NjHunter85

i have heard a few reasons why but i am curious why is it that turkeys always go to fields it seems when it is raining or after it rained?

EFH

If it's a light rain I'm going hunting, and yes hunting fields. I think turkeys go to fields during a rain because they can't hear. That makes it dangerous when your a few steps down on the food chain.
I shot my turkey Sunday morning after it stopped raining. It had rained 1.5 inches all night and into the morning. I sat on a big field because I knew those turkeys would want to dry out. I've seen this on several hunts after a heavy rain.
Not sure if I'm exactly right on the reason, but sometimes it just pays to know how they react even if we don't understand why. .
Good luck this season

Gamblinman

rain exposes seeds and bugs.

Gman

Mojotex

What I have bought into is what EFH mentiond .... difficulty hearing an approaching predator.

JW

All of the above as mentioned and I'll add - I watched a flock of hens feed back and forth in a dang good rain storm for the better part of 6 hrs in a cut corn field.
They might look up if I called but then continued on their merry way and paid no mind what so ever.

They didn't stop feeding till the rain ended at 5 PM to which they stood in a group on the field edge amongst my decoys and preened every feather they had on their body for better part of an hour.

I saw 2 toms enter the field and move my way as I had a group of live hens. When the hens decided to walk to the Toms a few soft yelps brought them right back to my decoys.

I had no where to go and nothing to do, so I sat the whole day in this rain storm albeit rahter dry and I napped and watched this whole stroy unfold. Quite a lesson too. At times it was raining so hard it was difficult to see the birds at all.

JW

NjHunter85

yea i have hunted plenty of times in the rain for turkeys. it def. is awesome. they love the rain it seems like ha. but yea i heard the bug and food thing but im guessing its a combo of both the bugs and the noise making it easier to see and hear in the field on a cloudy and rainy day.

Phil from Maine

While I have no real idea as to why they tend to move out into the openings due to rain but they surely do.. Perhaps it is because of the noises and the bugs or whatever.. Perhaps it also helps them to get rid of ticks as well?? I have no clue as why. They simply do for whatever the reason maybe. I shot my last bird of the season right after a heavey rain and it was very windy out. I had just left my blind and was heading back to my truck when 2 jakes ran out in front of me. It was nearing the end of my season so I picked a jake and hunting was finished for me..

Wingbone

I was told that turkeys move into the open when it rains because their feathers don't shed water well if they're displaced. In the open, with no brush touching them, their feathers will shed water like a canvas tent, but like a canvas tent, if they're brushed against by anything, they'll start leaking and the bird will get wet. Also, that rain will cause bugs to come off the ground and cling to vegetation where they are easier targets.

bald9eagle

D) All the above

Teebugg

All of the above but i think mostly its because the rain messes with their hearing and eyesight. Rain hitting leaves and those leaves moving around alot. Open areas allow them to see better. I do know that after a rain storm....im hitting an open field!