Drumming

[NEKVT]

Do only gobblers drum?

[bgbuck153]

Grouse do it too .

[NEKVT]

I know that they do too.... but what I mean is Do Hens also drum?

[jakebird]

Never heard a hen do it, not saying they couldn't, though. Personally never heard or saw a hen gobble. Its rare, but it has been documented, so i guess drumming is possible, but i'd make the bet if u heard it, it's a gobbler.

[Turkeyman]

I've witnessed a hen strutting and gobbling but she did not drum.

[TauntoHawk]

I've witnessed a hen strutting and gobbling but she did not drum.

Also have seen hens strut and gobble but not drum.. If it happens its extremely rare

[NEKVT]

Most of the drumming i am here here is grouse i am pretty sure.

[jakebird]

Grouse drumming and turkey drumming are entirely different sounds. A grouse beats its wings extremely fast, a gobbler produced the sound from deep in its chest, kinda like a cat purring. It is a very low frequency vibration, kinda reminds me of my cell phone set to vibrate and lying on the table going off. Its usually preceded by the "spit" which is a sharp, higher pitched sound that seems to be an exhale by the bird. Together they sound like "tick....vrooooom." they almost always do this while strutting. Often they do it on the limb in the early morning too. Most guys have trouble hearing it past 50 or 75 yds. If u hear it, he's close.

[triune]

I've seen hens go into full display but never heard one drum.

[NEKVT]

Yeah I am hearing grouse....sounds like a lawn mower starting up....

[dirt road ninja]

Once you hear it you'll know and get ready he's close. I have trouble hearing it in the woods past 30 or 40 yards.

[TRKYHTR]

I have seen hens perform the act of spitting and drumming but I have not been close enough to actually hear if she was drumming. I had one of my hens get out of the pen a while ago and flew on top of my house. She started strutting and then went into full blown spitting and drummin but I couldn't get close enough to hear if she was actually making the drumming sound. I would say they do but it's probably not as loud or prominent as a gobbler.

TRKYHTR

[TRKYHTR]

"Drumming" is three things happening IMO.
The spit is the tom sucking air into his craw and part of the sound is him also kicking his wings down in the same motion. The drum is that same air filled craw used like a drum. The mechanics of how they beat it I'll have to leave to someone else to explain.

IMO you'll almost always find a breeding tom you've killed will have his craw full of air regardless of if you saw him strut while coming in.

I've seen hens strut, Dad swears he's had at least two come in and appear to make a gobble but not as strong as a tom. I've not witnessed hens drumming but I wouldn't think it impossible for them to do..

I have to respectfully disagree with your spitting theory. I have been literally inches away from my gobbler when he was spitting and drumming and visually saw spit fly from his mouth and land on his beak. As for the drumming I have no idea how they make that sound but it does seem to come from inside their chest.

TRKYHTR

[TRKYHTR]

No prob Joe. I've been inches away from them as well. I'll stick with my theory. Those toms we raised when I was a kid made the same "spit" sound when they were gorging on scratch feed too. It was air going in then too. They'd eat so fast the feed would pack into the side of their throat. Ever handle a tame turkey closely enough to know what I am speaking of?

Yep and I still say it's exhaling/spitting. My Rio Grand gobbler Buddy imprinted on me so I can get as close as I want. We've also had our disagreements. Lol

TRKYHTR

[TRKYHTR]

I also think the drumming part is an exhalation of air. I think they breath air in and then start with the spit, then begin drumming while exhaling air. Just my theory. If you have ever tried to imitate the sound of the spit and drum it's almost impossible to imitate it by sucking air in. But it can be reproduced by chicking air out. I think I just made up a new word. Then drumming by vibrating air while exhaling. These are just my theories. I wish a biologist would take this on as a project and research it to get the truth out there.

TRKYHTR
Joe