I know some may not agree with this but hear me out. Last spring I was walking down a ravine that goes into a creek. I knew there were turkey back here just not where. I got about 100 yards in the timber and heard the loudest gobble I have ever heard. I thought man that has to be really close. I looked up and there was a large gobbler standing on a limb not 35 yards from me. It was plenty light enough for me to see to shoot. I beat myself up with the thoughts of should I shoot or not. I don't know how he did not see me and take off but he didnt. Would you have shot? I didn't shoot and the turkey flew down the creek about 5 mins later never to be seen again.

I myself wouldnt have shot either. I dont shoot turkeys off the roost. Some will disagree but thats my feelings.

Nope.I had the same thing happen to me.I chased a bird4 days in a row.

Day 1 I had called the tom in and he was about 35yds,but I could only see his head,and he was moving.I passed.I thought he would come back,but he chased 3 jakes off,and never came back.I had a bad back at the time,and didn't want to take a chance of not being able to run down a wounded bird.

Day 2 I sat up in the same area.This bird was gobbling 1 hour before daylight.It was a full moon night.I sat up in the same area,but he never came to me.There was 2 other hunters on him that day.I knew I had to get drastic.

Day 3 I knew where he was strutting.It was on a little island in the swamp.I eased in 2 1/2 hours before daylight.I sat on that island.1 hour before daylight I could hear drumming..10 minutes later..GOOOOOBBBBLLE.45 yds away on the other side of the water![:-]Surely he's mine.He gobbled every10 minutes until daylight.Then he gobbled every 5 minutes.I sat there watching him in the low light.I knew he was well in my effective range,but that is not how the game is played.I could take him at any second.But I didn't.It's cheating.It's unsportsman like.I would rather him get away fairly than have to kill him like that.I had hens within 25 yds of me.They started flying to him.I knew I was in trouble because he started looking straight down,and teetering on the limb..He was coming down..I yelped...He gobbled,and flew right down within 15 yds of his tree.I didn't know they could make cuts in the air like a dove when they land,but he did.He played with the hens,and then I watched him jump limbs,stumps,and clumps of land to come across the water to me.Oh yeah he's mine...I had him at 30yds!I just had to wait for a chance to move my gun.He went behind a tree.I held my gun on the other side....nothing..then I saw him 20 yds to my right going away!!What in the world?He had went behind a fallen log,and my view had been obstructed.He got away.I roosted him that evening.He was 35yds from the Island over the water..I sat on the same island the next morning.

Day4 He started his same thing.I was set up 60 yds away.1 hour before daylight he was gobbling.At the crack of dawn a gun went off,and my bird went down.[:@]A hunter(Term used loosely here)came in off of private land,and shot him off the roost.I was so mad,but I just left.If I had went over there I would have done something I would have regreted for the rest of my life.That's what you deal with on WMA's...I still won't stoop that low.Daylight or not.Even though I didn't get this bird I feel like I had my chances,but for my own reasons didn't shoot.I can live with myself.

The only way I would ever consider it was if I had tobring down a wounded bird(That's another story,for another time).Other than that there's no sense in it.You did the right thing saltflat.

Thumbs up to everyone who passed onthe chance to shoot a bird
on the roost, it just wouldn't be right. I have a few gobblers that I
spent days trying to kill and come up empty handed and never once
did I consider trying to shoot one off the roost.

I personally wouldnt have shot either..... just something I told myself when I started not to shoot off roost. I know in some states it is not legal either, though I don't know which ones. I hunt NY and whether it is or not, most of the guys I know would not contemplate it either!

yall can put a thumbs down for me,
My very first turkey I ever got was from the roost. And to this day I dont regret it a bit. I wouldnt do it now because its more fun calling them in. But after 4 days of calling and going other way I had to try something, so I snuck up to tree and got one. Tried it next day on diff property, worked terrible. saw me 1/4 mile away darn near. Its hard to sneak that close for a shot. Yall can bash till your lil hearts content, But I dont regret shooting my first turkey out of a tree.

I wouldn't have shot.

Are ther any states where it is legal by chance?

I believe that it's legal, butthat's a little different senerio than sneaking under the cover of darkness and "roost shooting them" before light. I believe that latter term is called poaching as well.
Each person has to use his own judgement on what's right and what's wrong.
Me, I personally love to call them into my set-up, rather than to tree shoot a bird anyday.

It is illegal to shoot aturkey from the roost anytime in Michigan. I can say I have never done it.