Whoa hold the presses - read what I write as it is from expereince but its not gospel! I, like you have learned from reading and then making my own mistakes. Ontelk thank you......but I don't try to make the same mistake twice.........I still admire a hunter who runs and guns and continues to score. Those days are pretty much done for me......I do scout and scout hard and be where the birds want to be......that is half the battle.....

Now back to your roost question. To take one from the roost before fly-down is a turkey sin and one can not call themselves a hunter. They can call themselves a killer though. A hunter is not a killer but one who cherishes the thrill of the chase.
There are 5 phases to being a hunter and most never reach the end phase and some that do go back a phase or two......

I did have a bird I was working in a Iowa river bottom come flying at me from a ridge and across a water to get to me.....no decoy out, just me running and gunning......I could see him coming through the huge silver maples trees as there was very little underbrush. Twisting - turning - nice bird - nice long beard. I did have a in fornt of me bird and this was not the bird I was working. The bird I was working was in the tree tops inf ront of me and the tops where at least a good 40 to 50 ft high. I had snuck down towards him in the early morning after he announced where he was. This other tom I thought was a hen as it yelped and did not gobble. Anyhow I heard the flap of wings, and here comes this Tom flying right at me from the direction of that yelping. I figured he would hit the ground in front of me and it would be over quick. I sat a river obttom with very little vegetation in front with my back to a silver maple tree that would easily cover 2 people. The trees where huge! Long time ago there was a picture of a nice flying tom in flight with the wings spread and the beard clearly seen on the bottle label of the liquor product called Wild Turkey. That is what I saw coming at me. It was amazing.
But, to my chagrin he found the only limb, 20 ft up on the only tree, 20 ft in front of me to perch on and that is what he did. I was pinned as he could see the whole bottom. I did have the gun on him but could not move. So what do you do?
I had called and this bird had answered but it was yelping. But with the yelping I heard I thought it was a hen and not a Tom. The gobbles I heard where in front of me somewheres up to 40 to 50 ft above me and out another 40 to 50 yards or so. And here you have a nice Tom perched in range to which you did call to you.
So think bad of me if you want - I shot it - not once, but twice. The first shot the Tom never moved - or at least it did not appear too. The second I felt - "Oh no he is stuck on that limb 20 to 30 ft up!" What do I do now? And then he teetered a bit back and forth and fell do the river bottom with a plop! Sound like a cow taking a dump!

But I have been in situations I have seen the Tom in the roost witin ragne as I misjudged the distance and snuck in way too close and have passed all shots at them. To me that is their sacred sanctuary.

And I will give you more food for thought.
You are having a tough day - you crow call and the Tom answers - do you realise that doing this it is illegal in a certain state? Its called stalking. So you had better know your regulations.

JW