THE STALK
With a target gobbler located, I watch long enough to determine which direction and how fast he is moving. Then I estimate how long it will take me to close the gap and where the bird will be once I get in front of him. That meeting place is where I will set up to call. When spotting, I also watch to see if a gobbler is alone or with hens, because that could influence my approach to calling.

Because of the distance and rough terrain that separate my glassing location from longbeards in the canyon bottom, I often begin my stalk at a trot to close the gap quickly before the gobbler can move too far. Using any available gullies, ravines, or clumps of brush to hide my approach, I hustle toward the location where I last saw the bird. This is where those landmarks come in. Without them as reference points, you easily can go astray and end up in totally the wrong place. Remember those landmarks.

Throughout the stalk I stop and glass often to relocate the bird if possible. Knowing exactly where he is can be a huge advantage. Then, approaching within 200 yards of his location, I slow way down and listen. A hot gobbler might make so much noise gobbling that he is easy to locate, or his hens might chatter enough to give them all away. If I know exactly where the gobbler is and still have plenty of cover to conceal me, I try to stalk within 100 yards or closer. Experience tells me the odds for calling-in a gobbler are by far the best if you begin calling from short range. That's especially true on a windy day when you have to get close just for him to hear you.

At the same time, if a gobbler sees you, the gig is up. You're done. So you have to weigh the risks as you close the gap. In a nutshell, get as close as you can -- while remaining unseen.

THE CALL
Once within range, preferably 100 yards or less, look for a good hiding place. Always stay hidden in the shadows with a dark background to break up your outline. And wear camouflage head to toe to complete your concealment.

Also, always try to set up on the birds' natural line of travel. This is where scouting before the season really pays off. Knowing where the birds travel daily will help you quickly pick the most effective ambush point. Try never to leave any obstacles -- fences, ravines, creeks -- between you and a gobbler. He naturally will take the path of least resistance and may not cross an obstacle to get to you.

One of my friends hunts open river bottoms but with less natural cover for hiding than where I hunt. To assure himself of good hiding spots in the paths of moving turkeys, he scouts before the season and strategically places several ground blinds across a half-mile stretch of river bottom. Then, after spotting and stalking a bird, he decides which blind is closest to a good ambush spot and hustles into that blind to call. I've used a similar strategy with good results.

Once you are hidden near a gobbler, it's time to let him know where you are. Personally, I start soft with a few seductive yelps on a box call, calling sparingly every few minutes to gauge his response. If he gobbles at every call, I shut up and let him come find me. If he never makes a sound, I continue to call every five to ten minutes for up to an hour, changing from yelps and purrs to cutting and clucks. Anything to pique his curiosity. On many occasions I've had gobblers sneak in without gobbling even once. I usually put a single hen decoy about 10 yards from my hiding place to hold his attention.

A solitary gobbler or several gobblers together with no hens present the best potential targets for spot, stalk, and call, because such birds generally will come aggressively to calling. A gobbler with a flock of hens will be much tougher, so on these I always try to set up in their direct line of travel, and I call to coax the flock within range. If the hens start to chatter, I try to mimic their exact sounds. If you can call the lead hen within range, the boss tom most likely will follow.