A son of the soil, innovative call designer, longtime Hunter's Specialties pro staffer, and turkey hunter with a half-century of experience, Eddie Salter is skilled in all aspects of the sport. Yet, through countless magical hours afield and having observed him in action under a variety of conditions, I think the defining characteristic of his success is that Salter simply believes. He is convinced that the next call, the top of the next ridge, or next setup will lead to working a turkey. That confidence translates to remarkable persistence.

The word "quit" is not in his hunting vocabulary. On the other hand, he is remarkably flexible and willing to adjust his tactics to suit a particular situation. That results in success on an impressively regular basis. Or, as his brother-in-law once put it to me, "It would take an 18-wheeler slap full to the top to hold all the turkeys Eddie has called in."

One thing is certain. However many turkeys he has called to the gun, in every case Eddie Salter believed they would come.