Those darn devil birds change the questions.

Was on two or three gobblers Thursday morning, had one come in and hang up about 80 yards out.  I moved in earlier this morning and set up about 100-150 yards from their roost.  Gobbled their head off in the tree, heard them fly down and then nary a peep for 45 minutes.

To top it off, lost my striker in the dark.  

Turkey hunting is the most challenging and frustrating kind of hunting in North America.

Be patient.

Stayed back this morning, he came down the holler towards me, then turned back.  I cut the distance in half, set up the decoy and started calling.  He came back my way, probably about 100 yds or less away, then hushed.

15 minutes later he's the same distance, but straight ahead on the opposite ridge.  10 minutes later he's on the next ridge over.  I followed, but he never stopped.

This bird is going down.  

Loosing your striker is a real bummer! Yes indeed you never know what the bird is going to do. Went out Sunday and had 3 birds around me. The closest one - maybe 70yds. circled behind me and headed off the second was at least 200yds off and I never had a chance with him. The third was down at the bottom of the hill I was on and he quit gobbling so I wasn't sure what happend to him. 15min later here comes a Tom cresting a ridge coming up from the bottom of the hill, he cleared some brush and I took him. Point is keep at it; they may have not come in for you then, but that doesn't mean they won't another day; and you never know when one is going to pop up at you - don't give up.

Accidentally set up about 70 yds from two on the roost this morning. Same old song and dance, gobble a ton, fly down and go the other way. I stayed pretty quiet, didn't make a difference.

Had four gobbling that I could hear, they all hushed by 7.

Did find my lost striker though.