your learning, your learning well at that, a couple tdbits
THEY WILL ALWAYS COME UPHILL TO THE CALL BETTER THAN DOWNHILL
coming uphill if they sense danger, all they need to do is jump, spin and they are flying, if they must take off going uphill its much more diffacult.
this is me, its what works for me so I stick to it
never call till they are on the ground, they will set in the tree and gobble looking for the hen that's sposed to com to him.
Yes they take their time, if he gobbles a bunch he's not moving much, when he is quiet, he is covering ground, once he is coming, very, very soft yelps clucks and such are the only calls to make, and only if he gobbles first. if he can't see you, you've made hen sounds, and as you now know scratching the leaves gives him another reason to believe there is actualy a hen there so that will speed him up a bit.
congrats on your successful season, you really did shorten your learning curve.
RR