Will a bird busted off roost be back tomorrow?

Our birds have been very quiet this year. Until yesterday i had heard nothing from the roost. Only gobbles I have heard were six or seven from a 2 year old I struck while trolling on March 29. He ran to the gun as they sometimes do.

So yesterday out of frustration at 06:30 with it getting light I pulled out my gobble call a shook it with everything I had. Immediately was answered by a gobble, so I took off for the bird. He continued every couple minutes and I was able to get well within 100 yds and get set up. I did a fly down cackle and wing beat, he blew up at it. I went quiet and he kept at it every few minutes. Eventually he sounded closer, so i started purring a little and clucking. he answered every time but would not come. I kept silent for longer durations hoping that would pull him in. Every time i would check him, he was in the same spot. I though he was hung up, but he was blowing my hat off, so I didn't want to move. 8:15 was his last gobble to answer me. 8:50 i slipped out and went to work.

Went back this morning to same area, but from different direction. 6:30 he started on his own. Pretty much same as yesterday, except he went quiet at 7:45. The last couple sounded like he was going away. He wasn't. He was just facing the other way when he gobbled.

So i went after him. 15 mins and 50 or 60 yards later, i hear him putt twice, i look up as he flies out of the top of a huge pine.

Sorry for the long winded workup. What I would like to know, is if anyone has busted them as badly as I did and then gone back the next day or two later and found him again?

Thanks for your input.

He will be back. He's already forgotten about that thing that busted him this morning.

I shot at a gobbler one afternoon , he flew off and was able to call him back in within 10 mins after missing. I would not worry to much.

I would hold off on using that fly down cackle. Sounds like he is staying on the roost waiting on you (the hen) to come to him, and then fly down.

What he said!! I don't call until his feet are on the ground.

He will roost wherever he ends up near dark, might be there might be a mile away.

Yea he will be back

I totally disagree that he will certainly be back! I think that depends on just far he flew! I messed with an ole gobbler for several days down on BF Grant WMA years ago. One morning, he was gobbling on the roost and I messed up and got too close to him. That joker flew out of a big tall pine tree and the last time I saw him he was flying full speed towards Shady Dale! I never heard that gobbler in that area again and that was his favorite hang out. I have no doubt in my mind that I ran that turkey completely off that piece of property.

Gobblers have large home ranges. Hard to say if/when he'll be back.

I personally have not had them hang up to a fly down cackle, that is about the only call I give em when they are on the limb, along with just a few very soft tree yelps.

I also try not to get too close when they are on the limb simply because that vantage point offers them more real estate to look over and bust you.
He may or may not be in the same area, but I doubt that will have anything to do with the fact that he busted you.

I guess it all depends on how badly you busted him and what his plans are. Some days turkeys will roost in the same tree; other days they can move into the next county, whether busted or not. If he's loving those hens and they're still there, he'll be nearby, unless he's found hens he loves more or been run off by a bigger tom. But then, maybe you'll get to hunt a different tom.

HucK Finn said:

I personally have not had them hang up to a fly down cackle, that is about the only call I give em when they are on the limb, along with just a few very soft tree yelps.

I also try not to get too close when they are on the limb simply because that vantage point offers them more real estate to look over and bust you.
He may or may not be in the same area, but I doubt that will have anything to do with the fact that he busted you.

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I must not speak with your same accent, because I can't count the times I've had roosted birds fly down to hens they already know and completely ignore my fly-down cackles and tree yelps--other than giving me courtesy gobbles. I hunted one bird about 20 years ago for 3 mornings straight. I finally got close enough to watch him fly from treetop to treetop to treetop, gobbling at every stop. I gave up on him and killed a different tom a mile away the next morning. LOL!

Most likely he will be back!

JimLandt said:

I must not speak with your same accent, because I can't count the times I've had roosted birds fly down to hens they already know and completely ignore my fly-down cackles and tree yelps--other than giving me courtesy gobbles. I hunted one bird about 20 years ago for 3 mornings straight. I finally got close enough to watch him fly from treetop to treetop to treetop, gobbling at every stop. I gave up on him and killed a different tom a mile away the next morning. LOL!

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The trick is; to do the fly down cackle with one eye closed..... do that, and they will never hang up to that call.

HucK Finn said:

The trick is; to do the fly down cackle with one eye closed..... do that, and they will never hang up to that call.

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Okay, I'll try that next year. Thanks for the tip!