What should I have done differently?
 

I don't really feel like i did anything wrong, but rather than dismiss the situation as "part of turkey hunting", i thought i would check with you to see if i could have done something different. Without making this post too long, I won't include too many details, but basically, I was set up about 5-600 yds from where the gobbler was roosted (too far but i didn't know where he was). Anyway, he flew down after gobbling in the tree and on the ground, getting to my location about 30 min later. He stayed about 125 yds away from my decoys, travelling perpendicular, gobbling and strutting, but would not come in. He move farther away before turning toward me, standing at the far end of the field, again, strutting and gobbling. I was careful not to call more than a tiny bit, also tried going silent, tried purring, etc, all over the course of about an hour. He still would not commit, he stood there waiting from the hen to come to him. Finally, he seemed to realize after watching my decoys, that something wasn't right and he turned, walked away and never gobbled again. I am sure he did not see me move b/c i was completely still, though in his direct line of sight. I was behind a few bushes, moderately shielded but completely still.

any idea why he would not come in? why he might have turned and walked away after staring at my jake and hen for 15 minutes straight?

I don't know what happened. It was still a great hunt, but i am looking for input. thx

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

Its so hard to say what the gobbler was thinking. Id chalk it up to just plain old turkey hunting. You can beat yourself up over should I have called more, should I have closed the distance while he was on the roost. If you were 5-600 yards away that could have been the problem. It sounds like you called him in from a long way. So he did come to your calls. There are so many variables it could have been...

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

You can never say for sure. What kind of decoys did you have out? Did you have a jake for him to want to pick a fight with or just hens? I wish I knew why they hang up and what to do about it, that gets real frustrating but thats turkey hunting!

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

arrowmaster is right on the money. Turkey hunting is part luck too, the turkeys don't always do what we want them to do. A person always second guesses after the turkey is gone what if this, what if i did that but no one ever knows for sure what will happen.

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

so i guess it is not necessarily that uncommon for a turkey to hang up like it did on me and then leave? I have not been doing this that long, but have never had one stay just out of range and refuse to come in.

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

No it is not uncommon for a gobbler to hang up. He maybe the dominant bird and they definetly are smart. He may have played the game before...

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

You did learn one thing if he roosts in that spot again you can setup where he hungup.That is a place he feels comfortable.

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

yeah, i'll get closer next time. too many opportunities for something to go wrong being 600 yds from the head

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

How far out in front of you are your decoys. Were they to close to you were he may have thought something was fishy.

RE: What should I have done differently?
 

they decoys were 25 yds in front of me. unfort, it was a direct line between me, the decs and him. however, he could have come in from my side, but his fishy attitude kept him at bay. he was really a suspicious bird. i still don't think he made me though i wonder if he figured out the decs were fake after watching them for 15 min never moving