Oh you are right about the drumming, love to hear it, just after he's gobbled to me a few times… I do find it hard to stay put when they aren't gobbling.Have to disagree, as to me, there is nothing better than FEELING the air, seems like even the ground, VIBRATE from a DRUMMING Old Tom!
Every time I FEEL a drumming Tom "slipping" up behind me, I'm reminded of that scene from the original Jurassic Park movie, where the glass of water started vibrated. You could "feel" the vibration, something "big" was about to happen.
You don't just hear drumming, you FEEL it.
It feels something like the vibration of distant bombs, or an approaching earthquake.
You'll often feel this vibration before you hear the drumming.
Typically, an old Tom that comes in "silent" may gobble once on the roost, once on the ground. Assume he can hear and heard your hen calls, then shut up. May take him a couple hours or longer, but he's often coming your direction, slowly & surely, maybe after he breeds some hens.
Many hunters simply get up & relocate too soon, the old Tom sees (or hears) them, the hunter never knew. Once I know or believe he heard me, and assuming I'm already in a good position, I'm not relocating for at least hours. Between 10A & Noon can be magical times for taking those older Toms.
Yeah I use to be a tournament fisherman… then a Turkey gobbled at me…Back in the 80's & 90's, when TN had a 2-bird turkey limit, I remember several times "limiting out" the first weekend of the season. And, actually liked to do that, just so I could then focus on early April fishing. Early April is just generally the most wonderful time to be on the water.
But when the turkey limit went to 3, then 4, I started turkey hunting the month of April, at the expense of fishing.
Maybe it sounds somewhat "sacrilegious" to some of you, but I'm kinda just SOMEWHAT "over" turkey hunting, and actually looking more forward to fishing this year the 1st two weeks of April.
Not that I don't really enjoy turkey hunting, but I figure my best turkey hunting is behind me, and it was back in the 90's and early 2000's. Not sure exactly all the reasons, but back then, Toms were simply more vocal, at least in the places I hunted then and still hunt now.
I wear those Walker Game Ears, you can hear a bug crawling in leaves with those things on!Many turkey hunters cannot relate to this statement as they have never heard or felt drumming. My hearing ability has diminished over the years. In my 20s, I could hear drumming at 80-100 yards on a clear, calm day. In my late 30s that diminished to 60 yards or so, and now he needs to be 40-50, or closer for me to pick it up clearly. Being capable of hearing drumming at 80-100 yards is one of the things I miss most about turkey hunting these days. It is a very deadly tool in the hardwoods where I hunt.
I've talked to several guys who use some sort of hearing aids. The one thing they all said is they get a lot of noise distraction from all sounds being amplified, and they cannot decipher direction that good with game ears (muffs), aids, etc. I do not know if that is true for everyone, but a handful of guys have all told me that.I wear those Walker Game Ears, you can hear a bug crawling in leaves with those things on!
When I hear drumming, it sounds like it's all around me
First time I ever identified it, it was from an old Tom that slipped up behind me, and when he got within 10 feet of me, it seemed very loud, sending shivers up my spine.
Well I am hearing impaired already. I normally can't wear my hearing aids and shoot, but I do "think" my hearing aids blank out when you fire.I've talked to several guys who use some sort of hearing aids. The one thing they all said is they get a lot of noise distraction from all sounds being amplified, and they cannot decipher direction that good with game ears (muffs), aids, etc. I do not know if that is true for everyone, but a handful of guys have all told me that.
I know I've always been honest but alot probably won't tag them at all with the online tagging jmhoWill the 2 bird limit affect your decisions on which birds you take?
Ex. Opening morning, you have multiple birds hammering and answering. But a silent 2 yr old comes in. Do you shoot?
Ex 2 You kill opening day. Your next hunt, you're presented with a quick kill opportunity. Do you end your season?
Honestly, I'm not sure how I'd answer. I do have others that I can take, so that factors.
I just want to have as many memorable hunts as possible.
Curious if you'll approach it differently?