Rainy day stratigy for a beginner?

[thelefthand]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some help here. I've only hunted Turkey for about 3 years now. Normally after 3 years, I'm starting to get good at something, but I've never been able to put a lot into Turkey hunting for various reasons. This year, I thought I was going to finally be able to give it a full go. Then my hunting partner (Dad) had surgery on his anckle the 2nd day of seaons (he's doing fine), I had to work the first weekend, and I only got to hunt on Saturday morning last week because of some family issues. So I took two days off work so that I could hunt the last 4 days of season, and it looks like rain the whole time. Especially today and tomorrow.

So, anyone have any helpfull advice for hunting on rainy days? Do I stay home when it's raining, and only go out when it stops? Do I hunt in the rain? Just looking for some advice.

Thanks,

Mark

[E.T.]

Mark

My hunting partner who can devote a lot of time to Turkey hunting swears he sees more birds when it is raining but they appear to be seen more out in the open areas such as fields. Unless it’s a hard rainfall he will be out there. He has tagged them either rain or shine.

The only downside is having to completely tear down, clean and re-oil the scatter gun that day.

Ed

[art338wm]

After putting 14 turkey seasons under my belt, with out a doubt the single best hunting strategy or tactic I have learned and recommend to others AFTER the birds are down off the roost is a combination run-and-gun/spot and stalk hunting method. I use my binos to check EVERY single field before entering it, up every trail or road that happens to wind through the woods before walking around bends, keeping myself out of sight at all times while doing so. In short I make sure I put myself in a position to see them before they can see me. Once I learned and adopted this strategy, my harvest success rate sky rocketed. It is also a very fun and exciting way to hunt turkeys. This method you are actually HUNTING TURKEYS, not simply placing a decoy out in a field and hoping to with blind calling lure in a tom or jake.

It is now a truly rare year I don't take my tom, and thats in two different states no less. I can not ell you how many times while keeping myself hidden from their view, I peeked down a logging road , fire lane, or open field, only to see a big ol' tom or a group of toms, jakes, and hens under 100 yards away, and quickly set up and called one in to its demise. This tactic is especially deadly on public land turkeys, as they tend to be rather tight lipped once off the roost making them extremely hard to find unless you see them first. Bottom line is you will greatly increase your odds of success if you stay mobile once the birds are on the ground. I'm not saying just carelessly move through the woods, but as I described above use a spot and stalk method of hunting them like any other extremely weary game animal.

To answer your question, yes toms/jakes tend to favor open fields when its raining and immediately after it stops to dry off their feathers. But one of the ONLY hard and fast rules in turkey hunting is when a tom or jake is with hens they will always go were ever the hens go regardless of all other factors. That is why it is sooooo much easier to call them in when they are not with hens. Which occurs in my neck of the woods some time btwn 9-930am. My records show that over 40% of the toms Ive killed (especially off public land) I took after 9:00am as they had bread the hens and the hens left to go to nest and the toms were now looking for a new squeeze. They also like the open fields because the rain reduces the effectiveness of their sharp ears and causes the foliage in the woods to move around alot making them nervous. As in all hunting there are no sure things, but if a turkey is soaked and it is still raining I also look to open fields I have always seen turkeys out in in the past during or after a heavy rain.

If I encounter a tom with hens and the set up is right for it I try to call the boss hen over to my hen decoy by calling back at her what ever type of calls she is making (if I can hear it) exactly as possible mimicking it but a little louder and more aggressive. If you can call in the boss hen, the tom will fallow her right into your lap. I have done this successfully three times as have my friends who discovered this calling tactic. The beauty of this tactic is it does no harm. You can often learn what type of hen call and cadence to use by listening to to hens while on roost or as they make their way through the woods.