# Hunting turkeys in the rain



## utbowhntr (Sep 11, 2007)

I start my general season turkey hunt next week, and so far the weather looks good, but if it rains during the season, are there any tips to follow or anything different I should do that will work for hunting turkeys during a rainstorm? Thanks for your responses. utbowhntr


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Turkeys are like any other animal - a light to moderate rain won't bother them. If it's a soaking downpour, they'll find cover to shelter under until it passes.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

MWScott72 said:


> Turkeys are like any other animal - a light to moderate rain won't bother them. If it's a soaking downpour, they'll find cover to shelter under until it passes.


I use to think that too until last week in ID. It rained HARD all day every day I was there and I thought my hunt was ruined. Then we started seeing turkeys out in the open sitting there getting rained on. Turns out they don't like being in the timber when it's raining for what ever reason and they'd rather sit right out in the open and just soak it up. I've never had an easier time calling birds in in my life. We just drove around until we saw one sitting out in the rain all alone and go set up on him. Called three toms in and killed all of em in ONE day. They wouldn't come in strutting and they wouldn't say a peep, but they all came in on a string. I will always hunt in the rain from now on.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Tex-
Never had that happen but if it works...

Sounds like an awesome hunt - rain and all!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

My buddy's theory is that after it rains for so long, you'll get just as wet standing in the timber as you do out in the open. My theory was that turkeys feel safer when they're out in the open and can see things coming at them better. I know deer get really twitchy during a storm. Turkeys likely get the same way for whatever reasons... Either way, it worked out for us so I'm not complaining!  One thing's for sure, you'll never kill one sitting in camp...


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> My buddy's theory is that after it rains for so long, you'll get just as wet standing in the timber as you do out in the open. My theory was that turkeys feel safer when they're out in the open and can see things coming at them better. I know deer get really twitchy during a storm. Turkeys likely get the same way for whatever reasons... Either way, it worked out for us so I'm not complaining!  One thing's for sure, you'll never kill one sitting in camp...


Tex is right on, I've always noticed that during moderate to heavy rain the turkeys will head out into the open areas if available.

Down here in OK I guarantee you that if its pouring then you can look out my living room windows and watch the birds walk around the hay pasture behind the house.

I also agree you can't kill them setting at home!


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## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

Ditto to what Tex said. I've seen whole flocks of turkeys out in open fields when it was storming down rain back in Mississippi. I'm sure they do the same out here in Utah. They will hunker down and let it rain on them, but they feel safer as they can see around them. In the woods it is too noisy and they can't feel safe if they can't hear and see danger coming their way.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

If we needed further observation, it rained here today, soon after it started, out came the turkeys into the field.


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