About 2 or 3 years ago on opening morning of gun deer season, I set up on a field leaning against one mature oak tree that stuck out about 10' from the tree line. At first light a horde of turkeys came out of the trees all around me down into the field. If they saw or heard me come in they must have forgotten because not a one of them ever saw me.

Is that normal, I mean if you unknowingly get too close to the roost or even right under the roost but get settled before first light will you be ok or did you just hose yourself? I guess being a major noob I'm just a little concerned about letting every bird in the woods know of my arrival.

I have sat down within 50 FEET of a roosted bird. He blew slobber on me when he gobbled, and he gobbled prolly 50 times. I did NOT call to him. He flew out over my head, within five feet of me and landed 15 yards behind me. When he stood straight up I killed him.

So did you turn around after he passed you still in flight or after he landed?

I stood and turned just after he passed me.

Probably shot him looking in a mirror over his shoulder

Prolly shot him when his toenails cleared the roost limb.

you must be talking about someone else, I don't limb birds.

I didn't mean to get that close either, I slipped up to a point 50 yards further away at dark as he gobbled on the limb, I just misjudged which tree he was in. Pretty dang impressive watching the spit fly as he gobbled.

Ever had one poop on you in the tree?

no, not that I recall. I did have a hen brush my hat with her wing as she landed right behind me one morning.

I would say they can prob see you when you get close enough and certainly they can hear you unless youre super ninja stealth. But like Fred said if you think they saw you shut up and don't let them know where you are and you might get lucky. I have set decoys up in a field way early before sunrise and had birds roosted close to the field edge pitch right in like normal.

Im just yanking your chain a little Troy. I know I don't post much in the Thunder Chicken forum but Ive killed a few back in the day. I once put a full blown Ninja stalk on a turkey in a clearing in the woods that turned out to be a rotten stump with a red solo cup sitting on top of it. That son of a gun didn't gobble one time and he was always looking at me.

I have slipped in and set up under the cover of darkness to only be completely surprised that the bird actually roosted in the tree I sat up on. I felt great that I been able to flip in before light and get so close to a rooster Tom but it didn't pay off. He pitched down and immediately exited the area but it was so awesome to listen to him rattle the woods about 25-30 times.

Had one dump on me. (a hen I think) Went to a branch to wash my cap and slid off into knee deep water. Seems like something else happened that morning. Can't remember.

Dang, that hurts brother. I bet that was an awesome experience though!

Its hard to spook one off the roost before daylight, but if you step on a limb, chances are good that he is not going to fly down near you after daylight.

I think a bird will continue to gobble even after he hears you approach and knows something isn't exactly right. But he will fly down away from you at flydown.

Fur, thats pretty funny stalking a stump/red cup. I'd a had to shoot that cup before I left.

I was hunting with a pretty good turkey hunter on his land once. We set up on a late gobbling bird and couldn;t get it to come in. We ended up moving several times in an effort to get in the right place. We finally eased up to see a tame gobbler in a pen right across the property line, behind a house trailer.

only because the hens were one tree over. when they dropped out of the tree they were maybe 4 steps. i did not kill the gobbler that i watched breed a hen or two, but it was one fun hunt.

If im tryin to get real close to a bird ill mark where i think he is on my gps an goin extra early black dark i mean DARK. Ill walk as close as i think i can an sling my gun over my back an crawl on hands an knees slowly while i kinda stop an scratch in the leaves an mill around like an armadillo or possum. Me an my brother both do this they dont pay much attention to you. Also another good tips is if you think you may be gettin to close, stop an wait an try to hear him gobble then if your still a piece away slip along an try to lean as far forward as you can and dont look up. If one does see you hopefully your bodys outline will look like a deers from above. Itll be tial an error best thing is to try an hear one in the evenin an put a game plan together so you dont run the risk of bumpin a bird. Get as close as you can but not to close. Or try to get somewhere hes wantin to go an cut him off. It just takes practice.

does it scare the gobbler when you crawl up on a snake and scream like a girl????

All these years ive been doin it an a snake never crossed my mind.... Thanks alot