TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
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!... as for one slipping in silently, I'd still try and get him to fire up once I spotted him... not much fun if you don't feel the gobble...
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.