Drumming deaf

[fairchaser]

This is the first time I've ever heard drumming on a video. Thanks Catman! Now I know what to listen for and hopefully pick it up in the woods. The key to hearing it is to listen for the spit and then hear that 1-2 second long drum. It sounds like the staccato drum roll on a bass drum rising to a quick ending. Sort of like a wuuooop.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I've called in birds and heard it but, it sounds like it's coming from every direction.

 

[redblood]

Cant hear it now. Couldnt hear it at 17 when they opened the 1st season here

 

[Spurhunter]

I've never heard it. My ears don't pick up that frequency I guess. I've been with other hunters and they hear it out of the blue and here he comes. It sucks.

 

[Willysman]

I think I might be drumming deaf. I've turkey hunted for over 30 years and killed several, and have never heard one drum. I can hear them spit, but not drum. I've even watched videos where they are supposed to be drumming and hear nothing. I guess it's possible I cant hear that tone?? I do have high frequency hearing loss.

May be my problem. I've turkey hunted for 45 years, killed nigh on a hundred turkeys and have only heard one turkey drum.

 

[TnKen]

I had 3 in front of me strutting this morning and didn't hear a thing. I figure this late in the game I never will. I kind of feel like I'm missing out on something after listening to y'alls experiences.

 

[Benelli 4 Life]

I can't hear high frequency sounds for nothing but I swear I can hear a bird drumming 200yds and over a ridge when the wind ain't blowing.

 

[muddyboots]

I hear spitting alot. Drumming not so much. Usually too much wind. Several years back I was going in the evening I parked my truck and opened door. Immediately sounded like a hive of bees. I snuck into the mix and it was seven gobblers and several hens witn all the gobblers drumming. It was quite a spectacle. I miss those days.

 

[TheLBLman]

I had what appeared to be a 3-yr-old Tom slip in behind me yesterday @ 2pm.
A crow landed nearby and cawed loudly, to which the Tom then shock gobbled about 10 yards behind my position. Right after he gobbled, he spit once, then started to drum, but never any more than that once.

Many just don't drum, some do, some do a lot.
As to this one yesterday, I think he knew something just wasn't right, possibly why he "slipped" in so quietly without my hearing him in dry hardwood leaves.

I had called him up from a considerable distance, but only yelped following what began as his "free" mid-day gobbles. Last time he gobbled, he was too close (and behind me) for me to respond (or move) in any way. Time before that, he was probably 200-plus yards away in a hardwood bottom. Somehow, he circled in behind me, as though he had exactly pin-pointed where those yelps had come, even from several hundred yards away.

I believe when he 1st responded, he had to be over 450 yds away, due to such a heavy tangle of young pines & briars between us, which he could not travel thru.

But seems like, most that come in like this one, often do drum, which is how I know they're coming. This one was exceptionally stealthy, and if that crow hadn't cawed, I'd likely have never known Mr. Tom was standing only a few feet behind me.