How far away you figure you can hear a turkey gobble?

[Marc]

I have trouble deciding how far away those distant gobbles actually are sometimes...

Been hunting a huge canyon some this year, and the only birds I ever hear are easily within a quarter of a mile...  I might be working a bird I hear down the canyon, give up, move 500 yards on, and hear a different bird that I did not hear before...

I heard a gun shot this morning easily within a quarter of a mile, but never heard the bird he shot gobble (no canyon, rolling foothills)...  And earlier this year, I was watching a bird through binoculars, and I could see him gobble, but could not hear him...  Granted, I could not have seen the bird without good binoculars, but I would think with a clear line of sight, I would be able to hear him (although he was across a freeway)? 

So without wind or rain, how far away you figure you can hear them gobble?

[d.winsor]

It is hard to say, there are many things that come into play, if a bird is roosted or high they will sound near to you, if a roosted bird flys down they will sound farther away.  If a bird is facing you and gobbles it may sound near to you, if the bird turns away from you it will sound farther away.  If there is no leaves on the trees and a bird gobbles it may sound near to you, if there is leaves on the trees and the bird is in the same spot and gobbles it will sound farther away.  Then there is the weather to deal with, I think on some mornings you can hear a turkey further away and on other mornings with the same bird in the same spot you won't be able to hear it.  If I have a hard time determining how far a bird is away, and if I have nothing else working for me, I might work my way closer to see if I can determine how close the bird is.  If I cannot determine that within a reasonable distance I try to find another bird.  Out west it might be farther than you are willing to walk to see how far away the bird is.  In the east in the woods with hills and hollows you can normally get up on a bird if you hear them.  Even then sometimes you have to really want it.    Good Luck

[DirtNap647]

if on a high point no leaves yet a long long ways thick cover flat or hollow bout half that far

[Old Gobbler]

The wind and surrounding habitat are the greatest variables -- my hearing is not what it used to be , but hearing a gobbler on a open edge on a calm morning at 1/4 mile is no problem for me

I've watched gobblers rip out gobbles at the edge of a field with my eyes at 200-300 yards and could not gear a thing , I've been told there were gobblers hammering in the same oak hammock less than a 100 yards and couldn't hear a peep all due to the wind

With that said I've heard them as far as 3/4 mile hunting in the Black Hills of s Dakota -- those mountains can amplify a sound

To hear them farther you have to be a opening , trees and brush are natural silencers

A lighting strike from 10 years ago nearly killed me but spared me , it did however leave me with a permanent ring in my left ear , and a dead cell phone at the time

[L.F. Cox]

Turkeys gobble at different volumes....they can also throw the sound.

I'm not sure if it's intentional or not...but I've saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears.

[neal]

I agree, I've heard turkeys gobble in different volumes but I also think they're like us everyone has a different tone to their voice. I'm sure we've all heard birds that what I call sound angry when they gobble louder more aggressive and others that have more of a run of mill gobble more mid toned. That being said I think there's way too many variables to say 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile. \
I just know if it's about a 100yds that bird is in trouble   

[WildSpur]

I know some of the places I hunt can be 1/2 mile between ridge lines and I can hear birds from Ridgeline to Ridgeline.   With no foliage and no wind I am sure I can hear them 1/2 +  mile away.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Tail Feathers]

Hunted a spot in TN this year where gobblers on the high ground could plainly be heard almost a mile away in the lower part of the property.  Lots of 15' pine between the two but almost tall trees to stop the sound.

[drenalinld]

I have heard many at least a mile away. Ridge top to ridge top while still on the roost even farther. It always amazes me how loud a gobbler is at 100 yards in big timber and how not loud they are at 100 yards in an open field.

[wisconsinteacher]

I would say 1/4 to 1/2 mile.  One thing that I try to keep in mind is that if the wind is right and all is calm, if I can hear them, they can hear my call.  Yesterday I heard a bird a long ways off.  I hit the box call and he gobbled right back.  The next gobble was closer and within 20 minutes he was a 35 yards.  (he hung up in the brush and I could not get a shot)  I would guess he was a good 1/4 away when I first heard him.

[stinkpickle]

...It always amazes me how loud a gobbler is at 100 yards in big timber and how not loud they are at 100 yards in an open field.

This. ^^^

[Spring_Woods]

The wind and surrounding habitat are the greatest variables -- my hearing is not what it used to be , but hearing a gobbler on a open edge on a calm morning at 1/4 mile is no problem for me

I've watched gobblers rip out gobbles at the edge of a field with my eyes at 200-300 yards and could not gear a thing , I've been told there were gobblers hammering in the same oak hammock less than a 100 yards and couldn't hear a peep all due to the wind

With that said I've heard them as far as 3/4 mile hunting in the Black Hills of s Dakota -- those mountains can amplify a sound

To hear them farther you have to be a opening , trees and brush are natural silencers

A lighting strike from 10 years ago nearly killed me but spared me , it did however leave me with a permanent ring in my left ear , and a dead cell phone at the time

Did you get struck by lightning while turkey hunting?

[turkey_slayer]

Depends. A few spots I can hear em a fuzz over a mile. Got to be no wind and no other noises tho. That's on high ground, bird on high ground across a valley. But they can be 150 yards in the next hollow over and can't even hear them.

[Grant Flaming]

This is a great topic! Just this past saturday, I watched two birds gobble about 175 yards away across an open field. I could see them gobbling through my binoculars but could BARELY hear it. Also, it was very calm at the time. I think a lot of it depends on the bird. Just like we can, turkeys can raise and lower their voice to different volumes quite drastically.

[surehuntsalot]

depending on weather and terrain,1/2 mile