How close to the roost?

[isu22andy]

New to OG, lurking for quite a while.  Been trying to bowhunt turkeys this is my second year, usally find a roost and set up 100-200 yards away.  Sometimes I feel like thats too close in the morning when im fighting my blind and making all sorts of noise they can hear me then fly the other way.  This is before they are gobbling...  Also when they finally do fly down it seems like they just fly about 100 yards away and I call once or twice then they go the other way.  Using avain decoys , primos double bull blind with just a crack to shoot out of and wearing all black in the blind. Any tips or advice to get em in close once they fly down ?

[Bowguy]

Yea go in earlier n use no light., walk slow a few steps at a time when you get close., my daughters n I walk through cattle gates w then above us n never spook em. If you crack a branch n they wake, wait til they retuck. Opening a blind is just a little at a time. I often can see them in the trees n still pull it all off. No magic, just early, slow n walk in like a deer

[bbcoach]

Forget it this week.  Full moon has been so bright you can't get within a quarter of a mile of them.  I'm walking in about a half mile and need ZERO light.

[Bowguy]

Forget it this week.  Full moon has been so bright you can't get within a quarter of a mile of them.  I'm walking in about a half mile and need ZERO light.

I'd beg to differ on this. Last year NY youth opening weekend was so bright we walked in the shadows of trees. Had my young daughter. We walked up hill n noticed the birds next to us. We slowly backed up, dropped a couple dekes, opened up a blind. All within 50 yards of the birds n it couldn't have been brighter.
Is it a best practice? No but if it's bright you can see the birds easier n tell if they've awoken.
That day, couple tree yelps on a trough after my daughter gave me a thumbs down meaning they were all down, (was a bunch), and a gobbler still up flew into set. She wiffed(adult bird)but a whole flock never saw us set up.
Anything is possible

[Bowguy]

If they're going the other way each time why aren't you set up threre?

[Rzrbac]

I've never used a blind but perhaps you could set that up the day before if you you're certain of roost locations.  Turkeys can be tricky to get real close to in the dark.  I've walked right under some going to a known rooster bird and never woke them. I've also flushed birds out of trees from a decent distance and still have no idea what I did to alert them.

Notice everyone has mentioned no light.  Lights stand out bad in the dark, ever see a hunter coming in with one while you are already in a stand?

I like to get as close to possible because I feel like that eliminates chances of things going wrong but if I had a concern I was going to flush birds, I would opt to stay back a little.

[TauntoHawk]

I agree with bowguy I don't use blinds but get in early and don't make a bunch of noise you can get as close as you want. I get in tight all the time and I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've spooked birds off the limb. The ones I've kill within minutes or seconds of them hitting the ground becuase I'm locked in and tight on them way out number those occasions by a long shot.

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[isu22andy]

If they're going the other way each time why aren't you set up threre?

Usually use a red head lamp, maybe ill just go no light from here on out . Usually just hunting a long timber ditch where they can fly to one side or the other.

[Bowguy]

Than you've got a 50-50 shot each time theoretically

[MickT]

I've run bedded deer all under the roost the last two mornings and it hasn't hurt a bit. I am going in 45 min before they wake up though.


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[Forked lighting]

I've walked under them on full moon plenty of times just no light an go slow cant walk like bull in china shop

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[Longbeardfever4ever]

This time of year if I have a bird roosted, everything is leafed out.  Shoot for as tight as possible. 50 yards, even closer.  You need to be set up an hour before they wake up.  Typically here right now birds start gobbling at 5:10, which means they are probably waking up somewhere in the 4:45 range-that is just a guess.  So get in the woods by 3:30, be all set up by 3:45 and take a nice long nap!

[bonasa]

I like to get within 50 yards the closest and 100 the farthest. if I can help it. I like to call them in , but having them pitch into decoys is just as rewarding.  Also 90 min before sunrise and not using any sort of light I have gotten away with pushing deer under the birds, setting up pop-ups and all sorts of stuff, although I was also trying to be as quiet as possible.