BEST WAY TO ROOST A BIRD IN AFTERNOON ?

[BIGBOB]

Have been hunting a long time ,but never tried to roost a bird in afternoon. Any advice would be appreciated. thanks

[SCGobbler]

Hey BigBob,

I'll bite.  I hunt in the South East and typically in pine timber that is grown for the purpose of pulpwood.  Terrain is usually a  mix of these timber hills and hardwood bottoms and draws, where the ground starts getting moist and boggy more suited for oaks and other various hardwoods.

Typically I go out and listen around 4-5 pm most afternoons if I am hunting the next day.  I always carry my gun and always wear full camo because you can never tell what will happen if you are walking a logging road or a ridgeline.

I listen for any sign I can of turkeys... gobbling, fly up cackles, wing beats, cutting, yelping, etc...  I then make a mental note of where I hear these and try to get near them the next morning.

In the timber, I don't typically find turkeys roosting in a favorite tree like they do in some places, its more of a wherever the urge hits them that's where they fly up.  Reason I say that is because I have a good friend that hunts Nebraska every year and the turkeys are field birds and they always go up to the same tree and fly down from the same tree ever night and ever morning.

I hope this helps and 

[DirtNap647]

i like to sneak in set up and and do a lil soft calling every once in a while if i get an answer i try to coax him a lil key thing is to make him think you are a hen in that tree

[SCGobbler]

True.  I forgot about the soft calling.  Just some lght tree yelps.  If he does go up and you don't hear him, rest assured he hears that soft talk.

[jakebird]

Roosting in the evenings is best done from a high listening vantage point. Wait till that sun sets and the afternoon breeze lays down. Usually it is a narrow window when they will gobble for you on the limb. I used to use owl hoots, and still prefer them at dawn, but now I prefer gobbles at dusk. Im having much better responses. You can use whichever gobble call you like, I've been using my natural voice as I've gotten pretty good at it and can get alot of volume which is important. When you get one cranking try to keep him going i usually switch to an owl hoot as i quickly move in. Try to find a good set up for the morning based on the terrain and where you think he will fly down to. As it gets dark enough you might push your luck and try to find a tight setup within 75 yds but be careful not to bump him and beware other birds may be roosted nearby. When you have your spot picked out, sneak out and count your exact steps to a landmark of some kind. Sometimes ill put a night owl or limb light on a tree 150 yds or so along the path in, and when i get there in the morning I'll go lights out from that point and count your steps back in to your set up. Get there an hour earlier than usual and move quietly. When you are close on one don't call much. It only takes a few soft calls to let him know you're there. Too much and usually he will leave you wondering what happened.  Sometimes when you do it just right he will pitch down in your lap, like happened to us last Saturday. Roosted isn't always roasted, but when you succeed they are the most exciting and satisfying hunts you will ever experience. Good luck!