AM gobbler set-up

[Turkeygirl]

Well I went to the place I got permission and I heard him gobble, just below me. I belly crawled back towards the car. He gobbled a couple more times, I left before he roosted, knowing he'll be there in the AM. Now when I listened to him this AM, it sounded like when he flew down, he landed somewhere near a trail the circles the middle of the ridge. so I'm wondering do I:

A) Set--up on the trail where I think he may come with the hens - should I go decoyless or put out 1 hen or a hen/jake?

or do I

B) Set-up on top where he is, in hopes to intercept him at fly down. Jak/hen, just a hen, or no decoy?

I heard a hen give some soft yelps, so he's got one with him at least...I'm wondering if the jake decoy with a hen low to the ground will make him mad and come running????

What do you guys think?

[paul23]

I'd use no decoy, get there in the dark dark, and get as close as possible facing the direction i think he's at. And make sure im in some cover to conceal. Id try to call the hen in. Actually doin the same thing in the am with my buddie. Gobbler going crazy at a place we've never hunted b4.

[dbHunterNY]

Get to wear you think they're going. The birds seem a little tight lipped and stubborn now. I'd try and call the hen in like what was said. He come trailing in I would imagine. Good luck! I'm still trying to find a beard.

[Rhino]

Sounds like the hens he's with are dictating where he's going and how he gets there. It's always easier to call one in were they want to go anyway. As far as using decoys or not...your call. If you use decoys and they shy away from them after seeing them you can always go without decoys next time.

[Turkeygirl]

Stupid gobbler this morning, he flew down early..I set up on the ridge just above him and next thing I know he's on the ground below me where I can't see, gobbles, I hear some hens cackle...and that was it...he disappeared into thin air...Later heard a gun shot...it sounded at least on the other side of the land if not farther...don't think someone would have gotten him, he's pretty tough...but who knows.

[BRHNTR]

Ruth,

All you can do is check on him again tonight and hope he's still there. Stay with it!

BRHNTR

[Turkeygirl]

Yeah, well I have to work tonight....So I'll probably go in the same area in the AM, on a logging road though where I think they moved through.

I'm hoping if I stick with him, I'll be there when he makes a big mistake...lol

[western NY bowhunter]

Stick with him, he'll slip up sooner or later...you've just got to be there to capitalize when it happens. I tagged out with a beautiful longbeard yesterday morning that acted much the same as the bird you're after. Actually, it was a pair of longbeads that were always accompanied by 5 or 6 hens. They'd gobble on the roost, hit the ground and shut up. Henned up, pressured birds are pretty tough to kill. Finally, after 6 straight mornings of playing cat and mouse with these boys I was able to close the deal on one of them when the duo followed their hens by my set-up twenty minutes after they hit the field yesterday morning.