Turkey Drumming..... I can’t hear it

[NCL]

I have never heard either sound which prompted this question. Is the sound unique to species or all they all the same regarding producing the sounds?

[RiverRoost]

The best way I can tell someone to hear it and know what it is is two ways. The way I first heard it and knew what I was hearing was I had a gobbler well within shotgun range and felt pretty confident that he was taking a ride with me, so I told myself to hold off shooting and make a conscious effort with my ears to see if I could pick up any kind of "noise" while he was strutting and in close range as he was. When I made myself "focus" on listening for this noise I could hear it and it's like a light went off that that was the drumming sound and I've been able to hear it/pick it up from distances since then. I guess because I "knew" what to listen for from that in-field experience.  The other way to Atleast get "exposed" to the sound of drumming is watch a video either with EarPods in or over a surround sound/sound bar whatever, at home with speakers that will pick up and amplify bass, just like a surround sound home system will do and if you find a video with a bird strutting or YouTube Turkey drumming the subwoofer and surround sound will pick up that drumming sound and make it MUCH more noticeable than just watching the video over regular tv speakers. This way will Atleast let you hear it so that you have a general idea of how low the tone can be and exactly what it will sound like to be listening for in the woods.

[Mossberg90MN]

I've only heard it once and I was maybe 10 yards.

I've heard some birds can do it louder then others.

I was doing some hunting in Wisconsin late season, so I'm sure that bird new to keep quiet and drum instead. As I was leaving the area about 10 yards to my left in the thicker woods I heard a spit and drum. Too late, my reaction to it did me in.

Yea I can't hear it.


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[fallhnt]

You're not missing anything

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[saltysenior]

I've heard it a few times in the past.......always in back of me and with bad results..now I can't hear nothing , but you never think you are in a bad spot..

[stinkpickle]

When I first started hunting, I thought it was some farm kid way off in the distance playing with subwoofers.  Since it's so bass heavy, I can't tell which direction it's coming from, but I can hear it LONG before I can hear the higher pitched spit.  It will wake me up from a nap.

[RiverRoost]

You're not missing anything

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100% not true. Now that I've heard it I realize it's No telling how many turkeys I've spooked by moving and whatever that I didn't hear drumming and not see them. What you are missing, is an opportunity to try to pinpoint and incoming bird that's gone silent or whatever the situation may be but if he's coming in and strutting he's more than likely drumming as well and with a proper setup where he can't see you and is searching you may heard the drumming before you actually see him and you have them Atleast pinpointed or acknowledge that there is a gobbler REAL close. I've killed a bird that I got set up on and he went silent and after several several minutes of silence I heard the drumming and began trying to pick him out with my eyes. Bird never gobbled coming in and only strutted and drummed and had I not been able to hear the drumming I never would have been so intently focused on that area trying to spot him

[paboxcall]

You're not missing anything

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Hardly. When you hear the drumming, he's close. For those of us with impaired hearing that means take the safe off super close.

This is what I wrote last summer in another thread about drumming:

For me, its much less hearing the drumming, and more becoming aware of the drumming. Like its suddenly everywhere around me. Its not like you hear a gobble - and think that's a gobble. Or hear a whipper-will - and think that's a whipper-will.

I just suddenly become aware I'm immersed in the drumming vibration. And that's when the adrenaline dump happens because I KNOW he's close, super close, my rational thinking brain turns off, and I too often do something stupid, like move my head to try and pinpoint him.

If I'm hearing drumming, I'm having a good day in the spring woods.

[Jimspur]

You're not missing anything

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I think when you hear a bird drum it's more exciting than a gobble because it's so hard to pinpoint. You know he's close but you don't know where.

[Southerngobbler]

I haven't heard it in years. When I was younger I would hear it once or twice each season. Even on the video's when they say "the drumming is deafening" I can't hear it. Doesn't exist anymore for me and my hearing isn't all that bad. I can hear a gobble when lots of others can't. I guess its just that particular frequency.

[mhamby]

Certain people hear different frequencies better than others. I have tinnitus pretty bad but I can still pick up the spit better than the drum.

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You aren't the only one......it seems that when I get in the woods my tinnitus is even worse because it's so quiet. My hearing tests are starting to look pretty bad as I age. 

[Mountainburd]

I used to hear it when I first starting turkey hunting in my teens.  However, after many years of shooting guns with no ear protection, dirtbikes, chainsaws, a radio for work blaring in my ears for years, I'm lucky to hear the tick tick anymore, even under 30 yards.  I even struggle with gobbling.  And I'm only 41.

I did hear one spitting and drumming last year before I shot it, and that was the first one in years.  The funny part is I hear grouse drumming exceptionally. 

[vt35mag]

Turn 37 in a month, and I can still hear drumming well.  Somewhere in the 75-100yd range in the woods.
I can hear that, but for some reason, most of the time I can't hear my wife 10ft away.

[guesswho]

Turn 37 in a month, and I can still hear drumming well.  Somewhere in the 75-100yd range in the woods.
I can hear that, but for some reason, most of the time I can't hear my wife 10ft away.

Sounds like to suffer from close proximity hearing loss.   Here is a cure that doesn't require an RX.  Have her walk a hundred yards away and see if you can hear her.   If not have her walk another 100, and so on and so on. I have a feeling once you do that exercise you will be able to hear her loud and clear.   

[vt35mag]

Turn 37 in a month, and I can still hear drumming well.  Somewhere in the 75-100yd range in the woods.
I can hear that, but for some reason, most of the time I can't hear my wife 10ft away.

Sounds like to suffer from close proximity hearing loss.   Here is a cure that doesn't require an RX.  Have her walk a hundred yards away and see if you can hear her.   If not have her walk another 100, and so on and so on. I have a feeling once you do that exercise you will be able to hear her loud and clear.