Im still new into turkey hunting and man do i LOVE it..but curious about weather conditions, do they like the rain or dont like the rain? :fud:
They seem to be drawn to open fields and meadows during rain (light rain). I have heard its because the rain keeps the insect from flying away. Heavy rain they tend to stay on the roost later into the morning.I would imagine after flydown they seek some sort of cover during heavy rain. And welcome to OG. :wagon:
I agree with Red, I always see turkeys in a light to moderate rain.
I agree, they love the fields when it's raining. I don't think they gobble as much though.
Misty or light precipitation mornings can be explosive with gobbling activity.
Torrential downpours and heavy rain will drive them to fields and suppress gobbling activity.
I agree with above. Misty can be good for gobbling, fog can be great for gobbling! I think they get more vocal when they can't see very well because of the fog.
Quote from: redarrow on January 31, 2012, 10:16:23 PM
They seem to be drawn to open fields and meadows during rain (light rain). I have heard its because the rain keeps the insect from flying away. Heavy rain they tend to stay on the roost later into the morning.I would imagine after flydown they seek some sort of cover during heavy rain. And welcome to OG. :wagon:
:icon_thumright: :z-winnersmiley:
IMO Turkeys are drawn to open fields during rain because they get nervous in the woods as they cannot hear as well and go to open areas so they can SEE danger approaching.
Quote from: WildTigerTrout on February 01, 2012, 11:41:50 AM
IMO Turkeys are drawn to open fields during rain because they get nervous in the woods as they cannot hear as well and go to open areas so they can SEE danger approaching.
That makes good sense . :icon_thumright:
I remember spending a day watching them in on an "on again/off again" rainy afternoon. When it poured, the toms stopped strutting and just stood out in the middle of the fields with the other birds. When the rain would let up, they would slowly start strutting and gobbling again. I watched this cycle several times, but they always stayed in the field.
Quote from: stinkpickle on February 01, 2012, 11:54:38 AM
I remember spending a day watching them in on an "on again/off again" rainy afternoon. When it poured, the toms stopped strutting and just stood out in the middle of the fields with the other birds. When the rain would let up, they would slowly start strutting and gobbling again. I watched this cycle several times, but they always stayed in the field.
I have seen this too....
Now, throw some wind into the mix and it's a different ball game...
They don't like or dislike the rain, they just deal with it. If its not raining to hard they'll go about their day as usual. If it is storming at flydown they might stay in the tree longer, but the do hit the ground and go on with daily activities. If you are hunting them and it's thundering they will shock gobble. Thunder will get them to gobble when nothing else will. Turkey do seem to head toward open areas durning rain, but they hit the same fields when it's not raining.
I tend to hunt the same area whether it's raining or not. I will climb in a box stand if it's raining hard. More to stay dry then to kill one. I also believe they are less chatty during inclement weather.
Watch the fields where they come and go ,next time hit them places up where they come out
Quote from: Tuttle on January 31, 2012, 10:51:13 PM
I agree, they love the fields when it's raining. I don't think they gobble as much though.
:agreed:
Anytime it rains my field by the house is covered in turkeys.
when it stops raining hit the field, they want to dry off in the sun.
Head for fields and do not expect much gobbling. If turkeys use the fields they will be there eventually if it raining.
The folks around here shoot em with a rifle in the fields when it rains. :TrainWreck1:
Turkeys have several air sacs throughout their bodies that can tell the slightest change in barometric pressure, thus warning them of an upcoming storm. If your local weatherman is saying a storm is coming, your best bet is to hit the woods a couple of days before the storm gets there, because the turkeys will be feeding like crazy in anticipation. I have had lots of success with this. But like other posters mentioned, if it is lightly raining, it won't bother them, but they won't gobble as much if it is raining/cold/cloudy weather.