Roosted, was Roasted..

[LET EM GROW]

Put him to bed, Snuck in early and to about 80 yards from him in the tree.. We stayed quiet, never made a peep.. and let him do his thing..

Well his thing put him in our laps at 35 yards.. Where my brother sent the tungsten.. 

Back to the truck by 6am..

[Merlot]

Very efficient. 

[UpStateRedNeck]

I like this plan, I may try this tonight/tomorrow.

[crappyice]

Put him to bed, Snuck in early and to about 80 yards from him in the tree.. We stayed quiet, never made a peep.. and let him do his thing..
Well his thing put him in our laps at 35 yards.. Where my brother sent the tungsten.. 
Back to the truck by 6am..

Congrats...now forgive a very inexperienced turkey hunter(aka...never really been). What does it mean to “roost him” or “put him to bed.” I assume you are just watching where they fly up to roost- I ask because I also casually read about “busting up the flock” and wasn’t sure if that’s what is happening at night as well.


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[rachunter]

Awesome congrats!!!
I never roosted a bird before.


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[Deleted Account]

Fantastic! Congratulations!

[turkeyfeathers]

Other morning daughter n I picked the tree we wanted to sit next to and low and behold it held a gobbler that booted. Sat little ways away. Gobbles erupt from tree 60 yards from us. He eventually flies down opposite our decoys. I was so hopeful he’d land in our laps. I’m 0-3 in actually trying to put one to bed. 
You guys nailed it. Well done 

[Lawdwaz]

I've probably mentioned, you could count on one hand the birds I've killed off the roost.  I had a SLAM DUNK Saturday morning and I flubbed it.

Man O man is it gratifying when you do it though.  Hearty congratulations!

[LET EM GROW]

It was almost somewhat boring to be honest, i almost feel i've cheated him but.. its probably just me. 

1 hour ago, crappyice said:

Congrats...now forgive a very inexperienced turkey hunter(aka...never really been). What does it mean to “roost him” or “put him to bed.” I assume you are just watching where they fly up to roost- I ask because I also casually read about “busting up the flock” and wasn’t sure if that’s what is happening at night as well.


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"Roost" or "put him to bed" I refer to as seeing him go up to the tree, or atleast knowing that core area he is spending the night in.. This allows you to get in closer in the a.m. without spooking him.. 

We watched him on the limb before his first morning gobbles,  watched him fly down and do his dance out into our position.. IT was perfectly executed.. 

Busting the flock is typically done in fall, you find them, go in and scatter them as bad as you can.. sit right there and try to call them back in after a few minutes.. It can work in spring, i think especially on rainy days when they congregate to open fields.. 

Edited May 5, 2020 by LET EM GROW

[Steve D]

1 hour ago, crappyice said:

I ask because I also casually read about “busting up the flock”

I am not a big turkey hunter but the term "busting up the flock" is a method used primarily in the fall. If a flock of turkeys are discovered you scatter them by spooking them and then sit and wait because they will usually regroup as a flock to go on about their business.

It is not a method used in the spring because as a rule they don't flock together as much as they do in the fall.

[LET EM GROW]

17 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Other morning daughter n I picked the tree we wanted to sit next to and low and behold it held a gobbler that booted. Sat little ways away. Gobbles erupt from tree 60 yards from us. He eventually flies down opposite our decoys. I was so hopeful he’d land in our laps. I’m 0-3 in actually trying to put one to bed. 
You guys nailed it. Well done 

Dang, thats how it always works it seems.. Sorry to hear sir! Birds are so hard to judge. it gets so darn annoying! We sat where we did based on what the bird did the morning before in this same spot. no deeks no calls, just gobbler and chill! Putting them to bed here, is easier since you can basically watch from the rd.. but it also means having to deal with road hunters... in which after my stepson couldn't pull off the a shot on the longbeard i called in to 20 steps early opening AM, we got on another bird the next field over, that road hunters found as well, and were actually parking on roadside to go chase after.. until i got up and ran to their vehicle(a hilarious site) they jumped back in and took off.. 2 road hunter attempts on just opening morning.. 

14 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

I've probably mentioned, you could count on one hand the birds I've killed off the roost.  I had a SLAM DUNK Saturday morning and I flubbed it.

Man O man is it gratifying when you do it though.  Hearty congratulations!

   It is awesome to get in on roosted Toms, it makes for a beautiful morning no doubt.. We havent done much of it either since most of our property never held roosted birds, they always seemed to be on neighbors. but this is a new lease we had the opportunity to join right close to camp. Harvested that bird and got on another about an hr later at camp while taking pics, got setup and our friend wiffed  that one! 

[Zag]

We did that yrs ago, literally as soon as it’s feet hit the ground boom!! Never forget it.

