Is hunting in the rain a waste of time?

[slickbricky]

I've never had any luck at all hunting turkeys in the rain, but the days I can hunt are so precious that I can't stand to stay at the house. My niece and I got absolutey drenched this past Sunday on a weekend youth hunt and should have just slept in. Anyone successful, or is it a lost cause?

[shoot_anything_man]

i actually like to hunt in a little rain every now and then. from what i've seen it pushes the turkeys out into the fields where you can find them. i dont know why but its almost like they like to get soaking wet, but yes i have had success in the rain.

[CH/QuakerBoyProstaff]

I prefer to hunt in the rain,as long as it's not a monsoon.Look for a break in the rain,and hit field edges and logging roads to get a clear view,as sight will become more important when the ground gets quiet.

[mudhen]

As a general rule, I can't imagine anyone saying they actually prefer to hunt turkeys in the rain every day. While I have shot a few in the rain, they are not generally a rainy day type of critters. I see many hunched under trees in the rain. One day in Iowa, I saw 9 very large toms all under one maybe 20 foot tall oak tree. All bunched up competing for what little dry space they could find.

 

My success in the rain has generally been right off the roost type of action. Hard gobbling birds that were just ready that particular day. You pretty much have to get to them before they go out in the fields for their own protection. Get close early, and then maybe wait them out in the truck until you get some clearing.

 

I don't love hunting them in the rain, but I've never had rain make me miss even one day in the field.

 

mudhen

[tucker301]

Heavy rain, no.

Light rain, showers, and drizzle can be productive.

I like hunting after the rain, when the birds want to move around and get dried out.

[CraigL]

I love hunting in the rain.

I put the ground bling in a field where the birds like to come, put out some decoys and wait.

 

The other day I saw a group of gobblers and a bunch of hens out in a field during a rain storm. I pulled the truck over to watch their behavior for a few minutes. The boss was in full strut and the subordinates were trying to decide if they wanted to.

 

I hit the call and they all answered. The hens quickly wisked them away. As they were leaving, the gobblers would pause to gobble and strut trying to get me to come and join.

[Spur Collector]

I hunted this past Saturday in the rain. I didn't kill anything but I called in 2 jakes, just not shooters, to me.

 

Oh yeah, my Benelli SBEII is not rusty. I bought it home, let it dry out, and oiled it down with CLP. She's good to go, and ready for the next hunt, rain or shine...

 

Yeah, Turkey Season is too short. Time is precious and I have to go whenever I can, rain or shine.

[CH/QuakerBoyProstaff]

That's what seperates the Hunters from the Punters.You have to grind to what Mother Nature throws at you! Rain just makes the feathers easier to get off!lol

[dblcluck]

I'm not a rain guy. I want to enjoy my time in the woods, getting soaked isn't my idea of having fun.

[Canned Heat]

2 of the last 4 years we've been hit with a good bit of rain during my 5 day seasons here in WI and I was able to score on both. It didn't start raining until 9 on the third day(Friday) of the '05 season and I told myself I'd hang in until I was soaked. Did some stalking to within 200 yards along a fence row and was able to call in a good sized jake. No trophy but I went home with a bird when no one else did that weekend.

 

This past year, it rained all night and the birds didn't get off the roost until it slowed up around 8am in the morning. I sat with a buddy of mine who happens to be the landowner and the owner of a very nice Double Bull blind we sat in. Had some coffee and watched the birds for over an hour pick their way thru a field towards us until the big daddy got within shooting disance. Laid him out at 42 yards (according to the rangefinder). As bad as I wanted to start calling when they entered the field, we never made a peep the whole time they were out there. I wouldn't do it again without the aid of a blind, but you can take them with patience and a lucky setup.

[slickbricky]

Thanks for all of the replys. I'll continue to hunt in the rain, it's just nice to know that I am not wasting my time. Good to hear some of the different strategies that I hadn't considered. Lucky for me I tagged a nice tom on Illinois' opening morning, Apr. 7th. It was sunny and 65 degrees. 9" beard and 1" spurs. I need to get my neice to post the pics for me. Computers baffle my tiny neanderthal brain.

[birdbrooks]

Dudes, rain be dealt with and hunted in, no doubt, but that SNOW thing I was talking about in another thread--now that's a drag for spring turkey hunting! In Minnesota if it's snowing, I'd prefer to hunt diving ducks, geese, grouse or pheasants, and in the fall or winter!

 

Turkey hunting finally is going good now after a late start here and WI an IA.

 

Of course, some years it seems like we have two seasons- winter and road repair.

[cje61]

Snow, Rain, Wind, Sun, and combinations all have their pros and cons. It just takes some field time and research to find out what works for you (which you are doing). Bottom line.... its hard to hear them gobble when one ear is covered up with a pillow or the radio from the cab of your truck is too loud.

 

It rained here saturday and they gobbled hard... when you could get close enough to hear them. Rain, wind, new leaves comming on (harder for the sound to travel), fog, and too much gun fire over the years made it seem as though nothing was going on. I spoke to some dry hunters in my dad's hunting shop and they said they did not even hear a gobble but breakfest at the local dinner was good.

 

My wife almost got a shot off today. She is 7 months pregnant and using a bow. It would have been great. It is a gorgeous day here in SE Ohio, would have made a great picture. (I was baby sitting but we could hear it from the window).

 

Good luck to everyone and thanks to all who take kids and folks who have not gone.

 

PS- I have found four sheds and only 15 morels

[CraigL]

I'll let ya know in a bit:D

[CraigL]

Nope,

I didn't get one this morning, but I had a lot more fun than working!

[HUNT2HUNT]

I've never had any luck at all hunting turkeys in the rain, but the days I can hunt are so precious that I can't stand to stay at the house. My niece and I got absolutey drenched this past Sunday on a weekend youth hunt and should have just slept in. Anyone successful, or is it a lost cause?

 

We hunt from ground blinds all season. A rainy days have been the best hunting we have ever had. I'm not a fan of sitting on the ground,but will do it to hunt.

The ground blind on a rainy day is hard to beat. Try it, and I think you will find it is a great time to hunt Turkeys.