Shock calls don't work - never found a roosted bird

[TDE]

I've been hunting here in MN for 4 years now and I have never found a roosted turkey at sundown/night. I've tried owl, crow, and coyote calls. The only shock call that's ever worked for me is a gobbler but only during the day.

Any advice? I would very much like to set up close to a bird for once instead of guessing where they might be.

[Twicebarrel]

You might try something higher pitched like a peacock or dog whistle. I don't know if it will work any better or not.

Good luck.

[ultimag]

I would scout before the season if at all possible get there before sundown or before daybreak and listen and observe if you see turks around flyup/flydown time note where these birds have been seen go in there and try too find there trees look for droppings and feathers around large trees. get on tops of ridges and listen i do not know why you cannot get any to shock gobble try a peacock or woodpecker

[QTompkins2005]

hmm... i just picked up an owl call tonight.. hope it works.

[drhntr178]

TDE, I have had the same luck with roosting birds in the evening. Years ago, they use to gobble at anything morning or evening. One year they just quit gobbling in the evening. I thought it could have been from overcalling but i then went 3 years without trying to roost one. It didnt help a bit, they still dont gobble in the evening whewre i hunt.

I just try to spot them before they roost and then get out early in the morning.

[wholelottagobble]

Well first off if your turkeys are like mine, they roost in generally the same area...so if you know your turkeys...then you have an idea where they will be. That may not be the case...I would try first off make sure that your owling sounds realistic and it may already...Just makes sure its the right cadence and sound...I use my voice now...but when i started I would have 2 different hooters, and very frequently i could hoot on one that would get no response, and the other would make them gobble all the time.

Do you have owls in your area??Because suelry then you have heard a tom answer a real owl or two...

Same question for crows...do the turkeys not go crazy on the roost and early morning when the crows are fired up as well???

Now many times a turkey that will gobble his head off in the morning...may not gobble in the evening, especially if he is roosted with hens....

The main purpose of the gobble is to attract hens...if he has them he has no need to gobble aloton the roost in the evening.

I dont know what to say other than if your turkeys respond to the real thing but not you, you must be doing something sound wise or cadence wise, or bad timing compared to the real thing. It wouldnt make sense otherwise even though i wish i could give you better advise oter than maybe try a different hooter or crow call....or make sure you are using them realistically....

I wish you luck!!!

[Pat_Ely]

Believe it or not the best locator call that I have found to work any where that I have hunted is a goose flute.

[TurkeyStalker]

I use a pileated wodpecker call really really loud, The funny thing is that the area I hunt the guy has a donkey and when that thing lets loose with his hew haws in the morning the birds gobble their heads off. I bet there are birds gobbling three farm houses down.

[mauser06]

in the morning ive never used anything or needed to use anything....i scout hard and know where the birds roost......im the crazy one....up before the sun sitting on a high point where i know birds frequent by finding their sign days before...then go in early in the mornings before the season.....they sound off naturally in the mornings....i pinpoint their roost..then listen when they fly down..which direction they go...and try to figure out where they went...i cant say ive ever used a shock call to get them to gobble on the roost or needed to....once they are on the ground i use a crow call and it works fine for me.....i dont see any reason for me to go in in the evening and listen to them fly back up.....to me that would only end up screwing myself up if id kick them out or something....some guys do that.....and do a fly UP call and let the gobbler know a hen roosted near him...go back to that exzact spot in the morning and do a fly down when he wakes up to let him know you(the hen he heard last nite) flew down and he SHOULD goto you....but i find more times then not hes already got hens in HIS tree....and flys where they fly....and unless you make them mad enough to fly in your direction they will fly where they wanna fly.....thats why scouting them in the morning is more important to me......they generally most of the time fly down and do the same thing pretty much every morning.....figure that out and it can help you set up where he already naturally wants to fly down to.....hope this helps a little....i dont know why you cant find gobblers on the roost....when its this time of the year they sound off naturally...im sure our birds are gobbling every morning already....maybe your birds are a little quiet still....i dont know when your season is....a month or so before though they should be talking on their own.....atleast they do here..and we have a little late starting season..after peak breeding......ive found hens nests the first week of the season......

[Rob/PA Bowyer]

Whom ever figures out exactly what makes a tom gobble will become a millionaire. A spot I used to hunt, you could go there any night and use every shock gobble call known to man and never hear a bird. The next morning, same spot you'd here a dozen....I just quit going at night cause I knew they were there every morn.

Now at my one of my current spots all you need to do is sit and listen and they do it on their own....crazy.