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Finding where turkeys roost?
#6680494
02/19/17 10:37 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,030
spg
OP
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,030 |
I hunt in George West (primarily deer) where its mostly mesquite and brush as you would imagine, with 3 big pastures. We have lots of turkey and want to try and hunt them, whats the nest way to find out where they roost?
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6680549
02/19/17 11:26 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,105
Cajun Raider
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,105 |
Owl calling at night in the general area of turkeys will help you pinpoint them. Set up the next morning 30-60 minutes before sun up and gently cackle call sporadically. If they land and go out a different direction then you will need to adjust to intercept them. They are creatures of habit and will usually travel the same directions.
Don't talk the talk if you didn't walk the walk.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6680969
02/20/17 09:53 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,567
SpoonPlatoon
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,567 |
Find big trees near water (creeks etc) go at dusk or dawn and try to get a response.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6681002
02/20/17 12:32 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236
Gamblinman
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While locating the roost is an overall part and plan to the hunt, finding their travel corridor can be as, or even more important. You want to be where turkeys want to be, and you want to set-up away from the roost. Let that roost be a sanctuary. I try to have 2 set-ups along their travel corridor, one early, and a secondary one...just in case.
" I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt turkeys because I have to."
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6682104
02/21/17 05:57 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 33,151
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 33,151 |
Easiest game to call including turkey are the ones that want to be where you are at or you are between where they are and where they want to be. Pretty simple in words but takes some scouting to figure it out.
For the roost, this time of the year it is pretty easy to find, just go out there 45 minutes before sunrise and listen, they will greet the day with gobbles and on a clear still morning those with good hearing can hear them from well over a half mile. Loud noises can get them going and get a shock gobble during the day as well. I have heard them shock gobble to lots of noise, truck horn, truck door slam, donkey, bull, coyote, crow, owl, shotgun... about any loud noise in the Spring can get a gobbler to let you know where they are. Turkeys like to feed in fields and open so keep your binos handy and ears open and you can often figure out where they go from the roost and like someone said they will often make the same or close to the same circuit during the day. Had a flock of about 30 one year that would hit one feeder between 3 and 3:15 every afternoon. Feeders are turkey magnets and lead some to call them corn buzzards.
Turkeys will be more vocal on the roost with loud talking but they are flock birds and communicate almost constantly with quite purrs, clucks, yelps...
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6682122
02/21/17 07:00 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,746
Txduckman
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,746 |
They roost on our place in several places but I have never tried to hunt those. I have my best luck 10 am to 2 pm either sitting and waiting or running and gunning calling frequently.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: Txduckman]
#6682206
02/21/17 01:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 33,151
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 33,151 |
They roost on our place in several places but I have never tried to hunt those. I have my best luck 10 am to 2 pm either sitting and waiting or running and gunning calling frequently. Calling turkeys in to us hunters is going against nature in some ways since the hen usually goes to the Gobbler. Especially early in the season you will hear about the gobblers being henned up and not going to the calls. Well by 10 or so the gobblers start looking for other hens a lot of the time and will often come to your calls. Running and gunning is a fun way to hunt but often I will take a nap if the gobblers get with the hens when they come off the roost then wake up around 10 or so and start calling again from the same place or move is it seems like the thing to do.
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: kmon11]
#6683272
02/22/17 06:18 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,746
Txduckman
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,746 |
They roost on our place in several places but I have never tried to hunt those. I have my best luck 10 am to 2 pm either sitting and waiting or running and gunning calling frequently. Calling turkeys in to us hunters is going against nature in some ways since the hen usually goes to the Gobbler. Especially early in the season you will hear about the gobblers being henned up and not going to the calls. Well by 10 or so the gobblers start looking for other hens a lot of the time and will often come to your calls. Running and gunning is a fun way to hunt but often I will take a nap if the gobblers get with the hens when they come off the roost then wake up around 10 or so and start calling again from the same place or move is it seems like the thing to do. Ain't that the truth. They still come in but hang up at 60 yards laughing at us. I have called in plenty of hens only to have the tom sit and watch until she wonders off.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6684215
02/23/17 12:36 AM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,078
Vern1
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During this time of year, with the trees still mostly bare, they are pretty easy to silhouette against the sky as they go to roost just at dark.
