flyup time?----new turkey hunter question

[nutcase]

Trying spring turkey hunting for the first time, at what time does the general flyup to the roost begin? sunset? before? after? etc.

thanks for the help

[oxmos]

I'd say somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30pm is when most of your birds will be flying up to roost this time of year. Good luck to ya!

[Hammer]

they fly up when they don't feel safe anymore. They're fickle too. Pasture birds seem to stay out a little later than others.

[Valley Station]

Eastern or central time zone?

[nutcase]

after shooting hours end or before?

[buckfever]

they fly up when they don't feel safe anymore. They're fickle too. Pasture birds seem to stay out a little later than others.

I agree. If they're roosting in the middle of timber, they usually will fly up a little earlier than if they're roosting near a field edge. As a general proposition, I've seen (or heard) the majority of birds fly up into the roost from about 15 minutes before sundown to about 15 minutes after sundown. If it's raining, they'll almost always fly up earlier than normal.

While bowhunting deer, I don't think I've ever heard a bird flying up to the roost after legal hunting hours (1/2 hour after sundown), but I've heard hundreds fly up between sundown and 15 minutes after sundown.

[tndeer]

It depends if the turkey is instrument-rated. If he is, he may fly up as late as 10pm, except on full moon nights, when he will wait till about midnight. Good luck on hunting. Expect little sleep, racing heart, sweatly palms, dry mouth, frustrations, but most of all--- one of the BIGGEST legal highs one can get.

[CPA Hunter]

During a youth hunt this year we had a Jake fly up with enough light to see his fan (was a jake) and little beard at 50 yards or so (in timber) -- they vary. I've seen birds run to a roost site or standing around waiting till roost time. They are fickel as mentioned.

[Multidigits]

The correct answer is when they want to. i've seen them fly up in the middle of the day to look over afield before they go into it and when spoked. Sometimes they come down, sometimes they stay up. Turkeys are hard to figure.

[buckfever]

The correct answer is when they want to. i've seen them fly up in the middle of the day to look over afield before they go into it and when spoked. Sometimes they come down, sometimes they stay up. Turkeys are hard to figure.

Now there's an insightful and helpful answer! I'm sure he appreciates your "correct answer", but I think he was looking for a little more information about when they "generally" (I think that's the word he used) fly up to the roost in the evenings.