Roosted, not roasted yet

[Turkeygirl]

Andy heard a gobble in a field up back tonight so of course I stopped what I was doing (making a salad for dinner). Grabbed my owl hooter, binocs and took off. Went up to top of the old gravel pit and waited awhile then snuck across those fields to a hedgerow bordering the field where my cam was stolen....There was a gobbler and couple hens. So I sat in the middle of honeysuckle as they fed through the hedgerow and back down into the old gravel pit! So I snuck around to get to the field edge parallel to them to get a better look and it's one nice gobbler, let me tell you! Looks like a 10" beard, too far to see the spurs but I know where he's roosted, got him to gobble to my owl call. He's got 3 hens with him so that's the tricky part. My plan is to sneak in on this ridge above where I think he's roosted and set up on this logging trail intersection on the side of the small ridge...Hope I can be close but not too close!:camera:

[Ravin R10 man]

good luck..dont get too agressive on the calling..he'll probably gobble on the roost ,fly down and follow the hens..

[dartonman]

Yep, soft hen talk, lots of purrs on Andys calls he made you....soft and sweet will bring him in for sure.....good luck Ruth...remember when they pitch down, they can go 50-70 past the roost tree usually. I used a small sapling the other day and waved it around out of sight of birds, it sounded just like a fly down....they gobbled their heads off when they heard the "hen" fly down..al

[bobwhite]

Good luck and may you put the bead on his head.

[Rem308]

Good luck and may you put the bead on his head.

+1

[paul23]

Never had any luck gentle calling a bird in. I say give it to em loud and proud, I get very aggresive with my birds. To each his own though, Ill stay with what works for me. Good Luck and let us know.

[Turkeygirl]

Any more tips?

LOL

This morning was nice, calm but cloudy and he started gobbling before 5am rolled around...I was set up maybe under 100 yards from where he was, near a trail going inbetween two small hills. Gave a few soft clucks/yelps so he knew I was around. He gobbled at cros and such then it started pouring and he went quiet...7am came and it was still pouring, he was still on the roost, I huddled under a hemlock. Called it quits at 8am...not sure if he ever flew down but don't think so, nothing in the fields. I was soaked. Will be out tonight to see if I can roost him then hunt him till about 7:30 tomorrow since I have a class at the hospital to take.

[ruttinbuc]

If you know he is there let him fly down before calling to him. One hen decoy and some soft clucks and purrs might do the trick.

He may be wise to the "hen" on the ground in the dark.

[Turkeygirl]

I'll give it a go RB...Got him to gobble to the owl call tonight, he was down lower but he made his way quickly, gobbling, right back up to the same ridge! Left before he flew up, I know he'll be there in the AM. Can only hunt till about quarter after 7 but no rain so maybe he'll come down this time!

[Diamond Archer 01]

Good luck Ruth.