Walking under roosted birds

[renegade19]

A first for me this season, we walked within 30 yards of 3 roosted hens one morning when it was way too light do so but didn't bust them.  As soon as the first alarm putt went off and we saw the birds, I started lightly calling on my mouth call and we eased off as quit as possible until we were probably 60 yards from them.  We ducked behind a big tree and I called a couple more times.  Pretty soon, they settled down and the 2 statues behind the tree left their mind.  Probably 20 minutes later, they flew down in our direction and one of them actually landed within 20 yards of us.  They went on about their business like nothing had happened.  Wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it for myself.  I guess it proves you can pull it off.   At least once in a while!

[BowBendr]

I did the opposite this morning....
Went to a spot where I thought a gobbler should be roosted and heard nothing, waited til way after fly down time...nothing. Crossed a small creek and popped up on a knob and there he sat, still roosted at 7:30, looking me dead in the eye !
Eased over 1 step and put a tree between me and him. He didn't act too terribly alarmed but set his wings and sailed down the mountain about 150 yds........

Turkey 1...Me zero
Been doing this 38 years and still screw up at least once a year....rookie......

I have seen it work the other way though, just usually not for me   

[renegade19]

Agreed.  First time I ever went under birds that late in the morning and they didn't explode like a hand grenade or covey of quail!

[TRG3]

Using my green lighted pen light, earlier this week I unintentionally set up within 30 yards of three gobblers only to discover my position when I noticed what I thought were tree squirrel nests nearby...and they began to move around! While they eventually flew down and went the other way, they did not putt or otherwise seem concerned by my presence. I would never try to get that close, but once you are there and they are not startled, it's probably a good idea to stay put and make the best of the situation which could actually turn out for the better.

[ilbucksndux]

Last year I heard 3 Toms gobbling like crazy on the roost. I slipped through the bottom and didnt make a sound because it had just stopped raining when I got out of the truck. I knew exactly where they were and slipped in as close as I dared. I sat down about 40 yards from the tree they were in. It was still dark and I already had my mask and gloves on and had my gun on my knee. As it got lighter I heard some tree yelps behind me and then the hens started to fly down. and there was several of them. The Toms flew down and were 50 yards when the woods behind me exploded with hens calling. I had one walk behind the tree I was sitting by and there was one walking right at me. If it kept on course it was going to walk into my gun barrel. The Tom was heading my way and was now about 40 yards so I blasted him in fear of being busted at any second. The other Tom ran over and started to flog him and I should have blasted him too but didnt want my week of hunting to be over the first day .I still cant believe I walked right under all those hens and one didnt bust me.

[WNCTracker]

That was not my scenario yesterday when one gobbled at me 45 mins before sunrise. I watched 3 toms set sail far away at daybreak


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[LaLongbeard]

Few years ago I spent a week trying to kill a gobbler that roosted on private land that bordered public. He always roosted in the same block of woods 5th day I parked crossed the blacktop and eased into the woods with enough moonlight that I didn't need a light.I set up 100 yards from his normal fly down area with my back to the road 200 yards behind me. I was surprised when he cut loose 40 yards from were I parked I quickly swaped  ends and called him up... ended up being my biggest La bird. No doubt he could have seen my truck from his tree and I somehow walked by him in the dark at no more than 40-50 yards.I was having one of those years when everything worked which doesn't come along often