4 Types Of Weather You Should Not Avoid During Turkey Season

Photo Credit: Jordan Goss, or @themeathammer

At HuntWise, we truly believe the best time to be afield is when the season is open. Granted, it is important to take into consideration when weather/conditions are dangerous, however, we firmly believe that all types of weather hold something special for us hunters. Although 101 degree days are not ideal, and the pouring rain may not be our favorite, nothing is worse than regretting a hunt that you could have went on.

Therefore, below are 4 types of weather that you should not avoid during turkey season, as they all can be promising with a little alteration in your normal strategies.

Weather You Should Not Avoid When Hunting For Turkey:

1) Foggy Days

Post-storm/post-rain fog is a common weather condition that can happen as a front begins to shift. This can cause turkey to stay on the defense until the fog is cleared out.  Therefore, your best bet is to slip in before daylight and stay low.  Turkey will typically gobble just fine in this weather, however, they will withhold flying around. Aim to slip in close to the gobbling, if you hear any, and set up before they fly down to their coverage before the fog completely is set in.

2) Windy Weather

Like many unfavorable weather conditions, turkey will gobble less when the wind is strong.  And not only do turkey gobble less, but it is harder for both you and the turkey to hear one another’s calls. Therefore, if you want to take advantage of gusty winds, aim for hunting sides of hills and creek bottoms. These areas are not nearly as windy, causing birds to go on with their normal business much easier.  Another strategy to consider in these conditions is calling louder and more often.  This tactic can help compensate for the small range you are able to cover due to wind, and often by loudly calling you can get a gobbler riled up.

3) Sticky, Warm Conditions

Wild turkeys will often react negatively during warm, sticky conditions.  They gobble less, do not strut as often, and overall seem like they are not anywhere in sight to us hunters.  However, they are around, all you have to do is switch up your normal tactics and strategies.

Therefore, if you are out to turkey hunt and are experiencing unusually hot conditions, whether that be in the North, out West, etc., consider hunting near water and shaded areas.

During warmer weather, turkeys have to resort to different sources of water in order to stay hydrated.  Where they normally receive their hydration from dew in typical conditions, the warm weather is going to cause their sources of vegetation to dry out.  Therefore, try setting up near water, where it is not only 5-10 degrees colder due to shade, but turkeys can find their beloved H2O.

Secondly, another tactic that we have found successful in warmer, sticky weather is the walk and call.  As stated above, turkeys don’t gobble as much during this type of weather.  Therefore, head to open timber, which is generally heavily shaded by older, more mature trees, and begin targeting your birds.  Sometimes, they won’t come to you, so you must go to them.

Don’t get beat by the heat during turkey season, and use these above strategies.

4) Sleet, Ice, And Snow

We are from Michigan, therefore, we always have to be prepared for the most bizarre spring weather Mother Nature may bring us. And one thing we have learned to be prepared for, and take advantage of, is the ice, sleet, and snow that spring turkey season can often bring us.

Unless you are hunting the southernmost stretch, many of us will endure a little cold weather during the spring season.  However, cold weather can often be a blessing if it brings you with a little snow or slush that lightly, or heavily, covers the ground.  Turkey tracks are more easily recognized with just a light dusting of snow/slush, and can help us track down these tricky gobblers even when they aren’t making a peep.  Therefore, take advantage of this weather and try to head to pine or cedar canopies.  If the snow or sleet is coming down, birds will try to reduce their snow cover so it is easier for them to scratch.

However, if it is just a light dusting, you can often find gobblers going about business as usual. Nevertheless, gauge what weather you are dealing with by checking the forecast on your HuntWise app, and be ready to follow their tracks, and head to their desired areas. They are out there, you just have to alter your typical strategies to pinpoint where they are located.

Although there are many other weather patterns that you can be just as successful in when aiming to harvest a spring gobbler, these 4 above conditions can often be perceived as problematic, when truly they can be just as successful as a sunny spring day.

We believe that with your prior-knowledge, and these turkey hunting strategies, a spring Tom is in your near future. All you have to do is go out there, and put in the work. Make sure to let us, and the HuntWise community, know how your season is going by posting a log on your HuntWise app. We are excited to see how it turns out for you.

Good luck hunters, and shoot straight.