How Far Can You Hear a Turkey Gobble? A Comprehensive Guide to Turkey Gobble Range

I recall the temperature being low and the dense fog that hung over the Tensas River in northeastern Louisiana. My ears were a little confused by the multitude of sounds emanating from the hardwood forest along the river’s edge. The waves lapping on the side of an old Jon boat was another distraction. Together with his closest buddy Mr., my dad was seated in the boat’s stern, and I took up the middle seat. Sonny Hudnall. I remember straining my ears to hear a sound they were hearing that I could not. Their mission was for me to hear my first wild turkey gobble. Again Mr. Sonny asked, “Did you hear that?” Sure, I thought. I hear birds in the trees, water dripping into the river from the trees, and water on the side of the boat. “Did I hear what?” was my answer. “It will sound like oble, oble, oble,” said Mr. Sonny.

I strained to hear the sound and finally thought I did. “Was that him?” I asked. “Son, that was the turkey you just heard,” my father said, leaning in close to my ear from behind. He has gobbled six times since we have been here. He is about a quarter-mile away. You just have to learn to separate all the sounds from the sound you want to hear. Focus on that sound and you will hear it clearly. The secret to hearing is in the listening!”.

That morning was the first time I heard a wild turkey gobble. Since that morning more than fifty years ago, a lot has been learned about wild turkeys, but none more so than how to hear and listen for them. Here are some tips that will help you.

Know What You Are Listening For

Learning what to listen for is the first step to hearing more turkeys. The gobble of the wild turkey is one of the most unique sounds in nature. To the experienced turkey hunter there is no other sound that can be confused with a gobble. It is a sound that can be challenging for a beginner to distinguish, especially when it is far away. The more subdued noises that turkeys make, like drumming, yelping, and scratching in leaves, are even more difficult to hear. All these sounds can tell you that turkeys are near.

Turkeys make noise in three different contexts: inside trees, while they are flying into or out of them, and on the ground. Turkeys gobble, yelp, cackle and drum in the tree and on the ground. Turkey hens often cackle when flying up to or down from the roost. The thump of wings is another distinct sound made by turkeys. A gobble made in a tree typically sounds different from one made on the ground. It is clearer and less muffled.

A gobble made in a tree can typically be heard twice as far away as one made on the ground. That same “twice-as-far” rule applies to all other turkey sounds.

A gobbler in an open field will sound distinct and be audible for twice as long as one in a wooded area.

Judging distance and coursing sound are other factors in turkey hunting success. Hearing a turkey sound and identifying that sound is step one.

You need to know the direction and distance from the sound in order to hunt that turkey successfully. The first step to hearing more turkeys is to know what turkeys sound like. Experience and exposure to turkeys can teach you what to listen for. A better way is to watch other hunters. Videos and DVD’s put you in the woods with experienced hunters.

From the comfort of your living room, learn how turkeys sound in the wild by watching the sounds on the DVDs. Some businesses provide videos that only discuss the sounds made by turkeys and explain what each sound represents.

Cup your hands behind your ears and open your mouth. This gathers more sound into your ears. Of course, you can’t hear behind you either, but gathering more sound waves can help you locate the source.

The second step to hearing more turkeys is to isolate yourself from any distracting noise. If you are listening with a hunting partner, distance yourself from your partner. This will eliminate any distracting sounds they make or the temptation to talk. It also helps to triangulate the sounds direction.

Choose a listening place where you can stand or sit motionless and be comfortable. I like to rest my back against a tree or sit on a log. I do not shuffle my feet in the leaves and I do not tinker with gear. I focus on hearing turkeys. You probably think I’m just talking about hearing a gobble, and for the most part, you are, but when you’re listening for turkey sounds in general, you also need to eliminate any distracting noise.

Larry Norton is a seasoned turkey hunter who has spent years guiding guests at commercial hunting operations like Bent Creek Lodge in Alabama. He is a two-time World Turkey Calling Champion. Norton offers some good advice on hearing more turkeys. “I guide hunters who have hunted for years and hunters who are hunting turkeys for the first time. It is our job to get each hunter on a turkey and hopefully get that hunter a shot. That all starts with hearing, coursing and getting into position on a gobbler,” says Norton.

“I like to start on high ground. From there I can hear more country. Many of my clients like to stand close or talk while we are listening for a roosted gobbler. I tell them that we have to hear a gobble before we can begin the hunt, and that I can do that best when there are no outside distractions. Most hunters understand this and give me space. ”.

“At this point we are listening at day break for sounds turkeys make in the tree. We are primarily listening for a gobble but other sounds can disclose where turkeys are. If I hear hens tree yelping, cutting or plain yelping I know where a flock is located. I hope to hear a gobble, but if I do not I still assume a gobbler is near. I’ll head to the hens in the hopes that a gobbler will ignite after the flock flies down if I don’t hear one gobble at another spot. At least I know I have put my client near turkeys,” says Norton.

