I'm messing with one right now.
He's VERY recognizable from the other toms by his deep gobble.
Anyone have and firsthand stories of a tom with a deep, booming gobble being a total, old warhorse with dagger spurs ?? Or the opposite ?? Booming gobble and just an average tom ??
I can honestly say, I honestly never paid attention before.
I've got one I'm messing with in Missouri the last few days that just sounds like an old turkey. Very deep and drawn out, but he just sounds tired, like that old throat of his has gobbled too many times. If I can successfully get my hands on him, I'll report back.
The Barry White of gobblers?
I can usually tell a Jake from an elder statesman but never come across a really deep sound. Definitely let us know if you connect!
I always think the gobblers I don't see, but gobble several times and only come to a certain point are the war horses..
Had one like that this season, he had a deep gobble ...He is still living ... LOL
Always fun to hear a gobble and guess longbeard or Jake. Sometime we make the right guess sometimes we don't. After 40 years of chasing them probably bat about 70% on the guesses. There are times when you hear a boomer you know that's a big boy.
I have a happy tale of such a gobbler. When he gobbled, other toms in the area shut up. He boomed a gobble out, loud and deep.
When I took him, he had the wickedest curved 1 1/4" spurs I've seen. They curved more than any I've ever seen.
I have no doubt he was the boss of the area.
We had a " howler " going off this weekend. It sounded like a wolf, lol. It was possibly one of the toms we harvested. Time will tell. Z
Had one last weekend that had as loud a gobble as I've ever heard. At 75 yards, he had a great beard to go with it but left my grandson waiting, not to be called closer.
We always said a gobbler with a deep booming gobble was an old boy. My brother seems to think that the case. However, I've killed a few 2 year olds who seemed to have a big gobble. On the flip side, I've killed a few weak voiced or average ones that surprised me. I believe a gobbler can regulate the volume myself, or at least it appears that way.
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On another note, I once killed a giant with 1 3/8th spurs that sounded like a Jake!
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Nephew killed one this year that had 1.25 spurs and a 10" beard that did the jake half gobble.
I had a gang of jakes a few years back that had one in there that sounded like a full mature gobble. Since he gobbled at about 7 yards, I got a pretty good ID.
I've chased two with very deep distinguishing gobbles. I missed the one at 10 yds when he came in behind me after three days of playing chess and the other just plain whooped me for the whole season. I would like to think they had and extra big brain and 2" spurs but who knows.
I chased one a few days years ago in the mountains of western Maryland. He had a deep booming gobble with a long drawn out rattle at the end. I named him diesel. Never did kill him but he was unique for sure.
15yrs or so ago, hunted with a friend on his private property, chased this deep growing gobbler all morning. Friend videoed hunt, no idea where it is now. Tom had the nastiest deep growl of a gobble. 16 1/2lbs, 11 3/8" beard and 1 spur at 1 1/8".
Over the decades, I have only heard one gobbler that had a distinctly louder and lower-sounding gobble to the degree that it was noticeable to me. That was probably twenty-five years ago. I suspect he is no longer gobbling...but it isn't/wasn't because of me. ;D
I hunted him a couple of mornings until I had to admit to myself that I wasn't man enough to call him in and moved on to other, more cooperative gobblers. I did see him walking AWAY from my calling on one occasion, though. From the back side at 150 yards, he looked pretty much like any other gobbler looks (by itself) from that angle...an angle I prefer not to see them from when I am calling to them. :angel9:
I suspect gobbles are somewhat like our voices, some are just deeper or louder than others. I doubt we can judge age by the gobble but it's fun hunting them regardless.
I tangled with one years ago that had a higher pitched gobble than usual. He was an odd one. Never killed him but did lay eyes on him several times, and he appeared to be an old bird. Messed with one yesterday that had a slightly higher pitched gobble as well. He had hens, but if I kill him, I will let you know.