There are about 4-5 places the turkeys roost around my small farm. All but one are right along or just outside the perimeter fence with about 3/4 mile running right along the creek.
The one in the middle is in deep woods on high ground with a lot of briars along the ground. It's only 200 yards to a stock tank but they seem to use it less than the others.
The ones along the perimeter and outside are right on or very close to the creek centerline. The creek has some water holes 5-6 months of of the year and they roost along the creek almost exclusively during that time. The stock tank in that pasture is between 100 and 500 yards from the roosts on the creek so even when there is no water in creek, they can head to the stock tank.
These roosts are arranged in an arc along the creek and form a sort-of-half-circle around my feeders. The feeders are located on different stock tanks closer to the house and about 3/4 mile from the creek. The turkeys are usually easier to intercept as they usually only walk two trails from the creek to the feeder.
Notice I said usually.
Cheers, Vern1 Texans since The Old 300 in 1824 NRA Lifetime Member
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6685023
02/23/17 06:52 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,030
spg
OP
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OP
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This is South Texas, mesquite, cactus, and brush. Don't have creeks and white oaks. We have two ponds, and 6 water troughs through out the property. I see turkeys during deer season, most of the time they're a problem at feeders. Never really hunted them but my son is taking interest.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6687427
02/26/17 02:17 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 334
LittleD
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 334 |
This is South Texas, mesquite, cactus, and brush. Don't have creeks and white oaks. We have two ponds, and 6 water troughs through out the property. I see turkeys during deer season, most of the time they're a problem at feeders. Never really hunted them but my son is taking interest. Fill a feeder and run a camera to see if the turkeys are going to frequent your ranch during the spring. If there are no roost sites on the ranch and they have to roost a ways off, it may take them several hours to make there way to your place .You mentioned water.If you have the only water around for a good ways that will be a good spot to check for sign .Turkeys need water in that Texas heat.
Danny
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: Cajun Raider]
#6694393
03/04/17 02:36 AM
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 61
Reydonpete
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 61 |
Owl calling at night in the general area of turkeys will help you pinpoint them. Set up the next morning 30-60 minutes before sun up and gently cackle call sporadically. If they land and go out a different direction then you will need to adjust to intercept them. They are creatures of habit and will usually travel the same directions. This is how I've always located Roost location after dark, then came back just before daylight
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: Reydonpete]
#6715692
03/26/17 10:40 PM
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 145
chrswr
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 145 |
Owl calling at night in the general area of turkeys will help you pinpoint them. Set up the next morning 30-60 minutes before sun up and gently cackle call sporadically. If they land and go out a different direction then you will need to adjust to intercept them. They are creatures of habit and will usually travel the same directions. This is how I've always located Roost location after dark, then came back just before daylight Owl calling? Explain please for this new turkey hunter
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6715773
03/26/17 11:52 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,538
scalebuster
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,538 |
I like to drive around at night with a spotlight. When I see a good roost I sneak up under them, climb up, and feel around until I find the fattest bird. I then grab him by the legs, pull him down and cut his head off. This takes a lot of the guess work out of which bird to kill if you feel each breast carefully. You also don't get any shot in the meat. To heck with all of that calling and camo.
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: scalebuster]
#6715789
03/27/17 12:05 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236
Gamblinman
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236 |
I like to drive around at night with a spotlight. When I see a good roost I sneak up under them, climb up, and feel around until I find the fattest bird. I then grab him by the legs, pull him down and cut his head off. This takes a lot of the guess work out of which bird to kill if you feel each breast carefully. You also don't get any shot in the meat. To heck with all of that calling and camo. I'd like to try a little bit of what you've been smoking. Have any extra?
" I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt turkeys because I have to."
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Re: Finding where turkeys roost?
[Re: spg]
#6715896
03/27/17 01:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,471
BenBob
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,471 |
Our turkeys roost on high line wires and poles. Come on out and we will show you where they roost.
Last edited by BenBob; 03/27/17 01:23 AM.
Tired, Wired, and Uninspired
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