I hunt in northeast NC and Southeast Virginia. Been hunting in 15 mph winds this morning and I keep wondering if I'm wasting my time. I guess if you go turkey hunting regardless of the weather it's not wasting time. My opinion has been that turkey hunting in windy conditions is unproductive, at least around here. No gobbling this morning, which isn't unusual regardless of the weather. I did see 2 jakes and 2 hens in the field. Thinking about setting up somewhere else right now and use my loudest calls. What do you think?
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Hunted hard last weekend in the SE Virginia winds and didn't hear much on my side of the farm. My dad was on the other side and they were lighting the woods up. We saw gobblers both days early on and he got one. Ones I saw quietly came into the field strutting.
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15 would be a blessing out west when I hunt, not an issue for the turkeys, just adjust your strategy!
No way waste of time. If they hear you and they are ready to play, your in the money. I'll carry a Primos Battleship in the wind. Cuts right through it.....
Never a waste of time. I always learn something and I've harvested several in the wind. Know your surroundings and what the turkeys do in windy conditions. I utilize a long box on windy days alot. Stay out there itll pay off in the long run.
My box was definitely a key player in the wind last weekend, was the only one he gobbled to! And that was only one time
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Turkeys don't vanish in the wind. They're still out there somewhere.
We have had a lot of wind in N.C. this Spring, but it's been fairly quiet this week everywhere. My best friend killed a good one yesterday that was gobbling like crazy. Though I didn't hear the first gobble where I was. We're one week closer to hens getting on the nest and gobbling will ramp up. Hang in there & keep after 'em.
Jim
I don't care for the wind either, I hunted in all kinds of conditions this week and I agree it does suppress gobbling activities. The windy condition does put a somewhat stress on the turkeys and gobbling.
For one it makes it harder for you to hear him gobble, drumming and spittttt ... etc... IMO
I will agree that turkeys are still going to be turkeys and move around in those conditions ...
I gave it a shot. Didn't see or hear anything.
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Quote from: Meleagris gallopavo on April 19, 2025, 05:13:27 PMI gave it a shot. Didn't see or hear anything.
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I hunt gas lines, power lines, open areas in the wind. Turkeys need their senses to avoid predators, the wind causes problems here. I've seen in my experience that hunting open ares in the wind has been successful for me.
Quote from: Tom007 on April 19, 2025, 05:30:33 PMQuote from: Meleagris gallopavo on April 19, 2025, 05:13:27 PMI gave it a shot. Didn't see or hear anything.
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I hunt gas lines, power lines, open areas in the wind. Turkeys need their senses to avoid predators, the wind causes problems here. I've seen in my experience that hunting open ares in the wind has been successful for me.
Around here we hunt mainly fields. I agree with what you say, but here they disappear in the wind. I rode around a good bit afterwards and never saw a turkey anywhere in the fields. This whole scenario is nothing new here. It's just hard not to try.
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I killed a Rio in OK in 60 mph wind. Had to hold off his head for wind age.
You can't kill em from your couch. Good luck!
The problem I have always had with hunting windy days is mainly that it makes it hard to hear...and being able to hear is a key component, if not THE key component...in hunting turkeys, at least if calling to them and hearing them respond to it is the hunting method being used. The windier it is, the harder it is to make that connection with a gobbler.
In addition, you generally have to be closer...both for you to hear a responsive bird, and for him to hear you...than you do on calm (or less-windy) days. That closeness factor tends to complicate matters in that getting close enough for both parties involved to hear each other sometimes results in the "feathered party" seeing the "non-feathered party", resulting in the "jig being up" so to speak.
I suspect also that turkeys are generally a bit more reluctant to talk too much when everything around them is moving. They are probably more preoccupied with making sure some of those things that are moving are not something that is going to try to eat them. I think I would be a bit more quiet in those situations, as well.
And as Tom007 points out, I have a tendency to look for turkeys in or along open areas on windy days, relying on making visual contact first and then formulating a plan to get close enough to initiate a conversation such that both of us can hear each other.
I keep going back to a day years ago when I took my son hunting on a windy afternoon. We hadn't been set up 15 minutes and ol' big boy showed up. I must have set up right on top of him.
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Great post and comments. I've shot a few on windy days but it gets tougher with the wind and hearing them for me as well.
Sometimes... I can call too much. However when it's windy my calling is in between gusts. This might sound crazy but works to somewhat of an advantage for me. I like siting tight on them days where I know they like to visit. We all know they rely on their senses. They want to be able to see and hear and definitely seeing on them windy days. I've always concentrated on the more open areas.
Like everyone always says "ya can't get em from the couch"
Here in MN we have to choose a 7 day period, for which I usually only take 2 days off of work and then a weekend so I only have 4 days. I hunt no matter what the conditions. The farms I have permission to hunt are in bluff country and are on top of the bluffs. I have definitely had windy seasons where I never heard or saw anything. My belief has been that they go down into the valleys where I don't have permission to hunt. I have gone lower and hunted the wooded hillsides thinking I might strike one up but never had any luck with that. I think they likely don't want to be in the woods because of the noise. All that being said, there have also been times when I've been surprised to see a turkey in a field when it's super windy. There is always a chance there is a bird that will buck the trend!
I'm a woods hunter and stay away from bigger open areas if I can help it. In most areas I hunt there are places to get out of the wind. You know when you find them. It's almost peaceful with the wind raging everywhere else. Turkeys know a bunch of these places. I have to find them.
I too have poor luck in high winds (in the south and east). Out in the windy west, the birds are used to it, so I just call loud. Back east, I do hunt in wind, but I get a lot less action. But I still go, I just call louder. :lol:
I am in the minority and I believe hunting in the wind is actually counterproductive. Often times you can do more harm than good. Particularly if you are hunting solid timber blocks. Hunting agriculture and fields is a little bit different.
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I've killed a lot of turkeys in high wind ...... but it's definitely not entertaining. The only benefit is being able to slip into places with the cover of the wind . But it sucks not being able to hear well. Is what it is ... can't kill em on the couch . Definitely don't blame anyone that waits for better conditions .
Never a waste of time in the mountains. Always some place to get out of the wind. Find those spots, and you will most likely find turkeys. Good luck
Wind don't suppress the gobbling but does inhibit being able to hear them. Normal conditions when hunting Rios. Was calling in 20 mph winds a couple years ago and started to leave when I caught a glimpse of a bird coming up the road. Every time I called you could see him gobble but couldn't hear him. Wonder how many times I didn't see them.