Sometimes there aren’t any turkeys on the roost, so you have to adjust your strategy. I go to an area where turkeys frequent and slow way down. I move a few yards and stop to listen. In order to hear into the next hollow, I like to sneak up to the top of a ridge. I use the ridge to keep turkeys from seeing my approach. Now I am listening for sounds other than gobbles. “I listen for the distinct swish, swish, swish of turkeys scratching in leaves or for drumming. Turkeys are constantly making soft purrs, whines and yelps. This helps keep the flock together and these sounds cannot be heard from very far away. Many times if you hear these sounds and listen really closely you will hear drumming. When you hear any of these sounds set up right there. The turkeys are close!”.

Cheat Norton also uses a Walker Game Ear to enhance his hearing ability. He cautions that there is a learning curve associated with mechanical hearing devices. “You have to learn to course with the Game Ear,” says Norton. Additionally, you must understand that sounds perceived through a mechanical device are never as close as they appear to be. I use the game ear to locate a turkey in general and then use my own ears to close the deal, but I know others who use them for the duration of the hunt. It depends on you. ”.

My wife, Tes, suffers from hearing loss and uses mechanical hearing devices made by E. A. R. , Inc. “I place them before departing in the morning and remove them once my hunt is completed,” Tes explained. “I cannot do without them. It was frustrating at first because all sounds are magnified. I had to really work at getting used to everything—the sound of your footsteps, the birds, the wind, the traffic—but it was well worth the effort. ”.

Use topography to your advantage. When there is a wind, try to locate from the leeward side of the cover and higher up.

“Coursing and judging distance were also challenging, but in time it all came together. Going with someone who could hear well helped a lot because I could compare what I thought I was hearing to what that person was hearing. I became more confident in my ability to detect, track, and estimate the distance to that sound after just a few trips. I never go hunting without them,” said Tes.

There are other ways to enhance the ability to hear more turkeys. Cup your hands behind your ears to gather more sound into your ears. Hearing will improve in the direction you are facing, but it will not improve in other directions. Turn your body to listen in all directions. Open your mouth while listening. This opens the ear canal and allows more sound into the ear. Slow your breathing. Take shallow breaths with your mouth open. This eliminates some of the noise that interferes with your ability to hear and lessens the sound of air entering and exiting your lungs. Close your eyes. This helps you concentrate on hearing and eliminates visual distractions going on around you.

Avoid direct contact with the wind if at all possible. On windy days listen from the down-wind side of a ridge or hill. Face into the wind and allow the wind to bring sound to you. Despite having excellent hearing, I only own one over-the-ear device from Woodland Whisper, which I use when my own hearing isn’t good enough to detect turkeys. Often that device allows me to hear a gobbler that I could not hear naturally. Problem is, that turkey is usually too far away to get to. If that turkey is on the property I can hunt I will be there to listen next time.

Never listen near running water, traffic, or construction. Avoid any foreign noise that competes with your ability to hear turkeys. Move as far away from distracting noise as possible. Be aware of the time of day. Turkeys generally fly up to roost near sundown. Turkeys generally fly down from their roost as soon as they can see the ground. A gobble from a roost can be heard farther away than a gobble on the ground, so it’s crucial to determine whether a turkey is in a tree or on the ground.

Hearing a turkey gobble in the rain is challenging at best. If you’re confident of the path that turkeys take on your hunting property, set up a ground blind. A ground blind is an excellent way to hunt turkey in the rain. Your gear and calls can stay dry while you wait on a gobbler to respond. Turkeys need to be close to you in order to respond to your call because they are generally quieter in the rain. Given that the rain makes it difficult for hunters and gobblers to hear, you should make more calls than usual.

If you know where a gobbler roosts at night, set up nearby the following morning. In the west, using binoculars or spotting scopes can help you track a turkey’s movements in the evening. A locator call can be used to locate turkeys if you are in an area where timber blocks your ability to track them with optics. When a roosted tom hears a locator call in the evening, such as an owl call, it may respond with gobbles. Once you get an answer, plan your morning sit accordingly. Knowing where a gobbler is roosted will help you hear him the next morning.

Before you can expect a gobbler to respond, you have to be proficient with your turkey calls. If what you are producing is not realistic, you may not get a response. Worse, you may scare the turkey away. Practice all of your calls until you can identify the various sounds that hens might make, such as clucks, yelps, putts, and purring.

Mistakes You Make After Hearing A Turkey Gobble

FAQ

How do you tell how far away a gobble is?

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