Record rainfall in New England....how to hunt turkeys now?

[Jimmy S]

Is there a different strategy to hunt turkeys after all the record rain here in NH? Do they spend more/less time in the fields?

[Rob/PA Bowyer]

Usually I head to the fields if they are not responding in the woods. Like this morning. I went in early to listen and never heard a bird until I cut on my mouth call for the first time. He was roosted above me and in from a field. I thought maybe by the way he was responding he might come. When the vocalizations were headed to the field I hustled out in front of him and sure enough, he came following 2 hens and a jake. I knew he would head there, it's rained for a few days now and all one has to do is ride around and you would see plenty of birds in most fields.

It's not sure fire but it's a good practice. Remember, turkeys have to live out there. They don't have roof's to get under so don't let a little rain or alot in your case keep you in bed, that's one place they are sure not to be.

[Strut&Rut]

Jimmy,

I contracted bronchial pneumonia last week, but after the rains let up I had to get out there this morning...

Everything, even here in CT, is soppin'---and I mean soppin'---wet. I went to a few of my honeyholes, where I know how the birds will act, and the fields where they would normally strut are now in fact too wet.

My best suggestion would be to scout in the evening, and try and find some dry high ground. Look for areas in the woods where the birds will feel comfortable forming small strut zones, and any dry mast/seed that may have survived.

We only got a fraction of what you guys got up in NH/VT, and I've never seen anything like it. Little brooklets that I typically step over were still shallow, but almost 4 feet wide this morning.

Another note: The shear volume of water is inundating the woods with static noise, coupled with the increase in vegetation, and IMO you'll need to be either on a somewhat secluded ridge or within 200-300 yards of a gobbler to pinpoint his location.

I can attest, the rest of the season will not be easy hunting. Good luck my New England brother...

EDIT: Just as an FYI for some of you who don't follow the national weather, or live in New England. Most parts of Eastern Mass, and the states of NH & VT, have not seen rains/flooding like this since the great floods of 1936 or the Labor Day Hurricane of 1938. Some rivers are cresting 10-20 feet OVER flood stage. Entire roads have been demolished, and many low-lying normally dry areas are now under 2-3 feet of standing water. Meterologists say it may take 2 weeks, with a complete lack of rain, for some areas to get back to "normal". We were spared here in CT, and it looks like March after a heavy snow melt. I cannot imagine what Northern New England looks like [&o]

[RayC]

Fields always a good idea when raining ormorning after afternoon/evening rain (like today).

A Strut&Rut mentioned, it is pretty soggy here in Ct. I managed to get one saturday in the slop. It went down half in 'new' (strictly runoff) brook and the few wing flaps had water flying everywhere. If it had any life left in it, it drown (as when I went to pick it up its head was doing deep six in rushing water )

[RIStrutStopper]

S&R, no kidding about the noise. I set up Saturday in CT when we caught a little break in the torrential downpour, but I couldn't hear anything because this little brook was making a whole lot of noise. Turns out they weren't roosted too far from where I was sitting, but I couldn't hear them. I only found out because the landowner told me, not because I got lucky. I was able to get them to gobble after I got some intel on where they were headed, but they were on someone elses property by that time and weren't heading back. I'll be back on Saturday though...