CALLING TO TURKEYS ON THE ROOST

[Happy]

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.

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[simpzenith]

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.   

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

[btomlin]

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.

[Neill_Prater]

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.

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[timberjack86]

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

[makestomstremble]

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.

[guesswho]

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.   

[TauntoHawk]

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.

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[VA_Birdhunter]

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!

[Gooserbat]

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. 

[rakkin6]

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^^^^

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[quavers59]

   I call softly to the Gobbler to let him know,I  am there. Hopefully  he will fly down in my Direction.