Do you call to gobblers on the roost or wait until fly down and why? I've seen several videos where some do and some don't call while on the roost. I've killed them both ways, and just wondered what the majority does.
Maybe a couple tree yelps and that's it. Just enough to let him know I am there. Took me a little time to figure this out.
Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
Depends on my proximity to the roost. I think a lot of hunters, particularly those who roost birds of an evening and set up on those birds of a morning, have a bad habit of setting up too close. Up close I think it's a very bad idea to tree call to roosted birds. With some distance, though, I like just enough soft calling to get him to answer me from the limb and then I don't call again until he's on the ground.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mostly minimal to no calling, however I have gotten really aggressive on early season birds in larger flocks, get an old hen mad and keep yapping at her, she brings in the whole crew!
Agree, minimal is better. It's hard to resist getting that gobbler to roar back, but it's best not to get him all wound up and then he's expecting a hen to show up. I do a few light tree yelps and just a bit of soft calls to let him know I'm there. Once, he's on the ground and especially if I hear hens, then I agree that trying to tick off the hen is a good move. We all love to hear them gobble, but I've witnessed buds hammer at the gobbler on the roost and have the gobbler answer a bunch only to go the other way when he finally did fly down. Less is much better IMO.
If I can see the gobbler then I'm quiet until he hits the ground, if I feel I'm about 100 yards or so away and he's out of sight then I'll give a few tree yelps to let him know I'm there. If he has a hen with him then I'll match every call she makes, doesn't always work but when it does it's quite effective.
Leaf scratching, but minimal. If he gobbles at the leaf scratching, I'm done. He usually flies down, and comes.....
I won't unless I am certain he has hens with him.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Realy depends if iam familiar with them and know which way they normally fly down and set up in that direction most time will just do some nice soft tree talk on gray slate,,, if in new spot and can hear other hens most times i will call more especially after hearing one of other hens fly down
As always it depends on the situation but I'm certainly not afraid of it. I have a handful of birds I have killed right off the roost I may not have killed had I not poured it on them in the tree, particularly with trying to convince them to cross a creek or river when they pitch or to get them away from a mouthy hen (or piss off said hen and get her to come to me). I don't like being the only quiet hen when the real hens are getting real talkative. If I can see him, I like to give him just enough he turns and faces my direction on the limb. Other times I'll elect to wait until he pitches.. but more often than not I'll give him a little something at least to get him thinking about me prior to hitting the ground.
Since new to the forum, it is time for me to add something. After 38 years of hunting, I agree with the posts above. When it comes to calling to them on the roost, more is better. I agree entirely with the person that said as soon as the gobbler knows you are there stop. One of my biggest mistakes early on was making them gobble their heads off on the roost because I thought I was doing something ha ha and they would fly down and go the other direction every time! Good luck.
Quote from: WTNUT on January 25, 2021, 02:01:48 PM
Since new to the forum, it is time for me to add something. After 38 years of hunting, I agree with the posts above. When it comes to calling to them on the roost, more is better. I agree entirely with the person that said as soon as the gobbler knows you are there stop. One of my biggest mistakes early on was making them gobble their heads off on the roost because I thought I was doing something ha ha and they would fly down and go the other direction every time! Good luck.
;D I would assume from the rest of your post that you actually meant "less is better" rather than "more is better" (you might want to hit the modify post button)
Again, as pretty much everything is in this business we call turkey huntin', it all depends,...and much of that "it all depends" depends on the turkey (or turkeys) you are calling to.
Having to generally choose between the choices of calling too much, or calling too little, I will choose "calling too little" every time. However, to say one or the other method is the best in a specific situation is not a concept that is set in stone.
The trick is to fit naturally into the conditions you are faced with on any given set-up (and hoping that set-up is in the right place). Most folks that fit into the "call too much" category are more likely calling too early more than anything. Call too early, and too much, and you are likely to run up that big old red-alert flag in a turkey's little pea-sized brain. ;D
I really try to wait until they flow down before I start calling to them. As a few others have mentioned, I will sometimes do a very quiet tree yelp to let him know of my general direction. If I don't hear any gobbling, I wait until sunrise to call at all.
Look up Shane Simpson and Dave Owens on Youtube.
Shane likes to call to them on the limb. See in his videos. I've seen Shane work them right off of the limb in video and setting beside him at the tree..
Good luck.
Leaf scratching was mentioned. But...if you leaf scratch do so as a real hen. I.e. Scratch....Scratch Scratch....Scratch.
