Turkeys and rain?

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

I am sure most of you have been out scouting or hunting turkeys when a thunderstorm rolls in. I have often wondered how many tight lipped gobblers I walk by on my way to the one loud mouth I am trying to hunt. Last spring a friend and I hunted one morning as a server thunderstorm that produce a tornado in a neighboring community approached us. I think we heard about 5 different birds in the area sound off from their roost before fly down. We where on a long high ridge over looking a long bottom. As the sky blacked and the thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed. I would say there where no less than twenty gobblers sounding off in every direction. It simply amazed me at all of the turkeys in the area that go without saying much if anything most of the time.

[shaman]

Shhhh!  You're giving away my favorite scouting tip.

Okay. I might as well fess up.  My ace #1 way of mid-season scouting is to go out just before a thunderstorm and listen.  It doesn't happen every year and some years I don't need to.  However, if I've been having bum luck and want to change my location, and a thunderstorm comes up in the late afternoon, I'll drive out with the truck and watch the storm approach.  The gobs always sound off to thunder.  I stick it out until the rain hits and then drive back where I'm safe in the cab.  Next morning I'm out after those new gobs.

[JW]

I never minded hunting in the rain. As long as wasn't too severe of a storm. It seems like the birds don't talk as much, but they still move around and will come see you if you sweet talk 'em the right way.

The only problem I have with hunting in the rain is that turkeys make a terrible picture when they're soaked. They end up looking like a road killed buzzard!

Jason

[thunderchicken]

I dont mind hunting in the rain. I dont like terenchal down pours, but when it rains I head to the open areas! Turkeys like to be in the open when the rain falls because they have to depend on their eyes to avoid danger! I also know that when it rains all the "WANNA BE TURKEY HUNTERS" are at home , leaving the birds all to myself!
 
The birds dont go in when it rains, they are out there and you should be too!
 
Some good lightweight raingear helps! I hunted in the pouring rain in ME and my raingear made all the difference in the world!

[Turkeybuster]

[;)]

[Everyday Hunter]

ORIGINAL: shaman

Shhhh!  You're giving away my favorite scouting tip....

The gobs always sound off to thunder.  I stick it out until the rain hits and then drive back where I'm safe in the cab.  Next morning I'm out after those new gobs.

As far as I'm concerned, we don't get enough thunderstorms during spring gobbler season. But when one comes, it's a great opportunity.

Steve

[Cut N Run]

We had a thunder storm on Opening Day a few years ago that rolled in with some serious lightning, thunder, and marble-sized hail. The turkeys were gobbling at the start of thunder, but when they shut up right before the severe stuff hit, I decided to make a dash for the cabin.  I got there just as the bottom fell out and my buddy who was about 400 yards behind me got drenched.  We eased back out about two hours later as the storm was slacking off. Within minutes, there were hens around my buddy (in an open area) while I saw nothing (in the woods) until the sun broke out almost two hours later. Neither of us had any shooters working, but we each saw plenty of birds.
 
I like the light drizzle best.  The turkeys don't seem to care much about a light to moderate rain.  If the rain gets too heavy, they either fly back up, or go to an open area.
 
Jim