Advice on a setup

[Danno]

For those of you that are done you can help me with a stratagy to get this bird. OK here is an aerial photo of the scene. I tried to draw locations of the roost, etc. but my software wouldn't allow me to save it in an uploadable file, so bear with me-

This was the first time I hunted here, but I had heard gobbling here on an early morning scout, so I thought I had pinpointed a roost. This morning a gobbler was roosted near a creek in the southwest corner of this picture. I setup about 125 yards east of him and about about 100 yards south of the hayfield. As a reference this picture is about 500 yards wide. I was at the top of an oak ridge and he had to come up a revine to get to me. He responded to my calls, but never came. I think it was too thick and steep to come directly up that hill. I have two options. I could move to a ridge that has a good view of the valley that he was in (just north of his roost and directly west of the southwest corner of the hayfield). This would be about 20-30 yards north of where he is roosted. I wonder of this is too close and I could get busted. He could see me there in the daylight for sure. Or I could set up a ground blind in the open in the hayfield. There were some other birds gobbling further north along the creek. I haven't seen birds in the hayfield, but I suspect that it would be a good feeding area. The hayfield option might be a possibility for an evening sit and catch the birds going back to roost, I'm thinking. I need all the help I can get. This is my first year turkey hunting. I have had them responding to my calls, but they either hang up or sneak up behind me and I get busted trying to swing around. I hope this all works and I'll look forwad to any and all help I can get. Thanks.

 

[teeroy]

i think i would try to get set up on the edge of the hayfield EARLY in the morning, or just get out early, and hit the owl call, and get one to gobble. then try to guess what he will do when he flies down. if that hayfield is close, he will probably try to go there for some struttin' to drawn in a few hens. if there is some structure between the hayfield and him (like the creek) maybe set up in on the edge of a clearing on the creekbank, and get him there

 

[GunnerJon]

I would suggest sitting on the edge of the hayfield and try to find where the bird or birds are coming in. Getting close to a roost site is also a good idea but if I am planning on being 30 yards or closer, I usually sneek in the afternoon before, pop up the blind and camo it up with brush. Then get there EARLY the next morning and literally creep and tiptoe to the blind.

The old saying is true...it's much easier to call a bird to you if you are in a spot he is heading to or just wants to go to. A word of caution as well...once a bird gets to a field and starts strutting and gobbling out in the middle, your task of harvesting him has gotten harder in many situations. Field turkeys have given me fits over the years, but I have tagged my share of them as well.
Sometimes the birds just won't pay attention to any of your calls or decoys...so try to plan ahead and cut him off in an ambush.
In my opinion, this year has been a hard one. I tagged out during 2nd and 4th, but man did I have to work for them. I was met with non-responsive and "cold" turkeys on most outings...with a few hot birds mixed in to give me hope!
All in all....there are likely dozens of awesome setups all along the ridges he is using in the timber as well.
Go early (and I mean "the-turkeys-won't-see-or-hear-me-dark-of-the-morning"), stay late, learn your birds and be persistant!