Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
05-03-2005, 10:57 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Steuben County, NY
Posts: 277
Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
This is my 3rd year of hunting with one bird to my credit. I have found that if you can get close to them on the roost before daylight your odds increase significantly. This morning I was within 70 yards of a bird that started gobbling at 5:25am. He didn't fly down until 6:30 and when he did he had his mind made up where he was going.
Should you call to them while they are in the tree going nuts or just sit quiet until he hits the ground? I waited today and it did not pay off since the hens were already yelping and he went after them. I am going to try to get in between him and the hens the next time I get out....
Should you call to them while they are in the tree going nuts or just sit quiet until he hits the ground? I waited today and it did not pay off since the hens were already yelping and he went after them. I am going to try to get in between him and the hens the next time I get out....
05-03-2005, 11:07 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 1,906
RE: Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
Asking this question is akin to asking, "Is Ford better than Chevy?" Some will say yes, some will say no, and others will say they like Dodge (or even worse, an import [&:] )
If he's going nuts, he is almost always going to attract hens, period. I like to hunt these birds on consecutive days, maybe 3 if needed, and call to him on the roost. But only enough to let him know I'm there. By day 2 I'm hopefully between him and his harem, and if not, then on day 3 I've got him patterned so hopefully I can ambush him and his hens.
Alot of this depends also on the hens. If you get an aggressive ole' mama, you can try and irritate her into bringing the gobbler in tow. Usually early in the season, though, the hens just walk away with the tom following.
I've found that you can definitely overcall on the roost, but a few soft tree yelps I've found never harms the situation. The problem that many hunters have, myself included especially the first morning, is the urge to keep calling when he gobbles at that call. That's where the experience and willpower keep us veteran callers sitting on our hands and chewing our calls while he's gobbling
If he's going nuts, he is almost always going to attract hens, period. I like to hunt these birds on consecutive days, maybe 3 if needed, and call to him on the roost. But only enough to let him know I'm there. By day 2 I'm hopefully between him and his harem, and if not, then on day 3 I've got him patterned so hopefully I can ambush him and his hens.
Alot of this depends also on the hens. If you get an aggressive ole' mama, you can try and irritate her into bringing the gobbler in tow. Usually early in the season, though, the hens just walk away with the tom following.
I've found that you can definitely overcall on the roost, but a few soft tree yelps I've found never harms the situation. The problem that many hunters have, myself included especially the first morning, is the urge to keep calling when he gobbles at that call. That's where the experience and willpower keep us veteran callers sitting on our hands and chewing our calls while he's gobbling
05-03-2005, 11:37 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Memphis TN USA
Posts: 3,445
RE: Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
I've found that you can definitely overcall on the roost, but a few soft tree yelps I've found never harms the situation. The problem that many hunters have, myself included especially the first morning, is the urge to keep calling when he gobbles at that call. That's where the experience and willpower keep us veteran callers sitting on our hands and chewing our calls while he's gobbling
I call just enough to let him no where I am and then hope he will come in to investigate.
05-03-2005, 01:25 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 510
RE: Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
I want to be the first hot hen on the ground! I will do the basic tree call and some light clucks and putts and purrs. Then at flydown hit the old boy with a flydown cackle and cutt and assemble yelp at him. Then go quiet. When he hits the ground answer every 3rd or 4th gobble. Does it always work, no, but what in turkey hunting does? But I have killed a lot of turkeys.
Gselkhunter
Gselkhunter
05-03-2005, 02:23 PM
#5
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Marion,Wisconsin
Posts: 1,403
RE: Call while he's on the roost gobbling??
I'll call and if he gobbles I will stop
Ill do it ever 5 min er so.
Just remeber If you call to much the hens will most often lead the tom away. a good set up is have one guy 200+ yards away one one side of tree. you on other side. Only have the guy without a gun call. Have him call baslistically. If the turkeys go towards him wave yer arms they might go other way. I also called a turkey in for a guy from the roost from his hens. and also was with a guy and he got a tom. we never called one time there were 2 toms.
For the most part just do a tree yelp. then once every 5 min. If you have a hat and are a ways away and can be unseen, bag your hat on brush and the tree make it sound like a fly down. do soft putts/purrs then dig in the leaves really loud.
Ill do it ever 5 min er so.
Just remeber If you call to much the hens will most often lead the tom away. a good set up is have one guy 200+ yards away one one side of tree. you on other side. Only have the guy without a gun call. Have him call baslistically. If the turkeys go towards him wave yer arms they might go other way. I also called a turkey in for a guy from the roost from his hens. and also was with a guy and he got a tom. we never called one time there were 2 toms.
For the most part just do a tree yelp. then once every 5 min. If you have a hat and are a ways away and can be unseen, bag your hat on brush and the tree make it sound like a fly down. do soft putts/purrs then dig in the leaves really loud.
