When it comes to spring Turkey hunting, the weather can often be unpredictable. With many turkey hunters having limited hunting time each spring, its important for them to be prepared for whatever bad weather mother nature throws their way during turkey season. If you’re searching for tips on turkey hunting in the Rain, look no further.
Turkey Hunting in the Rain: Key Considerations for Turkey Hunters
Turkey hunting in the rain means adapting to the conditions is crucial for turkey hunters. While the rain might seem like a deterrent during turkey season, it can actually work in your favor. After all, spring turkey hunting often coincides with unpredictable spring weather. So, why not make the most of it?
Quality rain gear is a must for staying dry and comfortable. After all, a soaked hunter is a miserable hunter. Moreover, understanding turkey behavior in the rain can provide valuable insights to increase your chances of success. Turkeys don’t cancel their day just because of a little rain. They adapt, and so should you.
Rain Gear: Staying Dry vs. Getting Soaked
If you have turkey hunted long enough, you’ve probably experienced getting caught in the woods during an unexpected rain shower. The discomfort of being soaked to the bone while a mile into a piece of public ground can make for a long hunt and walk back to the truck.
Whether it’s a light drizzle or a heavy rain, the right rain gear can make all the difference during a turkey hunt. It’s all about staying dry and comfortable. Quality rain gear for hunters should be breathable, quiet, and lightweight. Materials like Gore-Tex are often used in constructing the best rain gear, combining durability and comfort.
Understanding Turkey Behavior in the Rain
Turkeys, like all creatures, adapt their behavior in response to weather. When it rains, they tend to stay on the roost and delay their morning fly-down due to the decreased visibility and their ability to hear potential threats.
In my experience, rain also tends to decrease the amount of turkey gobbling. This means when hunting turkeys in the rain its crucial to slow down and really focus in on areas where turkeys are likely to frequent during bad weather.
Turkeys often prefer open areas during rain. This is due to the increased noise in the woods during a rain which dampens the birds ability to hear potential threats. Open spaces like fields are a great place to find an old gobbler during or after a rain. Turkeys will also frequent these open areas after a rain so that they can dry their feathers. Understanding these behaviors is key to improving your chances of spotting turkeys in the rain.
Scouting and Locating Turkeys in the Rain
Scouting remains an integral part of turkey hunting, even during rainy conditions. Rain can affect turkey habitats, making scouting key to successful hunting.
Turkeys often gravitate towards open fields and pastures during rainy weather. Also, food plots, old logging roads, and power and gas line right-of-ways are effective locations to scout for turkeys when it’s raining.
Identifying Open Spaces and Fields
Turkeys have a knack for finding the driest spots during a downpour. They flock to open areas such as fields and clear-cuts to avoid wet vegetation and to feed on invertebrates that are more accessible under wet conditions.
Light rainy days even encourage turkeys to use the moisture for feeding in these open areas. The aftermath of light drizzles or intermittent rain prompts turkeys to head for open fields, affording hunters increased visibility and likelihood of spotting them for a successful hunt.
Therefore, utilize the rainy weather, including light rain, to your advantage by concentrating on these areas.
Utilizing Old Logging Roads and Trails
During a rainy hunt, old logging roads and trails can serve as vital resources. These paths can allow you to approach a gobbler’s roost silently in the morning and be in position to call when the turkey flies down.
These paths and trails in the turkey woods can also help you locate and intercept gobblers that have separated from their hens during the midday. In the afternoon, old paths may guide you to sheltered areas where turkeys seek refuge, thereby improving the chances of encounters. The quiet terrain of old logging roads and trails facilitates stealthy movement, enhancing your ability to locate turkeys throughout the day.
Adjusting Your Calling Techniques for Rainy Days
Rainy days necessitate a slight modification in your turkey calling techniques. The noise of the rainfall can make it harder for your calls to be heard, but don’t let this discourage you. Standard turkey calls like the ‘yelp’ and ‘cackle’, as well as box calls and tube yelpers, are effective for rainy day hunts.
Adjusting your calling techniques to be louder and more frequent can help in getting the turkey’s attention amidst the noise of rainfall. However, while increased volume and frequency can be beneficial, it is important to call patiently and avoid overcalling, as it can make turkeys less responsive to the calls.
Volume and Frequency: Getting Heard Over the Rain
Rainfall creates a natural background noise that can drown out your calls. To combat this, it’s necessary to adjust the volume and frequency of your calls. Using calls that maintain quality sound in wet conditions is key for successful turkey hunting during rainy weather.
Pot calls with waterproof surfaces such as crystal or aluminum are favored in rainy conditions for their ability to continue producing quality sounds when wet. All-weather pot calls like the Enticer Silver Thunder Extreme with a carbon-tipped striker are recommended for functionality in wet weather.
Choosing the Right Call
Choosing the right call for a rainy day hunt can make all the difference. Due to the increased noise during a rain, its crucial to use a call that the turkeys are going to be able to hear.
I have found great success using a glass call that produces loud sharp calls. These types of calls are loud and sharp enough to cut through the noise of the wind and rain to reach a gobblers ear.
Timing Your Hunt: Capitalizing on Weather Patterns
In turkey hunting, timing plays a pivotal role. This is particularly true when hunting in rainy conditions. Understanding weather patterns and how they affect turkey behavior can significantly improve your chances of a successful hunt.
Gobblers tend to be most vocal when winds are below 10 mph, temperatures are between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and barometric pressure is high and steady.
Weather fluctuations, such as a sunny day turning into a windy cold front, particularly in northern states, require hunters to be ready to adapt.
Rainy Mornings Followed by Sunshine
Rainy mornings followed by sunshine provide an ideal opportunity for hunting turkeys. After a downpour, turkeys often exhibit more intense gobbling during the sunny periods that follow, as they resume their breeding activities.
The increase in turkey gobbling when the rain stops and sunshine breaks through makes it crucial for hunters to be in position and prepared to capitalize on this behavioral change. So, if the forecast predicts sunshine after a morning shower, it might be a perfect day for a turkey hunt, especially for those seeking rainy day gobblers!
Patience and Persistence: The Waiting Game
Patience and persistence are crucial for hunters pursuing turkeys in the rain. Gobblers may take longer to respond and engage in breeding activities during bad weather conditions. This requires hunters to exercise more patience and persistence when gobbling is less frequently.
Also, when confronted with heavy rain at the beginning of the day, it’s advisable to delay starting the hunt. It might be tempting to head out turkey hunting at the first light, but sometimes waiting for the rain to stop can yield better results.
Recap: Tips for Successful Turkey Hunting in the Rain
Have the appropriate gear to stay dry and comfortable.
Understand how turkey behavior and patterns change during the rain.
Use calls that will cut through the increase noise of rain and wind.
Stay patient and persistent. Wildlife, turkeys included, tend to slow down their daily activities during the rain. This means you should also slow down your hunting style to prevent spooking or missing birds.
Wrapping Up
Hunting turkeys in the rain can be a challenging but rewarding experience if done correctly. With the right gear, understanding of turkey behavior, effective scouting, and strategic calling techniques, you can turn a rainy day into a successful hunt. Don’t forget the importance of safety and learning from experience. With patience, persistence, and a positive attitude, every rainy day can be a great day to tag a spring gobbler.
The post Turkey Hunting in the Rain: Essential Strategies for Wet Weather first appeared on The Traveling Outdoorsman.
