I shot my bird last year....after listening to them shock gobble at the DISTANT thunder all afternoon. Safety first.

But....tomorrow morning is our opener....and it's a 40% chance of isolated T-storms. I still plan to be out there.....with safety in mind, as well.

My inclination....before the weather forecast was known.....was to go into the hardwoods. With rain imminent.....is this still a pretty good idea? Or.....would you be tinking about finding a field edge?

Thanks.

I always hunt field edges during a rain, even after a rain. Im not for sure, but I think they feel safer in the fields at this time and the rain makes it easier for them to catch insects. Im not for sure on the reasoning, but I know I always see turkeys headin for the fields during a rain.

We too have about a 30-40% chance for this weekend, our opener. Im taking the Double Bull, setting up on a field edge of a corn field they frequent and being patient in the morning. It will be my first time back at this particular farm since deer season.

Like you, I LOVE when it is thundering. It always gets the birds worked up, and makes it much easierto move in on one as they keep sounding off their exact location.

I think youll be fine wherever you planned to hunt. I mean, if it does start thundering and lightning id say move to a safer spot.

Our plan down here in Randolph County is to listen in the field before first light...We have a creek that runs 3-400 yards parallel to one side of the field and that's where they roost...If they are tree gobbling, we will try to have a quick hunt down by the creek, if not, we have a couple of tents already set up on the edge of the field...

Our turkeys usually wind up in the field about 8:30, so we have to be careful that we don't bust into the woods and run them off before they get in the field...

Two years ago, we had a similar situation...We killed one bird about 7:30am, by the creek, they were shock gobbling at the thunder...We killed another at 11:00am, in the field...

Last year, they weren't gobbling at first light, so we set up in the field so we wouldn't spook them...We say turkeys in and out of the field all day and passed on several jakes...At 5:00pm a gobbler came into the field and double gobbled, it was the first gobble we heard all day...I slipped into the woods behind my partner and called him to him, he killed him at 6:00, that's the latest we have ever killed a bird...

Jeff if your hunting grounds are within reach of your home, and its thundering this evening about dusk... I'd be out listening. If the storm gets bad tonight then it might scatter them from the roost (wind), but otherwise you might have a blessing in disguise.

Usually just after or during the rain, the birds will be in the fields... earthworms are often the meal of choice. That I know for a fact.... a theory too is that like most birds, they don't like being wet, so when the rain lets up a bit, its no longer raining in the fields... but in the woods you have the drip drip drip effect.... often they hit the fields to catch a few rays and try to dry off.

When hunting in the rain, I usually find the birds don't fly down until later in the morning... often there isn't as much gobbling... but that depends on the time of year... later in the spring, the hens will be nesting and when it is cold and raining, you can bet that they will be sticking tight to the nests to keep the eggs warm and dry... that can send gobblers out by themselves and they'll cover some ground looking for companionship.

One other thing I've found too with rainy/wet weather and birds is that they tend to prefer fields with a bit of regrowth... so you may want to avoid fields that have just been turned over during rains. I guess it has something to do with getting mud on their feet??? That one has always puzzled me, usually a freshly turned over field is a magnet for turkeys.

To be honest....I lost the only field I have, local. I'm pretty much relegated to the woods near home. I could make the trk in the morning....but I have this dilemma.

1. I KNOW my woods hold birds....in numbers.
2. I know nothing about the new land....except it has "some" birds.

It's a tough call if it's gonna be raining with possible storms.

EDIT....I just remembered....I DO have a 2 acre field that I can hunt....in a pasture corner.....that's a place I see them when I deer hunt. I CAN go there all year. THAT might be a good option if it's raining.

That makes it a tough call...I'm betting you are using your bow, which means that you are probably taking a tent??

This makes it harder to run and gun...

If it is raining in the morning and you have to set up the tent, I'd hit the field...

Thanks.