Roost trees are a critical piece of information to many turkey hunters because they dictate where the birds will begin and end each day. The trick is to use this knowledge, yet not destroy a flock’s patterned behavior. Steve Hickoff covers this balance well in this post from the Realtree.com Here’s his strategy:
Start in a location where you’ve found turkey sign by scouting. Maybe you’ve heard gobblers waking up on the roost in a general area. Likely too you’ve glassed birds in nearby open spots. Now you want to pinpoint the exact location where these turkeys sleep. Do this the night before your hunt so you can make your setup there in the morning before fly-down.
Good turkey habitat will hold birds annually and reliably. As with pre-season scouting, seeing and hearing gobblers on the roost can add to hunting success.
Roosted may or may not be roasted. Start by slipping into an area in mid-afternoon where you’ve heard birds before — or maybe just by targeting decent habitat. Scout open areas positioned not far from stands of big-branched trees. Sit calmly and quietly, listening as turkeys move into a likely roosting spot…
Realtree.com
