DL55-

It sounds like he's already got a pretty nice harem of hens with him, so he's not going to be too aggressive in seeking out additional hens. For those older birds, you'll want to scale down yourcalling aggression, and resort to a more cunning, ambush approach. He doesn't get that old by running to every turkey call that he's ever heard, and he probably hangs up and makes the hens come to him, staying out of shotgun range.

If you're going to call him, I'dgive a "float calling" setupa try, which is a two-man setup thatputs a shooter between the tom and the caller, and the caller dropping maybe 40-60 yards back, leaving the shooter out where the tom usually hangs up. This way, he'll keep lingering back at his normal "safe" distance, but he'll be none-the-wiser to your presence. He might just be unpleasantly surprised by some #4 shot. We got a big old bird using this tactic on a guided hunt last year when the tom kept hanging upalong a field edge.

I think your best bet may be to get in tight on him on the roost, put a couple decoys out, and wait for the hensto flydown. Then, using very soft clucks and feeding purrs (or no calling at all, if he's that call-shy)try to lure the harem of hens in close. If you can get one hento start responding, you're in business. Call tothem, not him. He'll follow. This is tough to do before the foliage comes on heavy, because turkeys can see pretty well in the early daylight, and the lack of leaves really leaves you in the open.

Another tip would be to try surprising him by swinging in from behind, or an abnormal approach angle. Old turkeys get wise to hunters coming in the same way and using the sametechnique all the time. Swing around behind him in the dark, and approach from behind.If you can get within 75 yards of a roosted bird, you've got a solid shot at killing him,you've just gotta hope they head your way.

He sounds like a limbhanger.