I'm calling to a roosted gobbler about every single time unless I inadvertently end up directly under one. I try to set up close (100 yards or just under) and my goal is to paint a picture of a hen waking up then pitching down. I try to sound like multiple hens sometimes that are eager to meet that horny gobbler. How aggressive I get is dependent on what other turkeys are around us, how vocal they are, where they are located in relation to the target gobbler and also how the gobbler is responding to my calling. More often than not, they fly down in my direction and come on in. I've never really understood the concept of waiting until they fly down to begin calling. They may fly down 100+ yards away, sail across a river or a huge valley (in hill country) and now you've really got your work cut out for yourself. Since I primarily hunt public, I want that gobbler down off that limb and in my lap before anyone else has a chance to try to sneak in the gobbler and wreck the whole deal. Just my thoughts on it.
I call to roosted turkeys only IF they gobbled early, allowing me to sneak in and set up close to them undetected. Then I only call enough to get their attention.
I don't find myself in this situation very often, but when I do, I call to them and get a couple of gobbles, then I shut up. In these situations I have killed the gobbler about 60% of the time. Some of my most memorable hunts were right off the roost.
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Quote from: simpzenith on January 25, 2021, 10:21:10 PM
I'm calling to a roosted gobbler about every single time unless I inadvertently end up directly under one. I try to set up close (100 yards or just under) and my goal is to paint a picture of a hen waking up then pitching down. I try to sound like multiple hens sometimes that are eager to meet that horny gobbler. How aggressive I get is dependent on what other turkeys are around us, how vocal they are, where they are located in relation to the target gobbler and also how the gobbler is responding to my calling. More often than not, they fly down in my direction and come on in. I've never really understood the concept of waiting until they fly down to begin calling. They may fly down 100+ yards away, sail across a river or a huge valley (in hill country) and now you've really got your work cut out for yourself. Since I primarily hunt public, I want that gobbler down off that limb and in my lap before anyone else has a chance to try to sneak in the gobbler and wreck the whole deal. Just my thoughts on it.
Although I do believe a guy can call too much to a gobbler on the roost, I think the important factors are knowing when to call (and when not to), what to say, and how to say it. Shane, you have hunted enough to know all of those things. I think the problems with calling to birds on the roost occur most often with newer hunters that don't have the experience to know when, what, why, and how to call to roosted turkeys.
I do believe that less experienced hunters should stick to the philosophy that "less is better" until they have hunted roosted turkeys enough to understand the dynamics of roosted-turkey communication. Even with that experience, however, it is easy enough to get it wrong with irritating regularity. ;D
Quote from: simpzenith on January 25, 2021, 10:21:10 PM
I'm calling to a roosted gobbler about every single time unless I inadvertently end up directly under one. I try to set up close (100 yards or just under) and my goal is to paint a picture of a hen waking up then pitching down. I try to sound like multiple hens sometimes that are eager to meet that horny gobbler. How aggressive I get is dependent on what other turkeys are around us, how vocal they are, where they are located in relation to the target gobbler and also how the gobbler is responding to my calling. More often than not, they fly down in my direction and come on in. I've never really understood the concept of waiting until they fly down to begin calling. They may fly down 100+ yards away, sail across a river or a huge valley (in hill country) and now you've really got your work cut out for yourself. Since I primarily hunt public, I want that gobbler down off that limb and in my lap before anyone else has a chance to try to sneak in the gobbler and wreck the whole deal. Just my thoughts on it.
I was hoping you'd answer.
Quote from: simpzenith on January 25, 2021, 10:21:10 PM
I'm calling to a roosted gobbler about every single time unless I inadvertently end up directly under one. I try to set up close (100 yards or just under) and my goal is to paint a picture of a hen waking up then pitching down. I try to sound like multiple hens sometimes that are eager to meet that horny gobbler. How aggressive I get is dependent on what other turkeys are around us, how vocal they are, where they are located in relation to the target gobbler and also how the gobbler is responding to my calling. More often than not, they fly down in my direction and come on in. I've never really understood the concept of waiting until they fly down to begin calling. They may fly down 100+ yards away, sail across a river or a huge valley (in hill country) and now you've really got your work cut out for yourself. Since I primarily hunt public, I want that gobbler down off that limb and in my lap before anyone else has a chance to try to sneak in the gobbler and wreck the whole deal. Just my thoughts on it.
X3 .. I pretty much agree with this post , it all depends on the mood of the gobblers and the time of the season and hunting pressure in my opinion..
