# Turkey question?



## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

When do turkeys go to roost and when do they come down? Is it just before dark or just after dark? What drives them to/from roost?


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Huntoholic said:


> When do turkeys go to roost and when do they come down? Is it just before dark or just after dark? What drives them to/from roost?


They normally fly down after they can see well enought on the ground to avoid predators, and fly up at dusk in the woods for the same reasons.

Note some states have shooting hours for turkeys; those laws are to prohibit gunning from roosts. I don't know about Utah, I have never hunted them here and haven't studied up the Utah laws.

I have saw them roost during the day due to thunderstorms, (I know, I would think it safer on the ground) and they will light in trees when fleeing predators.

Sometimes during the day they just fly up for reasons know only to themselves. :lol:


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

It is illegal to shoot a turkey roosting in a tree in Utah.I just read that in the book about a week ago. The rest of it you are dead on mojo at least according to what I have observed.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks...

One more question.

When they roost for the night do they pretty much stay put or do they still move around a bit? Normal pattern and not with a predator on their back door.


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

I have never sat up and watched through the night but I have watched them fly up into the roost and came back and watched the same birds fly down in the morning so I would be inclined to believe they stay put once roosted.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

From my experience while they may change limbs in the same tree or to adjacent tree limbs, they won't move far if at all unless weather forces them to move or they are bumped (scared) off the roost by something i.e. people, predators, other animals, etc.

Sometimes at fly up they will light in one tree and then move over to another spot nearby, if you are roosting them to hunt the next day, you just have to stay long enough to make sure they are "down for the night". 

I like to jam them (get real close) first thing in the morning when starting to call (this doesn’t give them time to ponder about wondering off somewhere else), so it helps to know the exact tree they are in.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks again for the info.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

fatbass said:


> Turkeys, as smart as they are, are still "bird brains". They roost when the sun goes down but they'll also roost during any low-light periods, including solar eclipses. What does a canary do when you cover its cage? It goes to sleep. Same with a turkey...no light, sleepy time. They do NOT like to move in the dark. It takes a lot to move turkeys off their roosting trees.


Thanks for the lesson.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Much is made of the roosting..."put them to bed"...aspect of turkey hunting and it is offen sighted as the "best" way to get a bird. In reality, it can be one of the most frustating times you will have while hunting the old gobbler. Turkeys roost in certain spots over a given area and will most generally change between spots sometimes on a daily basis. Knowlege of your hunting area and the roosting "spots" contained within is the best way to use the "put them to bed" tactic. Once you have located these "spots" you need to find the fly down spot because nearly 100% of the time they will fly down to the same spot and migrate off in the same direction every time. Learn their route and you will greatly increase your chances. I know you see guys in the movies just setting up close to the birds as they fly down, calling a little, and bam, in they come, but I am telling you right now, in real life, if you're not in the right place, the frustation I mentioned above will drive you crazy. So anyway...when you find a roost tree or most generally a roosting area (offen times a flock will roost in an area covering several acres) try to find that flydown spot and get close enought to cover it when they first hit the ground. No calling needed. Locating which spot they are roosting in that night can best be done shortly after dark (unless you are lucky enough to see them fly up) or shortly before first light. I have actually had them respond to a call or locator call for several hours after dark, so go out and give them a call for a couple hours after dark, you might be surprised and one thing for sure...that late at night, they will be in that tree for the rest of the night. Good luck, don't over call, and sit still!


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

BPturkeys said:


> Much is made of the roosting..."put them to bed"...aspect of turkey hunting and it is offen sighted as the "best" way to get a bird. In reality, it can be one of the most frustating times you will have while hunting the old gobbler. Turkeys roost in certain spots over a given area and will most generally change between spots sometimes on a daily basis. Knowlege of your hunting area and the roosting "spots" contained within is the best way to use the "put them to bed" tactic. Once you have located these "spots" you need to find the fly down spot because nearly 100% of the time they will fly down to the same spot and migrate off in the same direction every time. Learn their route and you will greatly increase your chances. I know you see guys in the movies just setting up close to the birds as they fly down, calling a little, and bam, in they come, but I am telling you right now, in real life, if you're not in the right place, the frustation I mentioned above will drive you crazy. So anyway...when you find a roost tree or most generally a roosting area (offen times a flock will roost in an area covering several acres) try to find that flydown spot and get close enought to cover it when they first hit the ground. No calling needed. Locating which spot they are roosting in that night can best be done shortly after dark (unless you are lucky enough to see them fly up) or shortly before first light. I have actually had them respond to a call or locator call for several hours after dark, so go out and give them a call for a couple hours after dark, you might be surprised and one thing for sure...that late at night, they will be in that tree for the rest of the night. Good luck, don't over call, and sit still!


Had not thought about the fly down spot. But it does make sense. Be where they want to be. Question on the fly down spot. Is it normally fairly close to the roost? After they land do they hit the ground moving or do they mill and just feed off?

And thanks for the response.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I've seen birds drop vitually right down out of the tree and I've seen them sail for a couple hundred yards but most generally they will land in a fairly open area not far from the roost tree. Once they hit the ground they will generally mill for a few minutes while they bunch. Sometimes they will immediatly walk off, sometimes stay in the area and breed or even feed. Nearly always the hens are off the roost first. Sitting near a roost waiting for flydown can be very exciting. Get there plenty early, sit quietly and enjoy the choir, you'll be hooked for life!


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## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

I agree with BP. In my experience they generally fly down into an open area or field. They will usually stay in the same tree that they roost in unless disturbed by a predator owl/**** or a hunter getting too close to the roost. they will change trees if it starts raining and the spring leaves have not come in yet,and go to an evergreen if one is close by. They will stay on the roost longer if its cloudy/rainy.


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## rukus (Apr 11, 2008)

All this talk about turkeys.......April can't come soon enough!!!!! 
I also agree with what has been said. Basically, turkeys are similar in many ways to deer and elk in that they establish a pattern and follow it fairly religiously unless given reason not too. i.e. hunting pressure, predator activity, etc. If you give yourself some time and put forth the effort to find the birds and watch their moves both in the morning and evening you are going to be guaranteed one thing come hunting season..........One heck of a great time!!!


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

rukus said:


> All this talk about turkeys.......April can't come soon enough!!!!!
> I also agree with what has been said. Basically, turkeys are similar in many ways to deer and elk in that they establish a pattern and follow it fairly religiously unless given reason not too. i.e. hunting pressure, predator activity, etc. If you give yourself some time and put forth the effort to find the birds and watch their moves both in the morning and evening you are going to be guaranteed one thing come hunting season..........One heck of a great time!!!


It's nice to step outside the box every once in a while and learn something new. I'm already worked up just watching them from afar. There is something about learning something new to get the blood flowing.

Thanks all for your input.


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