Calling birds downhill

[Bowguy]

Ok guys I know we discussed this recently but new people come on n I don't feel many really understand the uphill downhill thing.
Many think it's the obvious answer calling them uphill. There are some advantages n I was taught this too. Told if they're coming uphill n get spooked they can just jump to freedom. Imo that theory as well as many of the reasons for calling a certain direction aren't based absolutely on fact.
Where I hunt is lots of mountains, the birds often roost on em. The food, display areas are almost all down below. Sometimes in fact it's best to be way below them as birds on a ridge often come off a roost n hug the contour of the hills n pitch straight into their fields.
Back to the uphill/downhill thing-

Now this isn't one isolated area, the point is why would you get above the birds and try calling them uphill when they're headed to the fields below? Lots of those mountain birds are dead cause guys set up below them, in fact I'd bet most.
I've seen it work in other scenarios but instead of worrying about the hills worry about the direction they're going n try to set up in front. Be it up or down.

Running/gunning has advantages being up for sure but it's all gonna depend on dif factors. Don't be above em if they're going down. Hope that made sense

[troutfisher13111]

I have hunted some mountain birds, but never when there are fields below. More big woods type stuff.  The one thing I notice is that they always try and circle to get above you.  Not sure why, but my guess is the advantage it gives them in viewing what they looking for.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Bowguy]

I have hunted some mountain birds, but never when there are fields below. More big woods type stuff.  The one thing I notice is that they always try and circle to get above you.  Not sure why, but my guess is the advantage it gives them in viewing what they looking for.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Dif type scenario. No agriculture below. Now if a hunter was in your area it might be wise to call up. This is the point. Every area needs different techniques. To set things in stone such as my calling always down hill or you calling uphill wouldn't work nearly as well hunting yours or my areas. Would stunt us

[Spitten and drummen]

Well my 2 cents for what its worth is that there are no absolutes in turkey hunting. Each bird is really different. With that being said , i always have had better luck being on the same level or above him.

[Bowguy]

Well my 2 cents for what its worth is that there are no absolutes in turkey hunting. Each bird is really different. With that being said , i always have had better luck being on the same level or above him.

Absolutely believe ya but again if they wake up n their only intent is to head down to the fields you'd have a much harder time calling em opposite of where their mindset has them headed. It is about the situation. Just a meandering bird feeding on a hill is different than one headed to a cut cornfield or say a cattle field. I've never see one up. They're always down from where the birds roosted n if that's where they're headed it'd be best to be between the two

[milertyme03]

I think the reason you have more coming uphill/ responding is because your calls are carrying to the bird better.  Just my 2 cents.

[Rzrbac]

Bowguy I think you are spot on. I'm not hunting mountain birds pretty much big tracts of timber with some decent ridges.  I've called them up and down hill.  Most of the time I prefer to be above them but there are some places that I know birds are not coming up the hill in that specific area. I just let terrain and experience dictate my setup.

[Marc]

Generally speaking I have found it easier to call birds uphill, but I have sure had them come down hill.  I have also had them cross over a hill in front of me...  Which means they have to go up one side and down the other.

I do think birds on the roost are a different situation...  Birds fly down off the roost...  In fact, in general, when I have seen birds take flight it is in a downhill direction.  I would not hesitate to set up downhill from a roosted bird, especially if you know that is the direction they are going.

[appalachianassassin]

where I hunt is steep as a bulls face. no fields of any kind. I have just as much success calling one downhill as I do uphill.

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

Running/gunning has advantages being up for sure but it's all gonna depend on dif factors. Don't be above em if they're going down. Hope that made sense

Only absolute in turkey hunting is there are no absolutes. Every hunt is different every turkey is different even the same turkey from day to day. Most of the time I am not convinced that he knows what he is going to do even after he has done it. To me if you scout your area that you hunt you have a knowledge of the land and the way the birds use the area. You can make a educated guess as to the way the bird will want to travel. As we all know if you can set up between him and where he already wants to go that's to our advantage. Once again there are no rules in the game of turkey hunting other than the ones the law and I myself place apon me. If there where rules the turkey wouldn't play by them anyway.