[LET EM GROW]

1 minute ago, Zag said:

We did that yrs ago, literally as soon as it’s feet hit the ground boom!! Never forget it.

Job well done when that happens. Almost feel like i cheated them lol. 

[Lawdwaz]

8 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

Job well done when that happens. Almost feel like i cheated them lol. 

Almost.........

[Buckmaster7600]

It was almost somewhat boring to be honest, i almost feel i've cheated him but.. its probably just me. 

Not just you, I’ve quit roosting birds for me. I’ll do it for others that have never shot one like I did for my girlfriend opening day.

It’s boring and feels like cheating to me. I would say that after I learned how to set up on a roosted bird I’m way over a .500 batting average on a bird when I know what long he’s in the night before.

I don’t want anyone to take it the wrong way because I have no problem with others doing it, it’s just not for me.


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[Pygmy]

The areas I hunt are mostly wooded and the birds tend to roost on timbered ridges away from the fields..They often fly down and work up to the fields,  but it's a crap shoot figuring where they will enter the fields, and it's often an hour or two after flydown before they  show up  making calling and/or decoys essential unless you get REAL lucky.... 

[squirrelwhisperer]

8 hours ago, LET EM GROW said:

i almost feel i've cheated him but.. its probably just me. 

Keep cheating friend! Well done. 

[LET EM GROW]

18 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

Not just you, I’ve quit roosting birds for me. I’ll do it for others that have never shot one like I did for my girlfriend opening day.

It’s boring and feels like cheating to me. I would say that after I learned how to set up on a roosted bird I’m way over a .500 batting average on a bird when I know what long he’s in the night before.

I don’t want anyone to take it the wrong way because I have no problem with others doing it, it’s just not for me.


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I agree completely, I mean it was the exact definition of doing homework and sealing the deal really.. but after doing so, I guess the reward didn't feel as well earned for some reason, like most all other birds i've taken. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it again, But I love talking back with the birds. I love fresh wild turkey breast, but Maybe hunting is growing out of my blood compared to years past.. Im not sure.  I will most definitely do this for others and youths that need  a hand in turkey hunting, and maybe to lay down travel routes for future hunts or something..  It is awesome to see and hear them wake up on the tree limb, fly down and do their thing.. that is a fact! 

[Buckmaster7600]

I agree completely, I mean it was the exact definition of doing homework and sealing the deal really.. but after doing so, I guess the reward didn't feel as well earned for some reason, like most all other birds i've taken. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it again, But I love talking back with the birds. I love fresh wild turkey breast, but Maybe hunting is growing out of my blood compared to years past.. Im not sure.  I will most definitely do this for others and youths that need  a hand in turkey hunting, and maybe to lay down travel routes for future hunts or something..  It is awesome to see and hear them wake up on the tree limb, fly down and do their thing.. that is a fact! 

Yup, I don’t know how many you gotta kill before you lose the gotta kill feeling but I know I’ve passed it. The same with deer hunting, I don’t care if I ever kill another critter the rest of my life I just live for the hunt.


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[LET EM GROW]

28 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Yup, I don’t know how many you gotta kill before you lose the gotta kill feeling but I know I’ve passed it. The same with deer hunting, I don’t care if I ever kill another critter the rest of my life I just live for the hunt.


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You and me both sir. I  just live to enjoy what mother nature has to offer.. Ill fill a tag or 2 each year for the clean fresh meals it will supply.. and the memories it makes.. thats not in question whatsoever.. Just dont need to kill anymore.. thats long passed.. 

[Five Seasons]

20 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

Not just you, I’ve quit roosting birds for me. I’ll do it for others that have never shot one like I did for my girlfriend opening day.

It’s boring and feels like cheating to me. I would say that after I learned how to set up on a roosted bird I’m way over a .500 batting average on a bird when I know what long he’s in the night before.

I don’t want anyone to take it the wrong way because I have no problem with others doing it, it’s just not for me.


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Feel the same, nothing wrong with it, but just not why I like to turkey hunt. I like the dance and chess match. I've shot them on flydown and wouldn't hesitate again, but the feeling isn't the same. It's almost like shooting a doe to fill the freezer vs a nice mature buck. But in this case it's only dinner and sandwiches for a week.

[turkeyfeathers]

38 minutes ago, Belo said:

Feel the same, nothing wrong with it, but just not why I like to turkey hunt. I like the dance and chess match. I've shot them on flydown and wouldn't hesitate again, but the feeling isn't the same. It's almost like shooting a doe to fill the freezer vs a nice mature buck. But in this case it's only dinner and sandwiches for a week.

I thought you killed your first bird last year? Maybe I’m mistaken. 

[Five Seasons]

31 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

I thought you killed your first bird last year? Maybe I’m mistaken. 

first tom