Vermont_hunter

Phil you could always try this. worked pretty good for him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hXFQCQGVDE

Phil from Maine

It is a hard situation where this bird is. He is out on a power line and varies within a quarter of a mile as to where he and the hens come out at. I do know that 3 hens keep popping up in one certain area though. Perhaps he is in hiding where those hens keep showing up at??

huntrfishr

That's what he is doing hunting for those hens by waiting them out on the sideline.
Call without a decoy and if he doesn't see a hen he might just be wandering about trying to locate you. If he sees anything he won't come as he is used to the hens coming to him when they see him.
Next time when you are out just listen if you can hear a hen calling. Every hen has a little bit of a difference in pitch on her. Try and match the call of that hen if you can the next time out.
This is what I would do if I was in your situation as trying to fool him with a call. Of course you can just ambush him but that's no fun.
Good luck, I can feel your predicament as I can relate to it a few seasons back when I wanted this particular Turkey. This Tom was a spoiled one. I saw at least 2 hens flew across the whole field just to be with him one morning.
One day I ended up following them to the nest site and lingered for a couple of hrs 150 yards away waiting silently and when I saw him by himself at the edge around 11:00am I started to call with a slate call which I though was my closest call to an immature hen I've heard before. There was no hesitation on his part. That was the most rewarding hunt that season and he turned out to be a beautiful bird with about 1 inch spurs. It took me almost 2 weeks of driving 1.5 hrs. to go hunt this bird almost every day,but hunting and learning experience was well worth it. Things I used to do I sometimes wonder but glad I can still do it.
Good luck Phil and make sure you take some good pictures when you get him.

Phil from Maine

Thanks for the input! I know where the hens come out for the most part and have an idea they are nesting close by that area. That tom has been non responsive to a couple of calls I have used. I have been avoiding the slate for when I know he will be looking for more again. I am thinking that it is getting close to that now. He has been with them for a while so I will try and just wait and listen to see if I can hear anything. I know he is a very smart bird and he has proven difficult for me to say the least so almost any ideas are good to hear. Thank you.

w123t

Phil,

Any luck with that bird ? If you can get within
A hundred yards and call very aggressively
You might get the dominant hen mad enough to
Come kick your butt and bring the Tom along with her.

As a last desperate choice you could wait until they
Fly up in the evening and then go in just before
Dark and flush them. If you can get on him the next morning
Before fly down and set up close you might be able to
Call him in before the hens get to him---again last
Ditch effort.

Also, if you've been hunting him in a field, if he doesn't
Fly down in the field, I would leave the decoys home
And try him back in the woods near where he roosts.

Good luck.

Phil from Maine

I was in that area this morning and not even a hen showed up there today. They travel a power line/ pipe line and normally can be seen coming out anywhere out to 400 yards from where they hang around at most of the time. I will be watching and listening for then every time I can get a chance to. I know where they come out at most of the time so I may be able to get a shot at him yet.. Thanks for the ideas..

w123t

Phil,

Ah, the first Tom I took this year was a powerline bird
and had 4 hens with him. It was very tough situation.
I watched him strut with his hens for 1 1/2 hours at
about 125 yards before I was able to convince the
hens to come over for a chat and he trailed along
behind. At 34 yards he was mine.

Back to your bird, hens have probably gone to nest
nearby in some rally thick raspberry tangle or similar
situation. Unless they lose their clutch to predation
or the weather you probably will not be seeing them as
much. He's nearby, have you been able to figure
out where he likes to roost? My best luck at this time
of year has been in the 10 am to noon time range.

Good Luck!

Phil from Maine

While I am not 100% sure where he roosts I do have a pretty good idea on it. I do not want to push him off it as he most likely will be trying to find another group of hens to take over. I suspect he will be looking for some more hens soon though. If that happens he should be easier to get then. The hens have stopped showing up but, he has appeared to have vanished as well. I know they are all still there though. So I will continue to watch for him around 9:30 to 11:30. That is what time I expect him to be moving once he starts. I could be wrong though.. Sometimes they can be really hard to figure out..