Not bumping roosted birds

[Bowguy]

On that subject Marc, I was sneaking in to a spot that I knew birds would be roosted.  We were easing in under total blackout.  I would fuss quietly at my son when he would hang on a briar or step on a twig, trying to teach him to roll his foot as we walked.  I thought we sounded like a herd of elephants.  We sat down and waited for light.  At daylight he let out a gobble and was about 30 yards from us. Scared me to death.  My son was young, but old enough to know we don't shoot them on a roost.  We did not kill him, but he got an unforgettable lesson in how they act on the roost.  Watched him limb hop a bit and turn and gobble in different directions, answering hens and other gobblers.  very cool hunt.  I also apologized for fussing at him.   

That's why if we break a branch or fall or something it's a key for all to stop. We wait for a while than move forward again.
I'd bet any colored light at 30 yards with noise woulda blown em off the roost. Glad you had a fun morning that day w your son.
Remember he may take you someday. You may be half able to walk. He'll help you and he'll think you're being noisy!! God bless the kids. They're only young once!!

[g8rvet]

On that subject Marc, I was sneaking in to a spot that I knew birds would be roosted.  We were easing in under total blackout.  I would fuss quietly at my son when he would hang on a briar or step on a twig, trying to teach him to roll his foot as we walked.  I thought we sounded like a herd of elephants.  We sat down and waited for light.  At daylight he let out a gobble and was about 30 yards from us. Scared me to death.  My son was young, but old enough to know we don't shoot them on a roost.  We did not kill him, but he got an unforgettable lesson in how they act on the roost.  Watched him limb hop a bit and turn and gobble in different directions, answering hens and other gobblers.  very cool hunt.  I also apologized for fussing at him.   

That's why if we break a branch or fall or something it's a key for all to stop. We wait for a while than move forward again.
I'd bet any colored light at 30 yards with noise woulda blown em off the roost. Glad you had a fun morning that day w your son.
Remember he may take you someday. You may be half able to walk. He'll help you and he'll think you're being noisy!! God bless the kids. They're only young once!!

He called one in for his future father-in-law this year.  That is BS, he needs to call one in for his daddy!  Suck up!  lol   He knows where to butter his bread. 

[Bowguy]

I'd ground em!! Lol God bless him!

[g8rvet]

I'd ground em!! Lol God bless him!

I wish.  he's a grown man and would whoop me. 

[Bowguy]

I knew from the father in law post he was a grown man. Just having fun

[model94]

I busted two out of the roost this season. They were roosting in the tree I set up by and I could not see them in the dark. Bad luck.

[JonD.]

Some of you may not be willing to try this, but I've walked right under turkeys roosted on several occasions while carrying a flashlight. The trick is to go really early, be really quiet and slow and keep the light pointed straight down at the ground. I use a small 2 aa Maglite non-led. However, if you shine the light where the turkeys can see the end of it, they will haul  out of there faster than you can imagine.

[aclawrence]

The Rattlesnakes and Cottonmouths would prefer that you didn't use a light as well.

That's why I bought a pair of turtle skins. Walking in the dark.


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[Yoder409]

It was my understanding that turkeys have far more cones (daylight sensors) than rods (night sensors)...  My own experiences seem to validate this.  It seems to me that turkeys can see a flies wings move 100 yards away on a sunny day, but would fail to see a quiet moving elephant under them in the dark...  (Well maybe that is an exaggeration, but you get the point).



And they might not see so good in the dark........

I am fairly sure turkeys see in the dark a WHOLE lot better than most folks think they do........    Better than WE do.

Countless times in archery season, when I'm headed into a stand at 0:dark-30, not caring about roosted turkeys, they'll bust off right over my head and fly for distant hillsides.   They ain't sailing off into the dark if they can't see where they're going.  I've busted COUNTLESS birds off over the years.   I've yet to find a single one that crashed into a tree or a hillside or anything else in the dark.

They see pretty well in the dark.

[Bowguy]

It was my understanding that turkeys have far more cones (daylight sensors) than rods (night sensors)...  My own experiences seem to validate this.  It seems to me that turkeys can see a flies wings move 100 yards away on a sunny day, but would fail to see a quiet moving elephant under them in the dark...  (Well maybe that is an exaggeration, but you get the point).



And they might not see so good in the dark........

I am fairly sure turkeys see in the dark a WHOLE lot better than most folks think they do........    Better than WE do.

Countless times in archery season, when I'm headed into a stand at 0:dark-30, not caring about roosted turkeys, they'll bust off right over my head and fly for distant hillsides.   They ain't sailing off into the dark if they can't see where they're going.  I've busted COUNTLESS birds off over the years.   I've yet to find a single one that crashed into a tree or a hillside or anything else in the dark.

They see pretty well in the dark.

Think you're somewhat missing the point. Most guys use lights in the dark going in. That's a no no. The light is foreign and spooks them. You are correct as well that's why moving like a deer, a step or two at a time makes it possible to pass right under them. They do sleep and though they certainly can see in the dark at least somewhat, they can't see through their wing when their head is tucked