Turkeys and rain
Contributors to this thread:Turkey
From: INbowdude
25-Apr-16
For the veteran turkey hunters: Do you have success hunting turkeys in a rain? A light rain versus a medium rain. I'm betting the big thunderstorm/hail storm type of weather gets them under as much cover as they can find, but I'm not sure about the lighter side of a deluge.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. We are in a period of daily rain in central Indiana.
Thanks.
From: Vids
25-Apr-16
My experience is they like to come out to fields in a light rain. If it gets heavier they stay in the woods.
From: Glunt@work
25-Apr-16
I watched turkeys during some big storms and they tend to bunch up and get under the best cover around (cedars where I hunt). As soon as its done they flap and preen a bit to dry out and get right back to business, sometimes pretty heavy like they are making up for lost time.
Light sprinkle rains don't seem to change much but if its rainy constantly for a couple days it seems to shut them down. When it breaks can be awesome.
Just my observations, I'm no expert.
From: CAS_HNTR
25-Apr-16
I have always had poor luck in the rain......seems like they don't call much and are less responsive to calling in general. I would take blind and set up in a known field they frequent......wait them out.
From: midwest
25-Apr-16
I've killed one in a pretty steady light rain. Sure doesn't make for a very good trophy pic! lol
From: bowcrazyJRHCO
25-Apr-16
I like to hunt in a light rain on plowed grain fields. In the open there is no vegetation that would get water under their feathers. Also since rain makes noise in the woods, they can't hear as well in the woods. Out in the open they don't get water under their feathers, the rain noise is not a factor to hearing predators, and they can see far. I shot this turkey in the rain - you can see it's wet. I've always see turkeys in plowed fields during light spring rains.
From: bowcrazyJRHCO
25-Apr-16
wrong picture. This is the turkey shot during a spring rain.
From: trkyslr
25-Apr-16
I love hunting in light rain cuz from what I've seen it doesn't effect turkeys daily routine and attitude too much. Down pours much different.. In down pours Ive seen them both in open fields getting drenched, not moving even one step and under cover avoiding the rain. If it's down pouring I'll wait for the rain to let up before I hit the woods.
From: GhostBird
25-Apr-16
Lots of good advice. A small field surrounded by woods is a great place to be at fly down time in a rain. The chances of them pitching down into the open are very good and can make a very short morning hunt in the rain. In a downpour they might stay on the roost until it slacks up a little, so fly down may be delayed and you might have to wait them out.
From: longbeard
25-Apr-16
Yes all true. A light rain, especially if its warm and humid is a great day in the turkey woods. As the season wears on though and the grass gets deeper, whenever it rains I see/kill more turkeys in plowed fields. I guess they would rather play in the mud than play in the deep wet grass
From: GhostBird
25-Apr-16
True about the tall grass, even a heavy dew will keep turkeys out of tall grass until the sun dries it out. As stated, plowed fields are good rainy day hangouts, along with mature hardwoods with an open understory. In pine country, clearcuts and thinned pines (especially after a burn) can be good places.
From: air leak
25-Apr-16
I won't hunt in a steady, heavy downpour. Right after that is a great time to out.
A light mist or rain does not effect turkeys, in my experience.
From: Teeton
25-Apr-16
Same here in Pa.. When it's raining you can drive around and you will see birds out in the fields..
Ed
From: writer
25-Apr-16
The best thing about rain, is that it makes for a dandy excuse for guys who don't want to get out and hunt.
One of our best birds was killed in a pisser of a downpour, calling him off the roost. We both looked like drowned turkeys. During the hour it took to get the bird killed, three of the roads we'd used to leave town were flooded out.
It's great to set up in a good strutting area, with low cover, right after a heavy system passes.
Thunder really makes turkeys gobble. The lightening that often comes with it makes turkey hunters dead.
From: INbowdude
26-Apr-16
Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Looks like I'll get a little wet on the opener.
From: SJJ
26-Apr-16
I'd pick a drizzle/wet day over a dry day every time. Same for deer & shed hunting... killed many a bird in the rain
From: Old School
26-Apr-16
I've killed many birds in a light rain. All of them feeding out in open fields. A heavy downpour is a different story.
--Mitch
From: BoggsBowhunts
26-Apr-16
My favorite time to hunt is right after a rain, seems like it fires these MO birds up quite a bit. X2 on the crappy trophy photos though, they are some ugly sumguns after they get wet
