Turkeys and rain?

[Coues assassin]

Looks like there is gonna be showers opening day in the payson area. How will this affect the turkeys? We will be heading up thursday and hoping to set up camp before it gets to wet. Do turkeys seem to stay put when it rains? Or is it worth being out there still calling? Any turkey hunting tips in the rain?

[kazpilot25]

Last year for opening day it started snowing up in 6A. Completely shut them up. I wasn't able to cut tracks in the snow in an area I knew they were, so I'd assume they were staying put. I don't really have any advice, just my experience from last year.

[GreyGhost85]

they seem to really hunker down in bad weather. iv'e seen them in some bad snowstorms with over 2" of snow on their backs. they always stand there looking like statues, not moving at all

[125coues]

We had about 1" of snow opening day of the youth hunt in 8 this year and we still had 5 gobblers sounding out in the am this year.

[Coues assassin]

Hopefully it won't come down to hard! May change sitting water

[rossislider]

The snow, sleet, rain, and wind really seemed to slow things down for us on the youth hunt this past weekend. I think the strong wind when trying to call might have been the worst of the three. Still, plenty of turkeys were killed by others in camp.

 

Good luck!

[Swivelhead]

No experience with snow. What I've observed when it's raining is that they roost early and leave the roost slightly later than normal in the morning. Talked less too.

[WHT_MTNMAN]

If it is raining fairly hard they will be out in the wide open where they can see...normal sleet,little snow won't mess them up much.

[Seldom Drawn]

Rain doesn't make them hunker down, I have seen them out soaking wet so bad they couldn't even fly but still feeding they live in the winter and struggle to survive with sometimes a 100 inches of snow each winter do you really think 2 inches of snow or .2 inches of rain have that much effect on them.my friends here kicked butt on the jr hunt with the snow you just have to know where the birds are.more then your favorite area.

[naturebob]

Yup. IV'e seen em in unit one in a down pour out in the middle of a field eating. A little bit of snow don't bother em either. Fact I'M going out in about 6-7 hours and its snowing there rite now for about 3 hours says the weather channel. I hope it sticks . Better for glassing and tracking. Tomm. will be the first day with not much wind. Thats why I aint been out yet. 10 days into the season the wind will finally quit. Was 40 mph + today. I hate the wind............Hopefully some pics tomm nite...............BOB!

[Az Edwin]

I bagged a turkey while it was snowing. My buddy shot one same morning 3 miles away. That whole morning was weird, but echos what was said above - they come down later and talk slightly less. They respond to calls, but you have to be almost on top of them before they answer. The only thing I've found that really shuts them up is the wind. Good luck

[kazpilot25]

Another question to think about is this… With the dry warm winter, I've heard the turkeys are mostly still in the lower sections or winter ranges. Will the rain cause them to move into the areas they typically are in this time of year? That is the question.

[bonecollector]

I dont know anything about Turkey in the snow but those with elk tags have to love getting a snow storm in the middle of April.

[Seldom Drawn]

kazpilot25,

 

I don't know where you got this info might be true in some unit, unless you drew a tag in the unit you were told this, I wouldn't listen too whoever told you this.

[Bird Dog]

Az Daily Sun has Flagstaff above normal for moisture this year. Hardly a dry year still. Maybe a bit light on snow though. I think it is about food sources for the hens and then the Gobblers will naturally be present. This is their time of year and they can not help but make noise..... I personally like the off the beaten path birds because there are less people calling. I can not wait....open.. open... Good luck all.