Hunt the Roost

turkey guide · 02-07-2010, 11:03 AM

Got a surprising answer from my local game warden recently. You want to get close to birds? You want to choose between several gobblers? Sneak into a roost site before daylight and watch the trees when the sun comes up. You will be able to kill your pick of birds, and shoot them right out of the trees before they even wake up.
Yes, thats right, it's legal to do in my state. But I don't know many people who do it that way.
I will admit that I have shot one out of a tree. But after 1 1/2 hours of calling and having the same bird answer on an extremely windy morning. I decided to go to the bird. After another 1/2 hour of belly crawling and slipping behind trees, I saw the large gobbler, pacing back and forth on a large oak limb. I figured I'd worked hard enough to deserve that bird and killed him. Sneaking in and killing a fully alert bird that is gobbling, seems different than shooting a sleepy bird from the roost.
Both require quite a bit of skill. I mean it's not easy to sneak into a roost site and get close enough to kill a turkey and it's definitely not easy to come within shotgun range of a fully alert and gobbling bird. It's legal so why not? I personally will stick to calling them in whenever possible. But is the bird I shot out of a tree considered a roosting bird? He's been gobbling for 2 hours and walking up and down a limb.

podunk kennels · 02-07-2010, 11:13 AM

I wish that were legal in florida, theyre bad about callin out of the trees in pressured wma's

superstrutter · 02-08-2010, 11:04 AM

Shooting a turkey out of a tree at sunrise would take all the challenge and fun out of the hunt. That's not what turkey hunting is about. It's legal in Louisiana, but that don't make it right. To each his own though, as long as he is legal.

Buckhound · 02-08-2010, 11:08 AM

Not legal here in Pa or in Ohio where I also hunt, which I'm glad. Would have no desire to shoot one of the roost even if it was legal. Nothing better than playing their game on the ground to have him come in Spittin and drummin.

turkey harvester · 02-10-2010, 11:16 AM

That would seem to take all the fun out of the hunt. Myself I've never shot one out of a tree, thought about it on a couple of hunts, but so far haven't done it and probably won't.

IL-Cornfed · 02-10-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turkey harvester

That would seem to take all the fun out of the hunt.

I totally agree... that kind of goes against the FUN of the hunt.

Atleast here in Illinois our roosted birds are protected to an extent. No birds may be shot out of a tre until after 7 AM.... which by then, they are all on the ground.

X Legion General · 02-10-2010, 03:49 PM

ive had hunts ruined from bozos sneaking in and killing birds off roost

RockyMtnGobblers · 02-10-2010, 08:55 PM

It is legal here in Colorado to but I do not think it is very ethical. It is called hunting! I hunt roost areas but I wait for the birds to fly off and come in to me, if he doesn't than I use my experience to get ahead of him or I hunt another day.
After the kill the fun is all over. I believe in far chase.
I was set up on a roost and a dumb __s shot a hen out of the tree, I know it was a hen cuz I found the eggs etc. after he cleaned it. Maybe she had a beard and thats legal and fine but out of the Roost, that just makes me angry!
legal is legal I guess but I don't think it should be legal. I certainly don't think a DOW officer should be recommending it!

gyro288 · 02-10-2010, 09:18 PM

If it is legal give it a try. You should alway be willing to try different methods. It could possibly be your new favorite way to hunt. Just because its not the most popular method does not in any way make it unethical or wrong. Hunting is luck.So give it a shot and if its not for you try one of the many other methods.
Good luck
Get there early!!

Adrian J Hare · 02-11-2010, 03:40 AM

If you shoot them from the roost, Your Not a turkey hunter plain and simple.