“Off the Roost”, or Mid Morning?

[WV Flopper]

Gooserbat made me research...

I hunted multiple states this spring. 63% of my turkeys were killed within 30 minutes of them flying down. 36% after.

One of those "after" was in ND, I over slept by 2 hours. All of the after 30 minutes were in states I hadn't hunted before "*". Except one.

"*" I called in 4 Jakes @ daylight in WV and let them go. Went a hundred yards and got into a Tom. Obviously he was already coming but had never vocalized until well after fly down.

[Dtrkyman]

Reading Gobblenut's post got me thinking, I watched 10 get shot this spring, only 3 were roost hunts!

I'd say that's slanted more than usual but I do know it's common in the mountains to not hear a bird from the roost and kill one later.


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[WildTigerTrout]

The vast majority of my birds have come later in the morning. Not many right off the roost.

[Paulmyr]

I don't pressure the roosts real hard unless I got one pegged so more come later in the morning and early afternoon but I get my fair share off the roost just not usually right of the roost. They usually have to come more than 100yds to get to me. Only shot one right after his feet hit the ground.

[WV Flopper]

You will find that some years are different than others.

Guys hunting big tracts out west with low density populations...very understandable they are harvesting birds later in the day.

In areas that you are hearing multiple birds before daylight is a different story. Again, seasons are different year to year in the same woodlots.

I will and do hunt all day. I have killed most of the birds early morning for sure. Maybe I am just a wee bit more aggressive?

But when that fails, I'll hunt til time runs out or my belly is empty. 

[Hersh]

I would say 75% of my birds have been killed after 9 am. I hunt almost all public land. Birds change roost spots regularly it seems. So knowing where they like to go later in the morning has really helped my success rate on mid morning hunts

[LMO]

I love a good roost hunt getting within 100-125 yards if the terrain allows it according to how open the woods are. Giving a soft tree yelp and he answers you, I usually just put my call down and wait to see what he does. If hens don't get involved the chances are good, I've had mixed results with bumping hens off the roost trying to get in tight. A lot of times it can help you but of course it's all situational. I would have to say that my best gobblers and the most probably 75% came between 9am-12, after he realizes he's by himself.

[Loyalist84]

I love a roost hunt, but I've killed most of my birds between 11 and 2pm - once the birds split into gender groups I find the bachelors become more receptive to looking for a hen they didn't see that morning, especially in the densely populated flocks I hunt around. I've never been around a turkey that didn't have others within sight or earshot, so it's a waiting game if you don't get him off the roost. Go for breakfast and hit the next spot!