Yes to Greg. It all depends. It only comes with experience. Calling to a gobbler on the roost has many variables. Is he alone? Is he roosted with a bunch of hens? Are there hens between the gobbler and you? Are there hens on the opposite side of your position to the gobbler? Are you on private vs heavily hunted public ground? Are the birds Easterns/Osceolas vs Rios/Merriams? I think all of these factors and more, influence how much and how you call to a roosted gobbler. However, if you overdo it, the gobbler probably will not come and if you under do it in the face of other real hens, the same is true. No one has all the right answers, but that being said, I've killed way more gobblers well after fly down than shortly after they fly down.
Unless you know where that gobbler prefers to go, he's probably not gonna pitch down and come in on a string unless he already wanted to go in that direction or had hens headed your way.
You learn by doing. As it has been said, "If you lose, don't lose the lesson."
If he's alone, I might tree yelp soft once or twice, or none at all. I'll call as soon as I hear him pitch down. I use a wing a lot too. If he has vocal hens nearby, I might call a little more. But, less is best 99% of the time for me personally.
Very conservative while on the roost. Let him know I am here then wait till he hits the ground.
Quote from: GobbleNut on January 25, 2021, 02:27:59 PM
Quote from: WTNUT on January 25, 2021, 02:01:48 PM
Since new to the forum, it is time for me to add something. After 38 years of hunting, I agree with the posts above. When it comes to calling to them on the roost, more is better. I agree entirely with the person that said as soon as the gobbler knows you are there stop. One of my biggest mistakes early on was making them gobble their heads off on the roost because I thought I was doing something ha ha and they would fly down and go the other direction every time! Good luck.
Yes you are right need to figure how to modify recovering from covid and brain is a few days behind thanks
;D I would assume from the rest of your post that you actually meant "less is better" rather than "more is better" (you might want to hit the modify post button)
First started I called to them in the tree quite a bit . Lots of gobbling , not very many birds in the vest . Scaled back and called differently and put a few in the vest . Most of the birds I work are later in the morning after fly down . But a lot of them are in the tree next door . I only want one or two gobbles in the tree on public , so I don't encourage it . Lately I have pushed in early on a roosted bird , When I gave a little call to let him know I was there , I thought , I am on the ground , to early to be on the ground . I am surprised they don't think about that and get suspicious , doesn't seem to distract them , just something going thru my mind .
I'm calling to one on the roost every time unless I'm so close to him that he can see my position. I don't call alot but I want him to at least know there is a hen in my direction.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Great info here! Thanks for the response fellas! Next question.. A successful guide in South Dakota told me that they never call to the turkeys before fly down and I know guys that live by that rule in the south also. Not even a single yelp, NOTHING. My question is why? Why do some hunters not call to birds until fly down? Just trying to understand that tactic.
Well, bully for the "successful guides" and "guys down south". But I want a tom to "think" in my direction so I'll continue to run a soft tree call at him, then shut up.
each set up on each bird is different, for me if I'm not calling at all to a bird on the roost it's likely that I'm close enough to see him in the tree and don't want him staring at me waiting for the hen to show herself.
I've not called to public land birds before and just tried to pin down where he's roosted and what he does so I can come back the next day and be in a better position. Those are usually birds that take so much pressure that any calling makes them shut up or act goofy.
In situations where there are a lot of hens I'd say do or don't your chances of influencing the flock and where they want to go is already minimized to pretty low.
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
I will just say this. Ask yourself these questions. Why does a tom gobble on the roost? What will he more than likely do if I sound like a very interested hen nearby? The answers to those two questions should give you a pretty good idea on how to proceed. Nothing in turkey hunting however is set in stone.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Quote from: GobbleNut on January 25, 2021, 10:49:09 PM
Quote from: simpzenith on January 25, 2021, 10:21:10 PM
I'm calling to a roosted gobbler about every single time unless I inadvertently end up directly under one. I try to set up close (100 yards or just under) and my goal is to paint a picture of a hen waking up then pitching down. I try to sound like multiple hens sometimes that are eager to meet that horny gobbler. How aggressive I get is dependent on what other turkeys are around us, how vocal they are, where they are located in relation to the target gobbler and also how the gobbler is responding to my calling. More often than not, they fly down in my direction and come on in. I've never really understood the concept of waiting until they fly down to begin calling. They may fly down 100+ yards away, sail across a river or a huge valley (in hill country) and now you've really got your work cut out for yourself. Since I primarily hunt public, I want that gobbler down off that limb and in my lap before anyone else has a chance to try to sneak in the gobbler and wreck the whole deal. Just my thoughts on it.
Although I do believe a guy can call too much to a gobbler on the roost, I think the important factors are knowing when to call (and when not to), what to say, and how to say it. Shane, you have hunted enough to know all of those things. I think the problems with calling to birds on the roost occur most often with newer hunters that don't have the experience to know when, what, why, and how to call to roosted turkeys.
