deer-hunter18,

I'm in Indiana but have hunted Iowa once, takin my biggest gobbler off public land. I agree late season hunting is better for aggressive cruising toms, but Early season is more challenging so I like it too. I took my early season Iowa tom in the afternoon. This is the only one of my 7-10 birds ever taken in then. He was gobbling his head off like no other tom I have ever heard in my life, by a longshot. And he was alone.

I would highly recommend you try in the afternoon. In the early season the toms are tight with their hens in the mornings. Later in the day you might find a straggler tom who got pushed out, or one that is cruising after a morning breeding. Take a morning off, especially if the weather is poor. Sleep in, and save your energy. Then go out about 11 AM and set up in a strutting or dusting area if you know a good one. Make sure your decoys are visible from a distance. Call occasionally, but make sure you can see around you, as the birds are highly likely to come in silent at this time. Don't get discouraged if you don't hear a single gobble.

It was with a similar set-up that I scored in Iowa, when a tom unexpectantly began firing off immediately right behind me. He would not cross a creek to get to my decoys, and after exhanging calls for 1/2 hour finally he went away from me and over a ridge. I could tell by the sound changing. I knew the lay of that land. At that time I got up and went straight for him, then peeked very carefully over the sharp ridge, calling occasionally to keep track of his location, until I saw his head. I thought my chances were very slim of taking him with this method, but it worked.

Be flexible when they are behaving as you describe. Do whatever the topography of the land allows.