I've actually touched many toms, as I picked them up after I shot them!!!
Hee-hee. Sorry about that.

Actually, the closest I've been was one afternoon/evening when I was scouting, without camo mask, etc. (a lesson to be learned here, all), walking down a trail when I heard leaf scratching in the woods ahead. I sat down on the edge of the trail, but also kind of "in" the trail and here comes an entire flock of hens and toms on their way to roost. I froze, tried to not blink or move my eyes. A tom walked up to about 12 inches from me, looked at me, alarm putted and turned and flew off. The other birds didn't panic, but they all flew into roost trees, then re-roosted to other trees a 100 yards off. My answer, then, is about a foot, and my lesson for all is wear camo and carry a camo facemask and hat when scouting, so you don't blow the next day's hunt over the "roosted but not yet roasted gobbler"!!!