Last Saturday and again this Monday, I heard what I think was drumming. It may sound silly, but I've never heard it before. But, I heard the same sound in two completely different locations in two different counties about 100 miles apart. So I'm sure that I wasn't hearing the same motor running somewhere. Maybe I can describe what I heard and perhaps some of you experts can help me out . . .

The first time I heard it (on Saturday morning), it wasn't even a sound that grabbed my ear and demanded my attention like a gobble does. At some point, I just sort of became aware of this almost tangible sound. It was one low consistent note. I've heard people describe drumming as a low note whose pitch slides higher. This didn't slide upward. It was a single, long, low note that I could almost feel the way that you feel a low boom from a sub-woofer. It went on for about 5 seconds then stopped. There was nothing for a few moments, and then again the low-frequency rumble began again. When I started to realize what it might be, my eyes opened wide and my heart started pounding. I knew that if I could hear drumming, he was CLOSE. But, then again, I don't truly know what it sounds like so . . . I made a couple of clucks and super-soft yelps--just two or three--and the sound stopped. About 15 minutes later, my hunting partner walked up on me, ending my hunt. He was cold. It was 8:30 on Saturday morning. Jerk. Bring a jacket next time it's 35 degrees.

So then Monday morning, 100 miles away . . . I climbed a ridge to the edge of a clearing on top, crouched in some brush, and made a few raspy yelps. A moment later I was rewarded by a gobble from atop the next, higher ridge. I waited a moment and called back to him.

Nothing.

Five minutes later, he gobbled again, but was a couple hundred yards further south and away from my position. I moved in, quickly skirting around the clearing, across the logging road, and up the side of his ridge. I had made it two thirds up the ridge when again I heard the same low-frequency boooooooom I had heard on Saturday. It sounded identical; a single low pitch that would sustain for 5-10 seconds. I swear I could almost feel it.

There was absolutely NO decent setup location within 20 yards, and I knew that if the sound was indeed drumming, I had no time to scramble around. Like what I heard on Saturday, it was almost impossible to tell exactly where it was coming from. It seemed to come from everywhere at once. I sat down as quietly as possible at the biggest tree I could find, which isn't saying much. Once I sat down, I didn't hear it again. I made a couple of soft clucks, and super-soft yelps with no responses. Thirty minutes later, I had to leave to be at work. Yes, I was late.

So, either I'm going certifiably insane listening to rumbly noises emenating from my own fractured psyche, or I'm hearing a noise made by something that lives where there are lots of trees. What do you guys think? Does it sound like drumming to you, or should I have myself committed?

P-maker , It sound like to me you heard grouse drumming, have you ever heard this? It starts slow and then accelerates but does not change pitch. If you think it may have been please forward me the gps coordinates by pm please

Yea, I've been hearing that sound in the woods, too. At first I thought it was a tractor starting up, and I was wondering if it was a turkey. I kept hearing it every morning.......So I did a search on grouse drumming after bird dog's reply and found this audio clip http://www.uwrf.edu/~shelly.m.davis/ruffedgrouse.wav check it out peacemaker and see if this is the same sound that you've been hearing.

I haven't heard any grouse drumming all year...

I have been hearing lots of Grouse drumming this year. Also have flushed several. All of this action has been off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Amherst and Rockbridge county.

haven't heard that sound this year, but I have heard it in the past. I just figured it was someone a ways off working on a house or something, banging with a hammer or something.....lol

not sure if that's what you were hearing or not, but if it was, no need to go to a psych ward....if you go, i'll join you....

band teacher

I have only heard 1 grouse drumming this . This is in areas where I used to hear a lot of drumming .

Guys I had the exact thing happen to me yesterday. It was a single low tone that sounded like it was all around you. I thought I had a gobbler coming in silent behind me. When I couldn't locate one I moved my set up so I was facing the origional tre. I heard it again. In looking around, I found it to be the wing beats of a humming bird as he moved and stoped around a cluster of flowers. Maybe that is what you heard. I was amazed at how loud it was!

Thanks, Hokie. It was definitely not grouse drumming that I heard. It wasn't thump-thump-thump at all. It was just one single low note. Just a booooooooom--like a big organ that someone played one low note on.

So a gobbler drumming actually does have pitch that slides upward, not just a single low note?

Hummingbird? What!? Come on! That's not very exciting at all!

Maybe it was . . . ? . . . the mystery deepens . . .

Don't sweat it PM ,Climbing the mts I usually can't tell whether its grouse drumming or my heart beating!
As for gobblers drumming, nearest thing it resembles is someone letting the clutch out and accelerating in an old pickup truck.

Econo, thats music to my ears!