i been hunting what im PRETTY sure is a boss tom....he roosts up on a ridge with a hen or 2 or 3 every morning.....this morning i set up on the other side of the gulley from him.....field to my back.....he was infront and left a little in his tree....i hunted him on his ridge 3 times...once i found him strutting....next 2 mornings he came close till his girls took him....this AM i was working a diffrentt bird...to the right..thought he moved his roost on me.....and all the sudden i heard something landing and felt the wind off its wings....i jumped like a girl and by the time i turned around i couldnt see anything.....so i turned around...because right after that that boss tom sounded off.....same gobble as always..know its him....well another hen hit the ground 20yds away....then he did somewhere infront of me...gobbling..kinda came in...then went down into the gulley and fell silent...i got ready..heard footsteps like i do every time i call him in..but he NEVER appears!!!!! i can hear him...20-30yds away..never see him though.....3 times now hes done that to me.....then i think he went up the hill to the field to strut then left eventually....i thiiiiiink i heard a spit or drum....sounded like someone zipping up a THICK fluffy winter coat almost....30 mins later i stand up to leave....figured hes hiding.....not talking...i dont know where he goes after that....so i was going to school....well a hen flew off....and has a nest 30yds from where i was.....this longbeard is killing me.....he wont slip up...some days he walks down the gulley im set up in....and today i think he went out the other end of it.......i dont know what to do anymore...i got ONE more setup to try....directly across from his roost....then i dont know what else to try....any tips for this boss tom?? his hens are killing me...and when he looses them hes the stron silent type and strutts around and goes unnotticed...wont talk....wont come.....stands his ground...but he wont strutt in ONE place....hes hit every field we have......what should i do?? patience? hang in there and wait for him to make a mistake??? thanx alot....hes killing me!!!!!! got up at 430am...went to school till now....work till 5....then start my 2nd job at 530-10ish!!!!!!!!!! hes drivin me nuts!

Mauser,

First, you may want to consider giving up on this bird for a week. Work an entirely different area. You getting stuck on killing a bird, instead of killing one bird...

Now, with that said, I personally would not give up. I'd go the whole season and try and tag the brute. If I failed, well, go to the local grocery and get a butterball [8D] We all know this is a game of wits, with trial and error, and the majority of the victory comes in outwitting a wiley old tom.

Here's what I would do...

1) Get as close as possible to his roost...and I mean close. Within 25/30 yards of his tree, in the pitch dark. If you bump him off, no big deal, may actually be easier to call into his safety zone. Don't give him any calls, and hopefully he glides into your muzzleblast.

2) One night you don't have to work, and can hunt the next morning, bust him off the roost. The next morning, more than likely, he'll be a gobblin' his fool head off trying to round up his hen. Problem is, with her nesting that close to their current roost, she's dictating the action and probably will not go to him (no need really on her part, right?!).

3) Tag team. Find a partner and harvest this tom. Even if it's not your tag, the mission will be a success.

Good luck.

i am hunting A bird.....hes driving me nuts.....thats why i keep goin back....i could find another one....a HOT one with no hens and call him right in......but i seen this bird at 50-60yds.....and could see a thick beard hanging between his legs....he seems like a true boss tom to me...only saw one other bird act like him.....and he was a boss tom that live to see another year too.....this one......im betting is a nice bird....maybe not HUGE but i bet a good bird....i want him......just the way he treats me makes me want him worse.....i dont want ANYONE but me filling a tag out for him......i put alot of work and time into this bird.....he is one of them birds that deserve to be hunted hard...doesnt deserve to be whacked by luck......today was the first day i hunted him since friday.......still acts the same setting up near his roost is iffy..sometimes he flys to the flat then works to the bottom.....sometimes he flys to the bottom....sometimes he flys across the gully.....and i dont want to bump him even though i know it can help....hes tight lipped enough.....i just dont know......i want this bird...........hes given me quite a few EXCITING hunts already.....if i dont kill him.....ill still close the season calling it a good one....i got oneeeee more setup left.....ill give it a try sometime soon.....thanx.....keep the replys coming

Use a hen decoy. Get him fired up then cut at him while you're cutting use a shaker gobbler call,he should come running. If not,like strut & rut said get close and let him fly down close to you.

