How would you have handled the same situation?

[gettingbackoutdoors]

 First year turkey hunter here.

 I've been out the first three weekends this year with no success, Only seeing lots of deer and 1 hen,  After doing some more reading and following this group i got a crow call. Went out last weekend with my new call and and all I saw was a moose, and i lost my call, lol. I was getting very frustrated to say the least. Thinking I  have no idea of what i am doing and I need to find different public land to hunt.
  I decided not to give up and went to buy a new call. Got a 3 pack: owl, crow and woodpecker on sale, for the same price as my original crow call and went out again yesterday. Got to the public land about 5:30 am. I decided to get off the pathways and make my way own way through the land. I decided to walk slowly and and as quietly as i could and about every 5-10 minutes let out a couple crow calls. As i was walking, i came up to a ledge, i stopped about 15 feet from the ledge, and let out a couple crow calls, and as soon as i finished i heard an immediate gobble. I let out a couple more and again an immediate gobble. He sounded very close and i would assume in the area below the ledge. Not knowing the terrain and not wanting to spoke the bird i decided to set up a my decoy close to what looked to be a way down into the opening below I found a spot to sit and let out a call one more time, and again an immediate gobble. I got out my homemade box call thinking what a great time to test it and let out a couple clucks and immediately he gobbled again. I waited a couple of minutes and let out some soft purrs and immediate gobble. Then what sounded like a huge herd of cattle in the land next to me started mooing. They making so much noise i couldn't hear any gobbling after i called out, this lasted about 30-45 minutes, when they finally quieted down, i got no response from either my box call or the crow call. Finally I walked down into the open area and no bird to be found.

In hindsight, if i had known the outcome i would have army crawled to the ridge and looked over as i believe the turkey was down in the opening below the ridge.

My question to you experienced turkey hunters out there is, how would you have handled the same situation? Any advice would be much appreciated. Also, being that it was still early in the morning do you think the bird will be in the same area next time I go out?

Thanks in advance.

[Gobble Doc]

I am only a novice but once I locate a gobbler with crow call or locator call then I won't use it any more.  It is then time to figure out a strategy and set up or get to the right place to set up. 

[lokidog]

Try him again, he should still be in the area.  Good luck!

[The Gobble-stopper]

As long as he didnt see you when you went down to look, he will be in the same area. I would locate him next time, then dont use the locator anymore. Once he gobbled at your call, he was letting you know he was there. 99% of the time, nothing else is needed. Just stay put, hold tight, and see what happens. Dont overcall, dont move. It takes up to 2 hours and longer sometimes, for an old, experienced bird to work his way in. Ive found out that if I shut up, it will get the best of him and eventually he will come in. Goodluck

[turkeydancer]

 
      As stated above once you located the tom, you don't need to call with the locator again.  He's still in the area somewhere, maybe just moved to another strut zone or trying to slip in unnoticed.
      Next time I would work into the open area as near to where he gobbled from as you can and be setup at least 1/2 hour before daylight. You might even hear him gobble from the roost. After he's on the ground, call very softly using occassional clucks, soft yelps and purrs ... just enought to get him curious.  If he gobbles, he has recognized you as a "real" hen and is interested (they only will gobble about 1/3 of the time).  Also listen for the "pphhhttttt, buzz" of the spit and drum (done 1/3 of the time), and keep an eye out for him trying to slip in silent (what they do the other 1/3 of the time).  Let him gobble 3 to 4 times at most to your every soft call ... and if he's coming, don't call at all or he may stop and strut ... use his natural curiosity and sex drive against him.   Good luck ....
 
     You never mentioned where you live --- for over a decade now around the Puget Sound region, my buddies and I have done several turkey hunting seminars  each spring at Cabelas, Wholesale Sports, GI Joes, sportsmans clubs, and other venues (free and about 2 hrs long). It covers all the basics plus. 
      I wish someone had these when I started instead of having to learn from the turkeys ... although they are good teachers, the lessons go on for years and years.