Just bored at work and wondered what others think. Where I am, my birds rarely gobble in the evening, so roosting the night before is a waste of time 99 out of 100 times. I know the general area most of my birds usually roost in, but they never roost in the same exact tree. They might roost within a circle 300 yards wide or so. How do most handle these types of birds? My method is usually to listen for the first gobbles just before daylight, and then slip as close as the terrain will allow. Most of the time after gobbling on the roost a few times they go silent when they fly down and disappear, but that's a whole other topic. anyone have any other tactics?
I've roosted way more gobblers by listening for them to fly up rather than listening for them to gobble. Sure makes it nice when you know their approximate location and can get in there close before daylight.
Quote from: dublelung on March 28, 2018, 12:56:21 PM
I've roosted way more gobblers by listening for them to fly up rather than listening for them to gobble. Sure makes it nice when you know their approximate location and can get in there close before daylight.
how can you tell if it was a tom or a Jake or hen that flew up though is what I've always wondered.
Quote from: ArkyRidgeRunna on March 28, 2018, 12:58:10 PM
Quote from: dublelung on March 28, 2018, 12:56:21 PM
I've roosted way more gobblers by listening for them to fly up rather than listening for them to gobble. Sure makes it nice when you know their approximate location and can get in there close before daylight.
how can you tell if it was a tom or a Jake or hen that flew up though is what I've always wondered.
You can't with 100% certainty but once you hear a few you'll get a real good idea. Most of the time if I hear a few fly up I'll know which one is the gobbler due to the amount of noise and heavier wingbeats. Again, it's not foolproof but it beats going in blind and hoping for the best.
Know where they head when they fly down, approach from that direction if possible. Then repeat your plan
I agree with the above poster. If you can find an area with heavy scratching in the woods, that might be a spot to setup and just wait.
I deal with similar birds each spring. They will gobble decent in the tree and go silent once they hit the ground. Typically they are henned up pretty bad and pulling one away from the hens can be difficult. If you can get where the hens like to be first thing in the morning, the toms should be right in tow.
Other than that, striking one up later in the morning might be another possibility.
Is there a place that you can glass the treeline from? Just a thought.
I want to get in as tight as I can when hunting gobblers on the roost, so once I have decided on a specific gobbler to hunt, I will be there at the very first hint of daylight (i.e....a glow on the eastern horizon). My hope is that he will gobble on his own very early so I have time to get in tight while it is still dark. However, if it starts to get light enough where he is going to be able to see the ground, and he hasn't let me know exactly where he is, I am going to try to get him to gobble.
Often I can make them,...sometimes I can't. However, if they give away their location while it is dark enough for me to get in tight on them, I have found my odds of killing them go up considerably.
On the other hand, if a bird doesn't let me know where he is until it is too late to get tight to him on the roost, I more often will stay a good ways away from him,...far enough where he can hear me, but has no chance of seeing me,... and then start calling (and using other audible turkey sounds) only when I think he is either on the ground or is soon to be there. Then, I will move towards him (assuming I know where he is), calling as I approach. I want him to think that distant hen he heard is coming to him. I will move as close as I can to him. You reach a point where you can't get any closer, so at that point I just act "hung up" with him. If he is in the right frame of mind, he will generally come to me from that point.
Of course, that strategy only works if he is letting you know where he is at....
I never worry about it unless its a new place. The places I hunt , I am familiar with very much and know the general area.
Go in the evening about 1.5 hrs before dark and call loud and often then sneak out. Be back at that spot at daylight. Doesn't work every time but it works enough of the time.
Tree Yelp.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on March 28, 2018, 01:44:11 PM
I never worry about it unless its a new place. The places I hunt , I am familiar with very much and know the general area.
that's good advise.you have to know the ranch real well, and know the lay of the land.Thats real important in getting gobblers.Ive been doing well the last 10 years, because I scouted in the fall.
Yelping and cutting.
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I'll try to roost one if possible. If I can be 75 yards from his limb before daylight I feel very confident that I can kill him.