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How far can you actually hear a gobble?

RoyalPrudent

RoyalPrudent

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I'd love to hear your collective thoughts on how far away you can hear a gobble in varying conditions.
 
I've heard gobbles at almost a mile in open terrain with no wind or light wind carrying the sound to me.

I've watched birds gobble at 60 yards but could not even hear them in 35 mph winds blowing to them.

But those are the extremes. In timber before full green up, it's usually 400y max, about half that after full green up, and even less if there is a terrain feature between the two of us.
 
yeah depends on the terrain and foliage. Early season in a spot I hunt on the river I can hear them at almost a mile pretty easy but there is nothing stopping the sound and even the ridges around the river funnel it down river.

once foliage gets up and if there is a wind that distance is cut in half if not more though especially if he is faced the other direction. like Mega Ive had them inside 100yds and could barely hear them due to wind and ambient noises. if you hunt near busy roads or even remotely close to an interstate or major hwy that also really kills the travel distance.
 
I really do not know the answer to this. I know I have heard them a half a mile away if conditions are right. I have trouble with distance and birds. So many factors to consider. If they change directions on the limb, ridges between you and them, etc.
 
Depends on terrain, foliage, weather conditions and which direction the tom is facing. I have heard them from over a mile away, and to the contrary, I haven't heard them 70 yards away when I thought I should have.
 
Years ago I could hear them hundreds of yards away. But now my hearing is very bad, if they are not within 100 yds I probably won't hear it.
 
My hearing is not what it once was (mainly left ear), but I heard a bird on the limb in hill timber at .7 miles away last year. I was slightly higher elevation that him. Cool crisp morning with minimal wind and 30-50% foliage on the trees. With that said, I hunted with a younger gentleman in Missouri few years back and he could hear turkeys on the ground gobbling that I could not hear. I told him to point in the direction of the gobbling. He did, I took off walking, and finally picked the gobbling up after walking 200-300 yards. His young ears were very impressive that morning. Protect your hearing at all costs.

One other thing worth noting, my ears have been trained for years to pick up the last little "yodle" of a gobble if you will. I think that alone helps me pick up the faint sound of a waning gobble as it is fading, and then I hightail it that direction and most times I can pick up the subsequent gobble(s) better as the distance is cut down between he and I. A trained ear to hear a gobble can be a benefit, and usually is IMO.
 
Last edited:
Andy S. said:
Protect your hearing at all costs.
Click to expand...
I find myself paying more and more attention to trying to protect my hearing. I still have very good hearing and it is typically my primary tool in detecting critters while hunting. I want to get a good pair of hearing protection that is small and quick to put on. Nothing expensive and electronic. Anyone have any good ones they'd like to share?

Royal P - hope this isn't pivoting your thread. I think it's important and overlooked by many, while being relevant to your OP.
 
Hearing is extremely important in turkey hunting. Im not sure how far I can hear a bird gobbling but its a long ways. When I was lease manager of more than 3000ac I had about 5 or 6 main locations that I would listen from and could pretty much pinpoint the location. Andy S. was on the same lease he can verify the layout. My ears have been my strongest allies in the turkey woods. Whether its a bird scratching or my favorite thing to hear in the spring besides gobbling, drumming. I have picked up on 2 birds drumming at over 200y away in the far end of a field. The wind may have been blowing my way but I definitely heard it plainly.
 
No idea but far enough to get to any that I can hunt. There is one Wma that has some clear cuts between high ridges. I'm pretty confident i get on a rise in it and 1/2 to 3/4 mile a full 360 degrees.

My main problem is direction. It's obvious that I hear better out of my left ear. When you add in terrain and which way he's facing when he gobbles it can be tough both direction and distance.
 
Great question, I've heard a few while hunting this past week. I'm brand new to turkey hunting, was not sure how far away the birds were. In wooded WMA type hunting do most of you start moving quickly towards a gobble?
 

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