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Turkey Drumming; audio clips..
Topic Started: Feb 23 2007, 09:01 PM (434 Views)
Posted Image Ven-Pisc-ator
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Last spring while out turkey hunting one morning, I heard some drumming, at first I thought it was the farmer starting up a tracker. It was coming from somewhere in front of me, I thought over in the next field. Then I heard another one coming from behind me. It was similar to that of a drumming grouse, only louder.

Since I can only suspect that it was turkey, did some internet searches when I got home, I discovered that turkey do drum, but I have yet to come across any decent audio clips, does anybody have any, or any thoughts on "turkey drumming"? Like when do they do it? For what purpose to they drum?

Ven-ator
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Ven-ator

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Posted Image OntGobbler
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I think you might get some debate on what is causing the actual sound but there is no question on what they are doing. When a gobbler is "strutting" to attract a hen he will "spit 'n drum". The spit is the first sound which sounds short and quick. the word used might best be "chyk!".

The drumming follows this . Your decsription of an engine starting form a distance feild is a good one I think. "bbbrmmmmmmmmm" Low and steady sounding.

They will do this at other times of the year to show dominance amongst male birds I believe as well. Primarily this is a Spring mating sound however. That would be any time now through into the early summer.

It is the greatest sound to hear when turkey hunting. If you hear it it means a male bird is probably no more than 75 yds away and in the mood for love.

You didn't mention that you saw turkeys and if I had to bet you probably looked around to see where the drumming was coming from. Natural reflex but next time when you hear that FREEZE! Look with no more movement than your eyeballs. Do not move until you have a visual and know the bird can't detect your movement (like when he goes behind a tree or something) I'll bet even if you just turned your head a little, the turkeys caught that movement and quietly walked off never to be seen.

Seeing them strut and hearing the spit 'n drum is part of the "crack" addiciton of turkey hunting. You'll alwys want to go back for more.......

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Posted Image rutman
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The spitt'n and drumming is audible at very close ranges only. I have turkeys similar to bronzes in my pen. I am not sure how to record the sound but if I find a way I will post on here for ya. Every time it gets mild here, he goes full strut. I've seen him doing it 3 times now.(I mean struttin) The variety of bird I have is called wild and is a domestic variety. to describe the sound I would say FFFFFFT Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmm.
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Posted Image buckstop
buckstop northern wisconsin

Yes you guys are absolutely right . I was really puzzled the first time i heard this in the woods but have since killed 5 or 6 wisconsin gobblers that were behind me after hearing this soft ptttt vvvvvrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmm. I think most turkeys are shot before the hunter hears this. the times i've heard it were on real quiet days when the tom was within 50 yards. once you learn to identify this sound in the woods it really is an advantage especially those quiet birds that sneak up behind you and won't gobble. it's amazing how many turkey hunters i've talked to that have never heard this but it's unmistakable once you know what to listen for. tons of turkeys here in wisconsin once again this spring.
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Posted Image buckstop
buckstop northern wisconsin

oh i forgot..... like ONTGOBBLER said this is debaitable how they make this sound VRRRRMMMMMMMMMMMMM but i honestly think they do it by vibrating their tail fan. i have never heard this noise without the bird being fanned out completely. :deer: :deer: :deer:
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Posted Image alf
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Bowmanville/Haliburton

A little addition to this debate where the sound may be coming from, I took my daughter to a small zoo one spring, in Orono, they had a huge tom strutting around, he had 4 beards. He wanted to challenge my daughters stroller. I had to take her out so she wouldn't get hurt. When he made that drumming noise, to me it sounded like it was coming from his chest. The loose skin on the breast of a turkey fills up with air and it seems thatis where the noise is coming from. It was pretty freaky but cool to see.
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Posted Image unclefester
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One of my first gobblers scared the crap out of me with the spit and drum.
I had my back to the bush and looking out into my deeks.When all of a sudden I hear a "checkt......pfffffffffft." and a shuffel in the leaves from just over my left shoulder.Well I nearly sh-t :D
I slowly turned my head and all I saw was a full fan faceing the other way about 20 yards out into the bush.I quickly made the turn but he saw the movement and his head came up.Bang :thumbsup:

I will never forget that sound or that morning. woohoo


Ken.
www.uwaycanada.ca
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Posted Image Ven-Pisc-ator
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Thanks for the input guys!
When I heard the drumming last spring, I did not realize that they were so close to me! :( I would not have quit and went home so soon!. Last spring was my first year attempting the "art" of turkey hunting! But, I guess it was a learning experience. Now that I understand a little better about the "drumming" gobbler, I will hopefully have better luck this spring.

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Adrian J Hare
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PUTTTT RRUUUMMMMMMMMMM


O ya a sound that every turkey hunter wants to hear. When this sound is heard the Tom is not far and at most time within the Max shotgun range of the gun.

The sound is made as said above from the chest or the breast and the feathers of the Gobbler. The spit and drum is a silent call that a gobbler does to allow hens to know that he is in the area without doing any gobbling. Hunting or preditor presure will change a gobbler to only Spit and Drum while he confronts hens in the spring season.

When I hear this I don't more and keep a good eye for a silent tom to slide into my setup...
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Posted Image Ven-Pisc-ator
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Since thoughts of spring turkey hunting will soon become a constant buzz in our heads has we shovel snow, I thought about this thread I started a long while back. It will be helpfull to some and for those hoping to get started this spring.

Ven
PS. If anybody has come across some good audio clips of Toms drumming, please post.
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Posted Image perrysbirds
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Great Newfie Hunter

I cant say that I know the spit and drummin yet!
I hope it will happen this spring though!!
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