Does the weather effect the gobblers?

JBird · Post by **JBird** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:00 am

I was out with my brother this weekend, and we couldn't get any birds to talk to us in the afternoon, and only one very early in the morning. When I had this tag a couple years ago I called one in at the end of May. I am wondering if because it has been hotter and dry this year if that is what the problem is?

shorty · Post by **shorty** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:17 pm

I have figured out that when it starts to heat up them toms hold up in the shade in the trees. I had the same problem on my 2004 and my 2007 turkey hunt.

Heads or Tails · Post by **Heads or Tails** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:09 pm

Just like any other animal, different trends or changes in weather can change their behavior. As Shorty mentioned, when it gets really hot they will hold up in the shade of the pines or areas that are not as hot. On these hot days the evening hunts are usually in many of cases very slow and quiet, that is a good time if you know where they head to roost, you can try to catch them heading to the roost that night.

Windy days are also bad. They cannot hear as well therefore they get a little more cagey and cautios to approaching calls. It is harder to determine distance between you and the birds also.

Each year presents different challenges too. The birds are pretty quiet right now, most of them are just henned up and just like a herd bull elk when he hears a call, in most cases he will gather his heram and push them away without saying a word. They will go in phases in gobbling depending on the weather and conditions, one year they may be gobbling later or earlier than they did the year previous.

However towards the end of the of season the toms will start to break off from the hens and when they do this they start getting vocal again, some of the ones that got beat-up or kicked-off before think they may have a chance now. Often the birds will get quiet and then vocal up again towards the end of the month.

I am no turkey expert, but the best advice I can give you would be persistence , Just keep going and you never know when you might find or hear the bird you are looking for!

Good Luck!!

JBird · Post by **JBird** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:16 pm

Thanks for the info. I kind of figured that the wind and heat could cause problems.

southwind · Post by **southwind** » Sun May 20, 2007 11:24 am

Weather has really made a tuff year here. Late snows, heavy rains, high winds you name it we have had it. Actually the only thing we really have not had this year is hot weather which I can live with turkey hunting.

I am normally tagged out by May and just scored and one tag left until the end of the month.

JBird · Post by **JBird** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:57 pm

Nice Bird. We are trying some higher elevations this weekend hopefully will get one.

Post by **Hiker** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:01 am

Nice bird Southwind.

shorty · Post by **shorty** » Mon May 21, 2007 9:41 am

Nice bird how long is the beard

southwind · Post by **southwind** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:36 pm

This bird was deceiving it had a 10.5" pencil beard, and 1.25" spurs, and just broke 18lbs. When it came in he was with three jakes and although bigger in appearance than the Jakes I figured it had about an 8" beard and just expected .75"-1" spurs but was pleasantly surprised.