#1 Rule for birds on the roost!

sman

Senior Member
Don't let them see ya! I would rather play the game than get to close and have end before it even gets started.
 

Toddmann

Senior Member
I can't wait to hear rule #2.
 

trkyburns

Senior Member
Always good advice. There's no faster way I know of to mess up a good opportunity than getting too close.
 

dtala

Senior Member
Rule #2 is don't let em hear you when trying to get too close. I think a lot of the time when ya get close and the bird answers every yelp but refuses to come to you, that it heard ya crawling up to that last tree and unsure of just what you are they refuse to come closer....

and they hear pretty good.....:biggrin2:
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
Based on his post from this morning....rule #2 is...



SEE RULE #1!!!!!!



You'll get 'em man. Sometimes you gotta play with fire. It's a rule or something.

Probably Rule #3 should be "don't listen to that idiot who made up the rules" GET IN THERE!
 

Sting'em!

Member
So what's happens when a bird sees you at say 6:30...are they going to fly out of the tree? Or just go the other way when they flydown 30-45 min later? Will they even remember seeing you 30 min later?
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
"Possibly" to all three of those scenarios....that's why they are so dang maddening.

A fourth possibility is that they see you, pitch out of the tree directly at you, put their beak over the end of the barrel and pull the trigger themselves.

I've seen all four possibilities happen. If someone could explain the logic of it all I'd greatly appreciate it.
 

Booner Killa

Senior Member
I've accidentaly walked under roosted birds on the limb and I know without a shadow of a doubt, they saw me. I sat down approx 35 yds from the tree they were roosted in. I didn't make a peep until they came off the limb. Yes, they went the other way. I followed and ended up calling those two longbeards in to my set up about an hr later. I actually missed when I shot but it was a great hunt. So, no......it's not a deal breaker. I've had other times when they've started flying out of a tree like a covey quail on sterroids!
 

Sting'em!

Member
"Possibly" to all three of those scenarios....that's why they are so dang maddening.

A fourth possibility is that they see you, pitch out of the tree directly at you, put their beak over the end of the barrel and pull the trigger themselves.

I've seen all four possibilities happen. If someone could explain the logic of it all I'd greatly appreciate it.

Well I hope in the 4th scenario he would at least have the common courtesy of letting me pull the trigger for him!
 

hawglips

Banned
Don't let them see ya! I would rather play the game than get to close and have end before it even gets started.

On the other hand, a faint heart never won fair maiden.
 

bangbird

Senior Member
I've have better luck calling birds off the roost if I set up further away than closer. I don't like to be any closer than 100 yards. I think if you get to close the Tom expects to see the hen from the tree. That is, if you call to him while in the tree. If you wait till he flys down before making the first call then closer maybe better.
 

MCNASTY

Senior Member
So what's happens when a bird sees you at say 6:30...are they going to fly out of the tree? Or just go the other way when they flydown 30-45 min later? Will they even remember seeing you 30 min later?

The chances of thgem seein you at 6 30 are slim and if they do they'll probably just assume your a deer if your quiet.

My biggest problem is when I get close to a roosted bird is bein too close, not to the point they see me but they know when a hen roosts 50 yards from them. I do a lot better in the 100 to 150 yard range and let them come to me. That also gives me comfort/cover to move if the bird flies down and heads another direction. JMO
 

six

Senior Member
My #1 rule on roosted birds is don't let him roost again.
 

sman

Senior Member
I like your rule better!
 

boparks

Senior Member
Good info here and I like Six's "Thou Shall Kill Him Off the Roost Rule" although I'm not always able to abide by it.

What Scott and Troy say are true.. Get as close as you can undetected and if theres a question air on the side of caution......unless it's the last day of the hunt or you know you've got other birds to hunt.....in which case I might push to the limit.

I do think at times you can get away with a little noise if it's not unnatural or loud and the earlier it occurs the better,,,clanking, velcros, snaps, decoy fluffing, and popping waterbottles are not good

Bottom line:

Get Close
Easy on the calling
Shoot to kill

Sounds easy enough to me;)
 
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