Hunted with my nephew Sanford (he's 17 and killed his first turkey over decoys with me last year) this morning in Nelson County on the mountain overlooking my parents' farm. There were five or six gobbling from the roost in all directions around us. We climbed up to about 150 yds from the one who seemed most interested in what we were saying. He gave us a walk-by at 60 yds and wouldn't come back but didn't putt. After a decent interval we went back down to the saddle where we started and heard him again up where he had been. We went back up to within about 100 yds as he kept gobbling, and set up in a hollow below him as close as we dared, as these woods are fairly open. He started closing the distance, gobbling as he came, but there was a rock outcropping between him and us at about 30-40 yds range. As we were whispering about whether he would be in range if he came straight over the rocks, we saw him in flight above us -- he flew toward us, then at about 10 yds he took a right turn and sailed down into the hollow below us and would not answer any more of our yelping. I think he must have been a little put off by the shocked looks on our faces (despite our face masks). My first thought when I saw the big black bird flapping through the treetops above us was that a crow had swooped down to harass the gobbler and only as he flew by did I realize what had really happened. Knowing we had been whipped by a superior opponent, we headed back down to the farm and put out some decoys in a hayfield and talked back and forth with another one who answered us repeatedly but wouldn't cross a small creek to get to us, bringing us finally to the noon hour. When we arrived for lunch and Grandma asked how we had done, Sanford replied that we didn't kill one and we had an awesome hunt. I couldn't agree more. There's nothing like a smart old mountain turkey (and good company) to help a middle aged hunter feel young.

Aerial reconnaissance, Tough bird:) Good luck w/ him.

Sounds like quite a hunt. It will be even sweeter once you get him

Ode to be humble, especially when your after the king of spring.. You got'em feel for them just wait it out.. Me I don't consider it defeat I think of it like a good day of scouting.

The right attitude for a greatbday