I have a couple of suggestions that have worked for me. You may have already tried some or all of these.
Sounds like this guy has a pretty random pattern. Sounds like he could come off roost in any direction. You may try to start from high ground and wait to see wich direction he goes then try and move around in front of him. Or follow him with in hearing distance until he loses his hen (I know this much harder than it sonds but it may be worth a try).
If you are calling any at all while he is on roost, stop. His hens may be purposly taking him away from any competition. Wait until you know he is on the ground before you try any calling.
Stay away from excited calls until last resort. Just cluck with soft yelps. With more clucks and purrs than yelps. When a bird comes off roost and is excited and gobbling pretty good on his own, give him a hen who sounds content and not to interested in him.
If he is one of those cocky bosses this could get to his pride and force him to come have a look.
I like youre attitude toward this bird so just to encourage you I have to say: Dont give up, you have developed a relationship with this bird and if you leave him now it will haunt you. Besides trying to beat a bird that has beaten you several times is trukey hunting at its best. When you are hunting another bird your mind will be on him.
Lastly patience, just be out there as long as you can. He may come looking for you after he leaves his hens. I understand if you have to go to work but 30 minutes is not very much time to wait on a bird. Wait longer, alot longer.
He knows you are around, and he will be lookibg for more action later in the day.
I am no expert but these are a couple of things you might try. Hope it helps and good luck.

Must be something about SW PA birds Mauser, I'm pulling my hair out over the same deal. Me and a buddy teamed up on this new spot, and there is a hawg hanging out there. We bumped out of his strut zone the first time we hunted him, mid morning saturday,and this morning he roosted in a completely different spot, throwing us a real curveball. He soared right over our heads and landed in the field 600 yards away and gobbled about 100 times until his hens got there..........He's a field(cow pasture) turkey at first light with his hens, and I hate those SOB's. I'm ready to buy myself a cow suit, or try the Preston Pittman trick and dig a hole in the middle of the field at 3 in the morning, hide in it, and wait for him to strut by.

Mikey, just put a blind out there. He won't pay it any attention and more than likely will be alot easier to call he because he feels safe in the field and doesn't think anything he can sneek up on him there and hasn't been called at from there. Preston's trick is admirable but unnecessary with the blinds that are on the market.

Yea, I've been trying to get a buddy to loan me one, I just don't know if the cows will leave me alone while we're in it!

ya cows can be a killer......they lovvvvvve to follow you around.....then wont leave.....ruined a few groundhog hunts of mine......and scared my bosstom away one day.....after an hour working he finally commited to coming.....and was right around my max range....and all the sudden he ran off....and a herd of cows came charging in!!!!!!!!!! im stickin with this bird......tomarow im knockin off school and hunting him......saturday too.....sure it would be easy to find another willing bird........i could filled my tag already im sure.......but this birds drivin me nuts.......just because hes a smart ole bosstom and the way he treats me.......i feel like he doesnt even know i exsist ...but when he does know.........its alllllll over.....ill be waiting......maybe tomarow ill steal a decoy from my buddy....i gota talk to him later.....he has a exscuse every day i ask..though i KNOW he doesnt use them........he just knows i WILL use it.....and probably bag a bird with them..........if not....im still hunting....hes gota slip up sooner or later.........i dont want him to get call smart......im running out of calls here soon!! he hasnt heard my sweet box call yet.....thats the medicane tomarow! thanx guys.......one day.......i hope to end this story with pics...of me and him......

Man I want to hear about you gettin this bird. The way you've been talking about him sounds exciting. Good luck and make sure to fill me in on ALL the details of your hunts over the next 2 days. When does your season end?