I do believe that less experienced hunters should stick to the philosophy that "less is better" until they have hunted roosted turkeys enough to understand the dynamics of roosted-turkey communication. Even with that experience, however, it is easy enough to get it wrong with irritating regularity. ;D
You're exactly right GobbleNut. When I was just starting out, not only was I pretty rough on the calls, I didn't really "communicate" with the birds. I was just making noise and back then, I scared off more than I lured in. lol
If a bird is really gobbling good on his own(assume he is alone), I will wait him out and not call while he is on the roost or if I can't stand it, I will hit him with a few soft tree yelps. If he answers, I'm done until he hits ground. If I see or hear him turn around on the limb and it is close to flydown, I will float a few clucks his way to try to turn him back around as a reminder that "no is not in this hen's vocab".:)
If he isn't overly excited, I assume he has hens, can see hens, been pressured or just isn't real fired up. I will start with some super soft stuff and if he answers, I'm done. If he doesn't, I'm done for 5-10mins before I try again...It is a long 10 mins too. If he doesn't answer my 2nd round, I wait him out and once he "should" be on the ground, it is clucks, purrs, scratching. I'm called some old warriors on pressured public with not much more than a hand ruffling some leaves like a hen kicking her legs and some soft purring. Most never made a peep, but would drum.
If hens start answering....all bets are off. IMO your best opportunity is to try to bring the boss hen your way. She will either lead him away or lead him to you. If she leads away, then you can reposition and try again.
I've been turkey hunting for over 40 years, and I have, unless in a particular situation with a bird you know the habits of, never understood the logic of being afraid to call to a bird on the roost.
When you do not call, you are merely a spot in the woods by which a gobbler may or may not travel. There's a distinct possibility your calling will not influence his travel plans, more often than not, in my experience, he won't come running in anyway, but I would rather try and influence his decision while he is on the limb, as to try and change his mind after he hits the ground.
Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
I call enough to let him know where I'm at, if he get fired up pretty good I will pour it on and then shut up completely. Killed this bird last year. Took 15 minutes of silence and he pitched down in our lap at 10 yards. East TN public
I killed a nice bird last year setting up about 125 yards from the roost. Third day of the season, could hear birds waking up, when I heard a couple pitch down, I did a flydown cackle while beating my vest with my hand. A few minutes later, I could see several birds moving my way. Several hens, two jakes and one longbeard followed. After the flydown sequence, I don't think I even called again. These are Rios in western Oklahoma on private land. The public land I hunt in my home state, with calling, usually less is more. I know they are only Rios, and supposedly they are stupid, but they get screwed with so much, they don't work like private land birds hardly ever.
I was brought up to never call unless I was in what I thought to be the killing spot. So I may or may not call to one on the limb. Sometimes I may not make a call until mid to late morning. Finding the killing spot is the hard part. Find it then calling him in is a whole lot easier.
A lot of stuff plays into each hunt and set up. I often do before work hunts so I've got maybe an hour after flydown before I have to head out. On those hunts I really don't have the luxury of waiting for a bird to come back around a few hours later or letting the morning develop slowly. On those hunts the strategy that works best is to be in early and get as tight to the roost as possible, in sight preferably. Whether I call or not on the limb depends on that sight line and how close I am but I like if I can get him to answer me 1 -3 times on the limb so I'm at least on his radar and I will always try and be the first hen talking to him the second he hits the ground. I can think of two separate occasions ive called to a bird as he's coming off the limb and actually watched him pitch and bank my way through the air enough to land in gun range.
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
If I'm close or in the proximity I'll tree call some to let them know I'm there...if I can see them I watch for them to turn my way on the limb. Getting a few responses is normally my goal but know what to say and reading the bird is key. I've been very successful doing this. I'll also normally do a fly down right after I hear him hit the ground. However over calling from my experience can cause birds to sit on the limb longer and also to go away from me at fly down. But nothing is usually normal in the spring woods...which adds to the thrill of the hunt!
Less is more. I usually just a couple of tree yelps and let them fly down. Wait 30-60 seconds and use a turkey wings for my own fly down. Then I make a few soft calls and get ready.
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 30, 2021, 12:39:46 PM
Less is more. I usually just a couple of tree yelps and let them fly down. Wait 30-60 seconds and use a turkey wings for my own fly down. Then I make a few soft calls and get ready.
^^^^This^^^^
Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
I call softly to the Gobbler to let him know,I am there. Hopefully he will fly down in my Direction.