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Rain overnight

Simpleman.2

Simpleman.2

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Looks like there's some rain moving in over night and moving off around sunrise or so. What's everyone's opinion on how it will affect the birds in the morning? Do you think the birds will gobble good?...I've been hunting some tricky mountain gobblers for the past week and have come close several times but not been able to seal the deal. In this particular spot there's a field in a creek bottom with very steep long ridges all around. So far every morning the birds have been roosted up on the ridges and staying up on them all morning and not using the field. I'm thinking with the overnight rain the birds may move down into the field to dry off at sunrise. I'm debating on whether I should setup on the field before daylight or get up on the ridge with them.


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Re: Rain overnight

If I had to guess, I'd say limited gobbling and likely to head to fields to dry out. But I'm wrong as often as I'm right. Maybe more.
 
Re: Rain overnight

The rain you're about to get, west TN has been "enjoying" all day. Your temp will drop, there's wind behind the front, and it's a slow steady miserable soaking. No doubt the birds here looked to roost lower in a bottom this evening or maybe a somewhat protected holler or leeward side of a ridge. Might look for'em to limb hop tonite too...in the morning they might not be where they originally roosted.

They're gonna want to dry out tomorrow and there'll be lots of feather preening going on, Personally, I'm not looking for a whole lotta gobbling but also recognize turkeys are turkeys. If the wind lays down tonite, it's clear/calm/sunny at daybreak, they may blow the treetops out to get going again after such a crappy day today.
 
Re: Rain overnight

Depends where you are. With the woods so open they don't really have to head to fields to dry, but might still especially if the hens are feeling like worms for breakfast.

It's supposed to still be raining here at daylight which might keep them quiet. If it's stopped raining they should gobble as long as it's not too windy

Of course they're turkey so who knows what they'll do
 
Re: Rain overnight

Whatever you think they are gonna do they will do the opposite. So whatever you plan was do the opposite. Although I've found sometimes they will anticipate me doing the opposite and do the opposite of that. Yup so then I just do the opposite of my opposite choice


Seriously though just depends on the amount of rain and fog
 
Re: Rain overnight

Setterman":3gqm43yg said:
Of course they're turkey so who knows what they'll do
Click to expand...
This, you just never know. That is what makes them so much fun to pursue. It's a new game every day, in ways you can't even fathom from your previous 459,234 hunts. :tu: Good luck tomorrow, hope you kill one.
 
Re: Rain overnight

Andy S.":34co445y said:
Setterman":34co445y said:
Of course they're turkey so who knows what they'll do
Click to expand...
This, you just never know. That is what makes them so much fun to pursue. It's a new game every day, in ways you can't even fathom from your previous 459,234 hunts. :tu: Good luck tomorrow, hope you kill one.
Click to expand...

I literally laughed out loud reading this. There's nothing like them and the sinister games they play. Last year I had a bird that made his way every day for 4 straight days to a saddle to strut. I tried everything so on the fifth day I decided to finally be on his saddle. Not only did he not play the game he never gobbled and I never heard him again the rest of the times i was in that area. I know he didn't get killed yet have no clue where he went. Crazy critters
 
Re: Rain overnight

Setterman":3l6bpxf7 said:
Andy S.":3l6bpxf7 said:
Setterman":3l6bpxf7 said:
Of course they're turkey so who knows what they'll do
Click to expand...
This, you just never know. That is what makes them so much fun to pursue. It's a new game every day, in ways you can't even fathom from your previous 459,234 hunts. :tu: Good luck tomorrow, hope you kill one.
Click to expand...

I literally laughed out loud reading this. There's nothing like them and the sinister games they play. Last year I had a bird that made his way every day for 4 straight days to a saddle to strut. I tried everything so on the fifth day I decided to finally be on his saddle. Not only did he not play the game he never gobbled and I never heard him again the rest of the times i was in that area. I know he didn't get killed yet have no clue where he went. Crazy critters
Click to expand...


Had that exact experience this morning. Watched the same group of birds do the same thing 4 days in a row. So I set up just for that this morning. Of course they didn't do it this morning. Crazy things
 
Re: Rain overnight

In my experience, there is nothing better than hunting them the next morning after it rained all afternoon the day before. I'm sure turkeys breed in the rain, but the Tom's don't get to strut in rain, and 30 min to an hour after it stops, they seem extra eager to gobble and work to a call.

The 3 morning's I hunted up there, birds gobbled 100x more Sun morn than Mon or Tues. It poured Sat afternoon and evening.

Strong storms will usually encourage them to roost lower, and rain changes their morning patterns to water sources as well.

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Re: Rain overnight

The only think I can say is is that you never really know.
I would say they would be in their fields, usually after rains that is where they go.
You can never tell about gobbling. I figured they'd gobble some though.


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Re: Rain overnight

megalomaniac":2ln43lr5 said:
In my experience, there is nothing better than hunting them the next morning after it rained all afternoon the day before. I'm sure turkeys breed in the rain, but the Tom's don't get to strut in rain, and 30 min to an hour after it stops, they seem extra eager to gobble and work to a call.

The 3 morning's I hunted up there, birds gobbled 100x more Sun morn than Mon or Tues. It poured Sat afternoon and evening.

Strong storms will usually encourage them to roost lower, and rain changes their morning patterns to water sources as well.

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Click to expand...
I agree, sometimes the storms and weather change mess up their routine which can make them vulnerable and talkative
 
Re: Rain overnight

I killed my bird Tuesday after an hour or so of light rain. Heard 7 or so gobbling. Barring a wind event, I'm expecting a good morning...
 
Re: Rain overnight

That's a tough one. I'd try to set up on a ridge where I could be in the game if they didn't have the field, but if possible have enough cover to drop down to the field edge if they use the field.


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Re: Rain overnight

Well, I laid the hammer down on him! I slipped in there in the dark and setup on the edge of the field along the creek. The birds have been rotating roost spots on the several ridges that drop down into this field so I wasn't sure which one they were roosted on. I hooted several times and the birds never gobbled on the roost. I kind of expected that so I decided to sit tight and wait it out a little bit. Right at 7:30 I heard my first gobble and could tell the bird was on the ground. I yelped back to him on my John Sinclair waterproof slate and he answered me along with another bird. I shutup and gave it a few minutes as they continued to gobble. After a few minutes the rain picked up and I decided to cut and yelp again. This time one of the gobblers cut me off and I knew they were coming. I set the slate down and got ready.. I hear yelping coming from behind me into the field. A flock of hens decided to show up to the party. About as soon as I saw them the two gobblers hammered in the creek bottom close, and i could see them moving quickly towards me. They both popped up into full strut and worked their way right to me. I picked one of them out and let the 870 eat. I was back to the truck and out of the rain by 8:00. Sorry about the soggy bird pics lol.
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It was a good morning and I really appreciate all the comments guys!
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