Stumped. Need another opinion

[Uncle Tom]

Hunted a bird doing what you described... gobble on roost, fly down, always go opposite direction every time. Here is how I killed him. Happened many yrs ago and believe me they still act the same way. Had hunted him 2 mornings in a row and figured out exactly where he was roosting. I marked a trail how to get to him in the dark and was able to get within 25-30 yards of his tree. He never knew I was there...cleaned out a path to his tree that could find way in the dark..knew exact tree I would sit and be there way before first light. Sure enough, about 30 minutes before sun up...he gobbled. Few minutes he gobbles again. Had a box call...my best box call that I had all the confidence in and have killed many birds with...gave him couple clucks...he gobbled right back...waited maby 30 seconds and give him couple more real light clucks....stand up.. ..scuffed the leaves with my feet....propped my gun up against the tree because what I am about to do you cannot carry the gun with you...not enough hands. It is just getting light enough that you can see a distance front of you...I start walking away making noise in leaves as I walk...put call under my jacket so as to muffle the sound...calling light yelps as I walk away. Probably walked 20-25 yards and calling as I walked. Then, this is where it gets exciting...I stopped , turned and ran back to my tree making noise thru leaves like you would not believe. Got to tree, sat down quick as I could, pulled face mask up, grabbed my gun...and here he comes falling thru limbs of that pine...landed probably 25 yards out in front of me. I remember I was following him with barrel as he came down...thought he would land in my lap. Pulled trigger soon as he hit ground...never knew what hit him. This will work but everything has to work perfect...know or hope he is in that tree...and do all this in total darkness...way before light and...pray a little prayer as you are sitting there waiting for that first gobble...and then work it to perfection..just as you planned. Hope you get him.

[HFultzjr]

Take a Buddy with you.
Put him where you would normally go.
You go the opposite direction.
On 2nd thought....that bird will know that, so.....
Go to where you would normally go. The turkey will think you and your Buddy switched places.
You're Buddy goes where you normally would not have gone.
Gotta out think these birds.
Anyways, when it's all said and done, congrats to your Buddy on getting this bird, no mater where you sit.
At least, that's how I do it.......LOL

[Bearhunter247]

Gonna try him again Monday he'll be have come full circle in his 5 day loop. There's one spot I can be alot sneakier to his roost then others. Ill try the walking away from the tree calling. Why not, have nothin else to lose lol.

[BABS9]

Try gobbling at him.

[CMBOSTC]

Hunted a bird doing what you described... gobble on roost, fly down, always go opposite direction every time. Here is how I killed him. Happened many yrs ago and believe me they still act the same way. Had hunted him 2 mornings in a row and figured out exactly where he was roosting. I marked a trail how to get to him in the dark and was able to get within 25-30 yards of his tree. He never knew I was there...cleaned out a path to his tree that could find way in the dark..knew exact tree I would sit and be there way before first light. Sure enough, about 30 minutes before sun up...he gobbled. Few minutes he gobbles again. Had a box call...my best box call that I had all the confidence in and have killed many birds with...gave him couple clucks...he gobbled right back...waited maby 30 seconds and give him couple more real light clucks....stand up.. ..scuffed the leaves with my feet....propped my gun up against the tree because what I am about to do you cannot carry the gun with you...not enough hands. It is just getting light enough that you can see a distance front of you...I start walking away making noise in leaves as I walk...put call under my jacket so as to muffle the sound...calling light yelps as I walk away. Probably walked 20-25 yards and calling as I walked. Then, this is where it gets exciting...I stopped , turned and ran back to my tree making noise thru leaves like you would not believe. Got to tree, sat down quick as I could, pulled face mask up, grabbed my gun...and here he comes falling thru limbs of that pine...landed probably 25 yards out in front of me. I remember I was following him with barrel as he came down...thought he would land in my lap. Pulled trigger soon as he hit ground...never knew what hit him. This will work but everything has to work perfect...know or hope he is in that tree...and do all this in total darkness...way before light and...pray a little prayer as you are sitting there waiting for that first gobble...and then work it to perfection..just as you planned. Hope you get him.

Very cool, had heard of something similar but not to that extent. Wise hunter you are!

[TRG3]

Have you tried to sound like another gobbler has entered his territory? Often, the peck order will influence a reluctant gobbler to go check out the new guy and put him in his proper position in the peck order. This worked for me twice so far this Illinois season, including this morning. Having the Funky Chicken decoy helped sell my gobbles to the real bird when he came in for a look. I've got one permit left for this spring season, plan to get close to a gobbler, and then make him think that an intruder has entered his territory. 

[jims]

Can you narrow down which tree or trees the tom roosts in?  I'm not sure if you can hunt in the afternoon or evening but possibly set up a couple hens close to his roost tree so you are ready when he returns in the evening?

[Bearhunter247]

We can only hunt til 12:00 until the last 2 weeks then we can hunt all day. Listened to him this mornin but didn't hunt him. He's almost back to wher he was the day I first posted this. Don't know if I should chase him around all  the whole 5 day loop or hunt him one spot at a time maybe pattern his other places a lil better.

[GobbleNut]

I don't know if this is one of "the" birds, but there are gobblers out there like the one you are describing that are absolutely not going to approach a turkey call.  If you are determined to kill this bird, determine where he is roosting every time you can, go in very early in full darkness, park your behind under the tree he is in, and do not make a sound until he comes out of the tree.  Hope that he lands in shooting range and end your misery with this gobbler. 

If he doesn't land within range, cluck once at him, cross your fingers, and hope for a miracle.  My guess is that as soon as you make that cluck he will high-tail it for the next county. 

Next day,....repeat,...except for the cluck.