Roosting a turkey is an essential skill for any serious turkey hunter. Knowing where a tom goes to roost at night allows you to set up nearby and ambush him at fly-down in the morning. With some knowledge of turkey behavior, the right gear, and good scouting and calling skills, you can consistently roost gobblers and increase your odds of bagging that longbeard.
Why Roost Turkeys?
Wild turkeys roost in trees at night for protection from predators. In the spring, dominant toms will gobble on the roost to proclaim their presence and attract hens. This makes roosted toms vulnerable to hunters. If you can locate a gobbler on the roost, you can set up nearby and call him in when he flies down in the morning.
How to Find Roost Trees
The first step is locating potential roosting areas. Mature hardwoods or pine trees near openings like fields or clearcuts are prime spots. Look for:
- Trees with large, horizontal branches 20-40 feet up
- Clearings for easy fly down access
- Fresh droppings and feathers below roost trees
Roosts are often used for generations, so keep an eye out year after year.
Confirm Roosted Toms
Once you’ve identified potential roosting trees, you need to confirm there are gobblers using them.
Call Shock Gobbles
Owl, crow, or coyote calls can trigger shock gobbles from roosted toms. Move through the woods 30-60 minutes before fly-down and call intermittently. Listen closely for gobbles in response. Their aggression will reveal their location.
Scout Evening Fly-Ups
Another way to pinpoint roost sites is scouting evenings Position yourself 250+ yards from potential roosts before fly-up time Watch for toms flying up to specific trees, You may need to check several evenings to pattern their preferred roosts,
Trail Cameras
Place trail cameras facing potential roost trees to confirm and pattern gobblers over several days and nights. Just be sure to avoid spooking them.
Set Up Near Roosts
Once you’ve confirmed an active roost, you can set up nearby to ambush the tom as he flies down. But getting too close risks pushing them away. Ideal setup distances are:
- Open terrain: 100-150 yards
- Brushy terrain: 150-200 yards
- Heavy cover/hilly: 250+ yards
Set up well before fly-down, sneak in quietly, and remain still. Calls, decoys and blinds can all increase your odds. But don’t overcall or you may scare off hens still on the roost. Let the tom’s interest bring him in.
Be Patient
Roosting turkeys takes some learning. You may not pin down roosts immediately. Keep at it across several days and weeks of the season. Pay close attention to gobbler activity at dawn and dusk to note patterns. With experience, you’ll get better at finding and targeting roosted toms.
Useful Gear for Roosting Turkeys
Having the right gear makes roosting turkeys much easier
- Owl, crow, and coyote calls to trigger shock gobbles
- Turkey calls like box calls to pinpoint toms
- Binoculars and/or spotting scope to scout fly-ups
- Headlamp for pre-dawn setups
- Camera to confirm and pattern roosts
- Shooting sticks, decoys, and blinds for ambush setups
Roosting Turkey Tips
Follow these tips to better your odds:
- Scout multiple potential roost sites each season. Toms may shift spots.
- Take wind direction into account when setting up on roosted birds.
- Cautiously use light calling when setup to lure hens down first.
- Adjust distance from the roost depending on terrain and cover.
- Remain still and don’t spook fly-down birds. Patience pays off.
- Learn to read late winter flocks that indicate where toms may roost come spring.
Roosting and hunting gobblers requires woodsmanship, patience, and persistence. But the payoff of outsmarting a wary tom makes it all worthwhile. Use these strategies to pinpoint roost sites and set yourself up for a close shot when he sails down to the ground.
Factors That Influence Roosts
Protection: The primary factor that influences a turkeys choice in a roosting site is its level of protection from predators. Turkeys prefer to roost high above the ground, in trees with a lot of foliage to conceal themselves from predators.
Water: Turkeys need water to survive, so the proximity of a roosting site to a water source is important. Most roosting sites are within 200-300 yards of water.
Habitat: The habitat structure is another key factor in turkey roost site selection. Adult turkeys prefer to roost in larger trees that they can easily and quickly fly up into. These mature trees also provide, as mentioned, security. Temperature: Turkeys consider temperature when selecting a roosting site. When a cold night is in the forecast, you’ll find they often choose roosting sites with southern and western exposure to grab what heat they can and avoid chilly north winds.
To scout out potential roosting sites, look for feathers or droppings under likely roosting trees. In the evenings, listen for gobbles and cackles. A hen, and sometimes even a tom, will cackle when it takes off for flight. You can get gobblers to respond on the roost with a shock gobble call.
Early season, turkeys are a little easier to see on the roost. Come full bloom and youll only be able to hear them.
Here are some tips on how to identify potential roosting sites:
Mature trees: Look for trees tall enough to provide adequate protection from predators, and with branches spreading out widely, allowing turkeys to perch securely. Some common roost trees include oaks, pines, cottonwoods, and large maples.
Look for feathers or droppings: Depending on where you hunt, turkeys could use the same roosting site multiple times throughout the season and year. Finding feathers, droppings, and scratching is a good sign.
Listen: Listen for gobbles and cackles. If you don’t hear anything, try to make a tom shock gobble by hitting either a crow, coyote, or owl call.
Trail cameras: scout before the season with trail cameras to get a general sense of turkeys’ coming and goings.
How to Roost a Turkey in the Afternoon
FAQ
How long before dark do turkeys roost?
Do turkeys roost in the same area every night?
Should you call to a turkey on the roost?