# Turkeys reacting to the rain....



## dlip

I've had a few situations where I've been set up on tree lines looking into fields, and have worked birds clear across the country(across the field :lol: ) and the mist turns into a downpour, and the wind picks up, and the birds have literally turned around and walked off. There is no spooking to it, they just didn't want to be out in the rain. Does this hold true to most all turkey hunting. What should I do in this situation, do the birds go to roost, or do they just get in the timber. This is a situation where I have ended up just packing up and leaving. What do you guys have to say about this?


----------



## buckseye

yes all fowl are extremely susceptible to pneumonia and will make haste to find shelter to stay dry as possible. I learned that watching birds when I was a kid.


----------



## cut'em

The good thing about a situation like that is as soon as the rain stops Turkeys will head for the open fields to dry off. I've gone to these areas knowing the rain was stopping just wait them out. Keep in mind I've always found that it's tougher to get them into range pulling them across a field than through the hardwoods. they tend to hang up and strut waiting for the hen to come into the open.


----------



## Cowvet

Here in Virginia Turkeys will seem to always leave the woods if it is raining. They prefer short small grain or close graized pasture when it is wet. In big timber they will either stay in the tree or move to an open - non brushy area. Probably like us, it is easier to stay dry in short grass than knee high stuff. Also it is harder to hear things in the rain. So the turkey likes to get where he can see every thing. At least that is my guess. For sure if one wants to count turkey flocks, go drive around on a rainy day and look at cattle pastures or harvested fields.
Pat


----------



## Puddinhead

I agree that turkeys go to fields to dry off if it is raining or has rained recently. The other thing I've noticed is that birds seem to "wake up" in a mindset of the weather that they went to "sleep" in. If it rains at night but it's clear in the morning, I've found birds to be less vocal even though the morning is bluebird. They also seem to go straight to open space to dry off immediately after hitting the ground.


----------



## Chuck Smith

Another thing I noticed while hunting turkeys in the rain is that they like the open field....but the pastured or grassy ones. They don't like the dirt. Because it clumps up on thier feet. So they stick to grass to keep the feet clean.

Just like waterfowl.....you ever notice while hunting sheet water in the spring that the mallards dump in to wash thier feet. Same kind of concept.


----------

