Every turkey hunter knows spring is a special time to be in the woods. The temperature seems to become warmer each day while the magic of Mother Nature is on full display during the spring. The trees are awaking from a deep wintery sleep and the flowers are displaying their beautiful colors.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature can be extremely unpredictable in the Spring. With the seasons changing and the temperatures transitioning from cold to hot, spring brings thunderstorms. Thunderstorms and rain are common challenges every turkey hunter will face. However, these challenges should not discourage you from turkey hunting. In fact, you can still enjoy great hunts during rainy weather if you use the right tactics.
Tip #1: Use rainy weather to your advantage when possible
Of course there are many disadvantages when turkey hunting in the rain. Turkeys seems to be less likely to gobble while rain is falling. The woods are soaking wet which makes it difficult for hunters to stay completely dry. Access roads to hunting spots become more difficult to travel. Last but not least, hunters can be caught is dangerous situations when thunderstorms blow in. There are countless other difficulties associated with turkey hunting in the rain however, there a couple advantages to hunting in the rain most people rarely take advantage of.
- Advantage #1 Turkeys Can Be Easy To locate between rain showers
Turkeys will often be found in fields between storm systems and after a heavy rain shower. Often rain showers come in waves throughout the day with breaks that can last for a couple hours before the next wave of showers. This makes it incredibly easy to locate gobblers because you can check the fields in your hunting area while rain is sprinkling. When I wake up on a rainy morning during turkey season, I like to get in my truck and look over openings and fields while riding through my hunting area. I also love to get on high vantage points on pipelines and long down the right of ways. A pipe line is a great place to locate gobblers during rainy conditions!! If I’m lucky enough to locate a gobbler in a field, I grab my turkey vest and shotgun then plan an approach.
- Advantage #2 Hunters can get away with more movement while approaching
Rain falling will reduce a turkey’s ability to spot movement. This can be a huge advantage to a hunter attempting to approach the edge of a field or opening where turkeys are hanging out. With leaves dripping water and the occasional breeze commonly associated with rainstorms, hunters can approach a field with birds much easier than if the woods are dry and calm. With rain drops dripping on leaves and rain water softening the forest floor, hunters can often travel undetected to a setup. Of course, hunters should always attempt to stay out of a turkey’s direct line of sight when making an approach regardless of the weather conditions. Once you get set up and begin to call, gobblers will focus on exact area they hear the call. Once you begin calling, you need to be completely concealed when hunting rainy days!
Tip #2: Concealment is King once a turkey begins to Approach your hunting setup
Approaching a field with turkeys can be easier to do when rain is falling and the woods are wet with rain water. However, once you begin to call a gobbler into your setup, you have to be completely concealed from head to toe!! Sunshine creates shadows on trees which help conceal hunters. Clouds however, expose hunters not properly concealed. Often, hunters make the mistake of thinking they can afford the same amount of movement when hunting as they do when approaching a setup. This is not always true. Sure if the rain is pouring down while you are hunting, you can get away with less concealment and more movement. However, if you make your approach to the edge of a field while the rain was falling but it stops right after you get set up, you better be properly concealed. Remember, once a gobbler is focused on the location the call is coming from, his eyes are locked on that area. It is less difficult for gobbler to find a hunter’s silhouette and any unnatural colors on a cloudy day, than a sunny day. Unlike when I deer hunt, I try to completely cover myself with good quality camo when turkey hunting. I think camouflage clothing is critical for turkey hunting no matter what the weather conditions are.
Tip #3 Use The Right Equipment to better your chance for success
As I mentioned earlier in this post, good camouflage is critical for hunting turkeys. However, camo is only one part of the equation. I recommend you bring camo rain gear, binoculars, a chair, and protection for your calls during wet conditions.
Of course camo rain gear can help you stay dry during the rain however, a turkey hunting chair can also help you stay dry from the wet ground. Not only will a turkey hunting chair keep your bottom from becoming saturated from the wet ground, it can improve your shot placement because you can be more comfortable while waiting for the gobbler to come into range.
Binoculars are a great tool for glassing fields from a distance. Also by using binoculars, you can stay inside the dry environment of you vehicle while glassing fields while it’s raining.
I love to use diaphragm calls on rainy days for one simple reason, they always work because diaphragm calls are designed to be used inside your mouth. Box calls and slate calls will malfunction at times once they become wet. However, if you do not like using diaphragm calls, you should keep slate and box calls as dry as possible while approaching and when hunting. You can do this by keeping the calls inside zip lock bags until you are ready to call then place them back into the bags in between calling sessions.
Tip #4: Use the right Strategy
There are countless strategies hunters use for turkey hunting on rainy days. However, I will share with you the strategy I have experienced the most success with.
When I wake up on a rainy morning during turkey season, the first thing I do is look at the weather radar and hourly forecast. I like to get an idea of when there might be a break in the rain showers. Once I have an idea of when the rain might stop, I get in my truck and start riding around my hunting area and begin glassing fields for turkeys. Once I find a field with a gobbler, I check the weather radar again on my phone. Again, I get an idea of when the rain might stop, then I gather my gear and prepare to approach the field containing turkeys. Once the rain begins to slack off, I carefully make my approach in hopes of getting setup before the rain has completely stops. I always try to approach a field out of sight of the turkeys by using terrain and timber for cover. While staying inside the timber, I slowly approach the edge of the field, while attempting to locate where the turkeys are positioned. Once I know the gobbler’s position, I get set up and begin to call.
Based on my personal experience, gobblers will approach without making a sound during rainy weather conditions. This is why I like hunt by sight instead of by sound on rainy days. This is not always the case however, I have heard gobblers get fired up after a spring shower once the rain completely moves out and the sun begins to shine. For the most part though, I have rarely heard a gobbler sound off during rainy days.
Below is an general example of how I typically approach field turkeys during rainy days. The example below also works on field gobblers in some cases.
Summary
Turkey hunting during rainy weather can be very difficult. Not only can rainy weather be hard to hunt in, it can also be very dangerous when lightning is present. Sometimes, a turkey hunter’s best strategy is to simply stay inside the comfort of your own home. However, if you see a break from the rain, you might want to grab your gear and go check on the fields on your hunting club. You never know, you might spot a gobbler and eventually get a shot!
I hope this article gives you guys some ideas for turkey hunting in the rain. We have other helpful info for turkey hunting on our turkey page at Americanhuntingsafari.com. For tips for hunting and fishing go to our home page. We also share some delicious tips for cooking wild game on our cooking page.
Thanks for reading and good luck this spring!