for the last two mornings i've hunted a big hardwood bottom where several turkeys roost every night. both mornings i walked to the edge of the bottom at daylight and hit a call, and heard several gobbles, but all of them were probably five or six hundred yards away. in this situation, is it better to attempt to move in closer and call from a new position or stay put and try to call them all the way to me?

I would definately close the gap. You can get a lot closer than 5 or 6 hundred yards without bumping them.

I would close the gap some...especially at 500 or 600 yards

Since you haad a few mornings - same area I assumw - you should have developed some general location they are roosted at. I would sneak in there way before 1st Gobble - find a comfy spot - sit down - sip a cup of coffee and wait for them to wake-up on their own. Once the Gobblin starts I get up and move in the direction of his hollerin as sneaky as I can. I only move more as U wait for him to tell me where he is. Each time he gobbles I sneak closer - I make no calls. Like others have told you - cut that distance down. If ya like to owl hoot to wake-em up okay - but again I make no sound once I start movinand try to be as quiet as I can. I move from tree to tree never standing out in the open to highlight myself. I move in the direction of that gobble. Once I feel I can move no closer - I pick a spot - get set but still say nothing. I wait for other birds around me make noise and the area to become adjusted to me. If I spook some game or break a branch or some other noise - I stop and won't move until he sounds off. Oh as I move I do look at likely roostin areas lookin for hens - I scan the canopy around me..... Once all is quiet - is close to fly down......I make the softest call I can possibly do. If he gobbles right away at me great - if he does not I will not call again till he does gobble. Then I do my soft call again - if he still don't answer I will get a bit louder the next time he does gobble and each time till he does finally hammer back at my call. But when you know the Tom knows where you are I won't say another word. I wait......

If I have snuck in and he is answering a sassy hen who is callin' I change and focus on that hen...and try to get in on that conversation. Most times tho I hear no hens so just wait..

Then once he is on the ground and moving hopefully towards me - I may answer his every other gobble - then may not. Each bird is different. If he gobbles at my calls but is moving away from me - you can do 1 of 2 things. Stay put and wait him out. Or move in his direction and here is where knowing the lay of the land helps - you might have a good idea where he is headed. However,I usually stay put.

Just one of the many tactics I may try -

Side note. I have found it is better for me to pattern a bird - I don't roost much. By doing this I spend mornings listening and pinpointing gobbles - keeping track of time they start gobblin all the way to fly down on as many huntable birds on properties I can hunt as I can. Then I keep circlin hopin to maybe get a glasson a few of these birds. Three days worth will give me a darn good idea where to start and a darn good idea as a back-up spot if I did something stupid! When I do this I am not callin' at all.

JW

JW's right on, close the gap and listen to what else is going on by the roost.
One of the biggest downers to this area is that the birds are generally henned up.... this is something that people are going to have to deal with more and more as turkey populations slowly increase.
Dealing with whats going on around the roost and the harem that the gobbler has will only highten your skill and make you a better turkey hunter.

Gotta get much closer than 600 yards. As others said, walk in 300 or so yards in the dark and wait to see where they are. When you hear a gobble close the distance further before starting to call. Use a few soft tree calls while they are still on the roost then call agressively when they fly down.

Good luck

Mouthcaller

JW said it best!

If he is getting henned up on the roost wait for him to fly up with all the ladies one evening. Then once they are all in the trees go right under them and start yelling and screaming and scatter them to hell. The next morning he will wake up all seperated from his hens and he will be desperate to get back with them and as such will be much more responsive to calls. Get there plenty early and once he starts gobbling close the gap to about 100 yards and start calling. Little things like getting on equal or higher ground is important too. good luck with em!