Delay turkey hunting for better weather?

[bclark1]

Spring turkey opens up here in Ohio tomorrow, Monday. I can probably get out two days before next weekend, and then I won't be able to get out for a while if at all. Schedule-wise, sooner is better, but I can still push things later in the week if it'll make a big difference.

Tomorrow is supposed to be thunderstorms. :barf: Tuesday and Wednesday are supposed to be showers, with the sun finally peeking out on Thurdsay.

I've had some luck turkey hunting in showers, although it's been easier in better weather. I also worry that better weather and later in the week will make for increased pressure on public land.

So what say you? Hold off for nicer days or hit the woods first thing?

 

[bigthrills]

To me it depends on what equipment u have and what your body can take

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I delay anyway. The hunting is generally better during the last half of the season in these parts.

 

[Doyle]

We have just the opposite problem here. Our season (very bottom of the Florida central zone) opens too late. The turkeys have already been strutting and mating for at least two weeks when it opens.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Our season opened this weekend. Saturday was nice in the morning and the temp reached 76 in the afternoon. No luck on Saturday.

We hunted till noon on Sunday. The rain started right around 7am and minus one break, rained the entire hunt. Birds seemed pretty active but by 715am the rain shut them down.

Anyway - In my opinion, if you have the gear for it, hunt. My buddy actually got a nice tom last year in heavy rain shower. The tom had came out and nested in an open field.

 

[hardluk1]

I am not a big turkey hunter but do hunt them an i see just as many turkey ,deer, hogs , it does not seem to matter they all get up and move when raining. just try a blind to keep you dry,er. I have killed more game on a rainy day then dry maybe because i hunt those days and always see game moveing when most hunters are home.

 

[bclark1]

Weather today stinks!

Today wasn't an option, which I can't say I'm sad about - nasty! The rain didn't turn out so bad, but wind is gusting about 35mph.

I killed my first bird in the rain back in Illinois, calling him in from a field up a hill. The terrain I hunt Ohio is a different. Pretty much all flat woods and marsh. The "clearings" are lots of down trees and high brush. The true fields are all adjacent private property. So that's why I'm hesitant to hunt rain, because the places I'd expect birds to be is not public property.

Tomorrow it looks like we should be a bit wetter, but the winds should be about half. Probably try to make it out unless it is really horrid. I can stomach whatever weather, but since I have to be putting in work I don't want to "waste" one of the days I can get to the field.

 

[Brad Clodfelter]

I won't hunt in a downpour, but a light rain with thunder is good hunting. Thunder really makes a bird gobble. The wind kills your success probably more than the rain. Makes birds skittish, and hard to call in.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

Brad from Missouri; +1 on that comment about the wind. I'm north central Kansas and have had wind way over half the times I've hunted. In the early morning it stays pretty quiet, but by midday it picks up. Dang wind.

 

[Brad Clodfelter]

I hear ya.

It also makes it tougher for them to hear you and especially for you to hear them.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

Yessah; that's a good part of the reason I enjoy the spring season so much because its so vocal. Without that, it might as well be deer hunting all over again.

 

[hardluk1]

That high wind is hard on most types of hunting. But love a good rain so long as no down pour but that can last a short time and then just showers again. The night before is more important to me for locating birds or atleast try'n to.

 

[bclark1]

Made it out today - weather was better than I expected until the last hour, when it turned into a real thundering downpour. But nothing was gobbling! Saw two hens all day and that was it.

Didn't leave empty-handed though - found a nice buck carcass. So there's a skull with an 8-point rack, 19-inch spread out back. The lady's a bit appalled but I've only ever shot one deer that would score with that.

 

[K20350]

Rained and crappy for the last 2 days in central MI. 2 days 2 gobblers down!! Called in probably 8 jakes and many hens rain didn't seem to even bother them. They did not strut much though. Today they really started gobbling hard.

 

[masterhunter]

Dang! that must suck! I got my bird on opening day.