how do you roost a bird??

click · 03-05-2003, 06:24 PM

i have never tried roosting a bird before, i was wandering how do you do it and what is the best way to go about it?

strut · 03-05-2003, 07:11 PM

Just go to a place where you can hear good and you are pretty sure that turkeys are roosting about an hour or hour and a half before dark and listen for them to fly up, sometimes he will gobble alot and sometimes he might not, but it will surprise you how far you can hear one fly-up if it is good and quite.

MOTurkeyTamer · 03-05-2003, 07:25 PM

I usually take a crow call, reed type owl hooter, and a coyote howler with me and get to where I want to be at about sundown or a little thereafter and try to get one to gobble at my calls after he has gone to roost. I have had success with all 3 calls, some work at times, others don' t, you just have to experiment and see what the birds will gobble to. Also, there are times when nothing will bring a gobble from them after they are on the roost. Just depends on the mood they are in or weather conditions I suppose.

MTT

sour01 · 03-06-2003, 06:55 AM

I sometimes sit back overlooking a big field were turkeys are still feeding or breeding and watch them fly up around 30 mins before sunset.

NorthernJake · 03-06-2003, 07:29 AM

So assuming you have them roosted, how early the next mornin are you slippin out and how close do you get? Would you bother with decoys or just hangout between the roost and the breakfast table?

WANWTF · 03-06-2003, 09:36 AM

Head out before light, and set up around 100yds or so (close enough to work him - make him think you roosted there too - but far enough away where you won' t spook him off the roost). Decoys or not to decoys - tough choice, both sides have good arguments, as well as bad. As the sun come up and you hear the birds start to cackle down - give off a cackle call and smack your leg w/your hat (to make it sound like wings) wait a bit, soft clucks, scratch, slowly work yourself up to a yelp (but don' t stay w/the yelp... just enough to let him know you are there)... Worked for me, but everyone has different things that work well for them. Would like to see how others answer as well - constantly learning.

JoeA · 03-06-2003, 11:51 AM

If you do any pre-season scouting, look for droppings under trees; the fresher the better. It' ll give you an idea of the area they may be roosting in and where to be to listen and watch.
Another trick someone posted here a while back. (Apologies and thanks to who ever posted their grandfather' s trick) When the flock is flying up to roost for the evening flap your hat and hit your leg a few times. In the morning before fly down, set up at that spot. At fly down the flock may come to investigate the " orphaned" turkey they heard the evening before.