turkeys in the rain
 

i went out the past three days turkey hunting, and got my first turkey a jake 14 pounds it has been a wild three days toms and hens everywhere. just nothing close enough for a shot other than the jake. i had a hen come up to me yelping like crazy, i thought it was another hunter calling but it wasnt the hen came right to my decoys and stayed around for 10 to 15 minutes. anyways im back to work thinking about taking friday off but there saying rain. what is everybodies input on turkeys in the rain? i here people say they love the rain and love the fields when its a light rain, is this true? do they stay in different areas when its raining light or heavy, like in hemlocks or do you still find them in wide open oaks? thanks for any input i just dont want to take a day off if they dont move much in the rain. im really hooked on turkey hunting its awesome out there listening to them and seeing them.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

I don't think they care too much about the rain, at least not the ones I've been hunting. Some of my besting hunting days have been in the rain, whether its turkey, deer, or other game.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

Light rain won't bother them at all. Moderate to heavy rain is a different story. Turkeys will stay put during a heavy rain.I'm not going out in a moderate or heavy rain. I hate hunting in the rain, unless it is for ducks. Even then, if it's heavy, I'm staying home.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

my experience has shown that I hear less gobbling the rainier it is... i did take my largest bird to date in the pouring rain though!

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

Our season here in Missouri has been tough. High winds 15-30 mph and heavy rains have been hard hunting.I am hunting in the woods where a few big one roost and on our opener on 4/20 I had one lonesome gobbler I could hear faintly in the wind. I used my crystal call and he did come in butI could not keep him there in the wind. Going home, it was raining and out in the fields I saw several Toms acting like it was no big deal and they were feeding just fine. We are only allowed to hunt in the spring until 1:00pm which is strange but in the fall we can hunt til dark for these birds. Something DNR has had for a long time. I guess that's why we have around 400,000 birds in this state according to their recent estimates.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

I've taken turks in the rain. The PA Spring season is oftenjust that... rainy. The longbeardsI'veharvested have been in light rain, (have photos with the rain on the lens) and on overcast days.I recall one hugeTomthat almost ran me over right after aheavy hour-long downpour. It's no fun getting soaked, butno matter what the weather, you can't kill them from the couch. Rain or shine, justget 'em!

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

I haven't had any luck at all when it's rainning , they don't move to much and theres no fields near by.
I've set-up my blind on the edge of a small open medow with hopes to see some birds come around but it seems like the birds are staying under cover.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

I agree with you superstrutter. Light rain doesnt faze them, but heavy rain makes it tough. The times I have hunted in heavy rain i was in the woods more towards the bottom. Like you said, I like hunting ducks in the rain, but turkeys....... I would rather stay home.

RE: turkeys in the rain
 

ive also heard t was good turkey hunting in the rain. but i was out this morning in the light rain just to listen to see if i could set up on them tommorrow and i didnt hear a thing. do you just call as usual when theyre not responding?? and yesterday it was really overcast and i only heard two gobbles. that is strange for the one spot. it seems to me that the weather has a huge impact n how much they gobble. but what do i know.