Remember, the natural order of things in the turkey woods is that the gobbler calls and the hens come running to him. So, when a tom hangs up in the woods, it's probably because he's waiting for the hen to come to him. If you just keep calling from the same location, the stalemate is likely to continue. But if you have a buddy along to move away from you while calling -- fooling the gobbler into believing his potential mate is leaving -- the bird just might follow and hopefully give you a shot at him.

START A CAT FIGHT
"I had him going pretty good, but I think he was henned up."

How many times have you heard a turkey hunter say those words? How many times have you said them yourself?

One of the toughest feats in spring gobbler hunting is to lure a tom away from his harem of hens. Quite simply, why would the gobbler leave hens he can see to chase after one he can't. It's just not likely to happen.

But gobblers aren't the only turkeys that will respond to calling. Hens will answer and approach as well -- especially when they're angry. If you can get an old boss hen fired up, she's likely to come looking for a fight. And she'll drag that lovesick gobbler right along with her.

If you encounter a gobbler that's with hens, try cutting loud and aggressively. "Cutting" basically is a series of fast clucks put together. Keep changing the cadence of your calls to accent different notes during a sequence. It's those heavy notes that are likely to pique an old hen's ire.

If one of the hens starts calling back with some cutting of her own, you're in business. Before she can finish calling, cut her off with your own calling. No female likes being interrupted -- especially a boss hen! Don't worry about which calls the gobbler seems to be responding to. Focus on the hen. Once the hen is good and mad, she's going to come looking for you.

The tricky part in this scenario is getting past the boss hen -- and all the other hens in the flock -- to get a shot at the tom. Typically, the gobbler will be the last bird in the flock, which means you have to avoid being detected by every other bird until the tom is within your shotgun range. Being still and quiet when the turkeys are in sight is critical.

SPEAK A NEW LANGUAGE
I spend many hours each year perfecting the sounds of my calls using slates, diaphragms and box calls. I buy new calls each year in the never-ending quest for the perfect turkey call. By the time the season rolls around, I'm convinced I sound like the real thing.

My brother-in-law's grandfather, Dale, on the other hand, has been using the same old cracked, squeaky box call since the 1970s. Judging by the tapes I listen to and the calling pros I try to imitate, that old guy sounds nothing like a turkey. Guess which one of us kills turkeys year in and year out?