Don’t Boost the Roost

 

 

Knowing where gobblers roost is always good, but calling, at first light, close to the roost tree of a pressured tom, will often boost him straight away from you. If your roosted tom always goes away from you when he flies down, it would be better to pattern him for a few mornings, without calling to him, to find out where he goes when he hits the ground. Then set up along his route once you know his pattern.

If you have a roosted gobbler that flies down and moves away from your calling every time you set up on him, another option is to team up with a buddy. Call again from the same location after your buddy has set up quietly, without being detected, along the tom’s usual escape route. Your calling may push the tom toward your buddy.

Don’t under estimate what a tom can see and hear from his roost limb.  He stays up there and gobbles a long time after first light  to look for and listen for hens and threats.  And he can see and hear a lot from his lofty perch. Be sure to stay out of his line of sight and move silently if you have to move.

If you yelp back continually to a roosted gobbler he will stay up there expecting  to see the hen he here’s yelping approach him.  Better to give a few clucks and purrs then go silent to make him come looking for you.

If you like these tips get a book full of them in “How to Hunt the Wild Turkey.” Go to the e-book page. It’s a great value for 5 bucks