| Author | Message | ||
| TScottW99
|
I was reading my newest Turkey Call magazine this morning. It was an article about the lost art of roosting. In it they were talking about how and why not as many hunters roost as they used to. I was wondering how many of you make it a regular practice? Why and Why not? I try when I can. If i'm back at my parents hunting it's a nightly ritual... it's also easier to do there... Here I barely find the time to try and put a big boy to rest.. with working second and third shifts during spring gobbler I don't make it out alot to roost. At my parents I either drive across the road (about 200 yards) or walk across the road and up the ridge. You can on a good night put five or six longbeards to bed. | ||
| GN |
I live too far fro m where I hunt to chase the birds to bed...I am sort of thankful that I am, as it would really wear me out even more if I was putting him to bed and then driving home and then having to go back before daylight. I go to roost about the same time the birds do, during the season. On the occsionalcamping trip throug hthe season tho, I have done it, and it is a wondeful way to think you have the edge..what is the saying:"roosted ain't roasted'.... | ||
| shopson |
Like GN, I'm usually too far from where I hunt. If I'm on a camping hunt then I will or if I'm hunting within thirty minutes or less from the house I will. | ||
| Piedmont Gobbler |
Do you guys primarily Gobble when trying to roost a bird or do you just sit an listen? | ||
| shopson |
Personally I just sit and listen. If I havn't heard anything by dark I will hoot a little. | ||
| TScottW99
|
same same... i just sit and listen, if nothing i will hoot or try some other shock gobble | ||
| turkeypicker |
I do roost some, especially if I'm on a bird closer to home, and not too far off the road. My 9-year old loves to go out with me to try to roost a bird. Roosted doesn't mean roasted, but a successful roost really increases my odds of success the next morning. I differ somewhat with the owling. I use aggressive owl hooting from fly-up time until dark. I usually stop owling and give up when the whipoorwills commence hollering. Sometimes I throw in an owl "laughing" series too. Owling loud and aggressively really works for me. I can relate to GN's comment about hunting mornings and afternoon roosting wearing you down. My wife says I get grumpy, but I'm sure she must be mistaken...LOL. I have a buddy who loves turkey hunting on moonlit nights. He claims to go to the woods extra early and prospects before daylight owling. He claims the birds will sometimes fire up well before daylight when the moon is bright. Anyone ever try this? | ||
| TScottW99
|
i got to the woods last year several times after leaving work (3:00a.m) and one morning I needed to go visit a tree as soon as i got there ( was about 4:30) and when I shut the truck door a bird gobbled... i thought it was awful early. made the wait until daylight that much longer  | ||
| GN |
Opening Day in Ky about five years ago, it was a brilliant full moon night and the moon was as bright as I have ever seen it..you could have easily read the newspaper at 3 am.. Some friends who I had badgered in to taking me were trying to dry gulch me I think and put me out of the truck in a place I had never hunted, about two hours before daylight. When I got out, like Scott, every bird was in thewoods was singing and the birds were goobbling and hens were calling too. I have never heard or witnesseed anything exactly like that anywhere else. When legal shooting time arrived I was set up where I thought a bird was in a tree but he was actualy on the ground strutting when I finaly located him. Another big bird came in and they got to fighting and went on at about 60-70 yards from me for some time, just beating the devil out of each other and flying way up in a two-bird tangle in the air for a good five minutes...then they sort of got under the hill and I could not see them...I made a couple of hen yelps and here came one ofthem up the hill and strutted right in to me...I assume it was the winner..but in this case, after the fight, the "winner left town"... | ||
| HODY |
On Fridays when I stay at the lease I try to roost one. Otherwise it is too far to drive to roost one. I try to be in a good listening spot at what I call Prime Time (Fly Up) I listen for a while then Hit the owl call a few times. I try to hit 2 or 3 spots early in the year and then make my game plan for morning. Last year one night I heard birds at 3 different spots and when the first one did not pan out I was able to move to the second location and kill the bird. Turkey picker I agree with you the "Laughing" can really pull it out of em sometimes. I read the artice also Scott, and there are several other good ones in that issue also. | ||
| Daddyjan |
I love to roost birds if i can do it lots of time i cant becouse of work and other obligations.It is the best way to get a kid and myself fired up about the next days hunt.Plus if you get there right before fly up and hen call just a little then do cackles and wing beats that tOM REALY THINKS THAT HEN IS ROOSTED NEAR BYE AND MAY JUST COME CHECK YOU OUT THE NEXT am USALY SOME SOFT TREE YELPS AND A FLY DOWN CACKLE WILL BRING HIM IN EXSPECIALY IF YOU GOT DECOYS OUT. jmf |