camouflage it. [:D]

Steve

[DeanoZ]

Hey fellas just want to make sure I understand the concept of "Roosting" because I get the sense I've misinterpreted what everyone has been referring to when they say the roosted a bird....so having saoid that it sounds like you are just trying to get them to shock gobble...but when they are already roosted in their trees for the night...and NOT trying to get them to fly up to their roost?

Told ya I was new to this.... [:D][:D]

[Everyday Hunter]

ORIGINAL: DeanoZ

Hey fellas just want to make sure I understand the concept of "Roosting" because I get the sense I've misinterpreted what everyone has been referring to when they say the roosted a bird....so having saoid that it sounds like you are just trying to get them to shock gobble...but when they are already roosted in their trees for the night...and NOT trying to get them to fly up to their roost?

Told ya I was new to this.... [:D][:D]

Good point. I suppose lots of turkey hunters' terms can be misleading. You're right -- when we "roost" a gobbler, we're not trying to get him to fly up to roost. We're trying to get him to give away the location of his roost. Sometimes we refer to "putting him to bed," but no, we don't mean we're tucking him in with a bedtime story and kissing him g'night. [:D]

Two more terms that might mislead someone: "cutt and run" and "run and gun" don't have anything to do with running in the woods.

Steve

[nhtrkybstr]

Thanks Steve! I appriciate your advice! Sunday can't get here fast enough! I'm gonna try to get birds for my brother and his buddy. The satisfaction of calling in birds for someone else is a feeling only another turkey hunter can appriciate! Good luck to you and all of us! Be safe! 

[tracebusta32]

Go Sat morning and see where they are flying down, if not the birds h ere in NC have been flying up around 8:15 pm

[DeanoZ]

ORIGINAL: Everyday Hunter

ORIGINAL: DeanoZ

Hey fellas just want to make sure I understand the concept of "Roosting" because I get the sense I've misinterpreted what everyone has been referring to when they say the roosted a bird....so having saoid that it sounds like you are just trying to get them to shock gobble...but when they are already roosted in their trees for the night...and NOT trying to get them to fly up to their roost?

Told ya I was new to this.... [:D][:D]

Good point. I suppose lots of turkey hunters' terms can be misleading. You're right -- when we "roost" a gobbler, we're not trying to get him to fly up to roost. We're trying to get him to give away the location of his roost. Sometimes we refer to "putting him to bed," but no, we don't mean we're tucking him in with a bedtime story and kissing him g'night. [:D]

Two more terms that might mislead someone: "cutt and run" and "run and gun" don't have anything to do with running in the woods.

Steve

Thanks Steve for the clarification.  Generally speaking (and I know this is location dependent) do they fly up right before sunset?  And by right before I mean like + or - an hour or 1/2 hour before sunset?  Runa nd Gun i know...Cutt and run...hmmm  does that refer to the Tom running in after doing an aggressive cutt?

[dewey]

What time of the evening would you go out and try to put them to bed?  Should you wait until it is getting dark or wait until the sun is down?  I don't want to scare the crap out of the turkeys as they are on their way to their roost.  Or would you go out about 1 hour before sunset and try and locate them and then when you have them located then try to roost them?

[Everyday Hunter]

It depends mostly on where you need to go and how much time it takes you to get there. I roosted one on Monday night. I was in the woods around 8:00, and the turkey flew up at about 8:30. I waited until 9:00 to leave so she (it turned out to be a hen) wouldn't be disturbed by any noise I made while leaving. I think you should be in the woods no later than 8:00, so that you have time to let things settle down from your presence. They don't always gobble at night, but when they do you'll know where you need to be in the morning.

She flew down at 6:06 AM Tuesday morning. That's 9½ hours of sleep for turkeys -- they're getting more sleep trying to stay alive than I am trying to kill them.

Steve

[nhtrkybstr]

Steve,
Thanks for advice! Should I just drive up the road to the highest point, and just listen? The turkeys I have tried to roost seem to shut up at roosting time. Should I try to shock gobble them, or just listen with my ears and not my mouth? I appriciate your sound advice Steve!

[Everyday Hunter]

I don't often roost them, but when I do I get into the woods. Lots of guys, however, do it from their vehicles as you describe. My experience, like yours, is that gobblers are not as vocal at night as they are in the morning.

Steve