Wasting time in this wind?

[Meleagris gallopavo]

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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[Willieva]

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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[Dtrkyman]

15 would be a blessing out west when I hunt, not an issue for the turkeys, just adjust your strategy!

[Tom007]

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.....

[Lcmacd 58]

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.

[Willieva]

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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[Cut N Run]

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

[Greg Massey]

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 ...

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I gave it a shot.  Didn't see or hear anything.


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[Tom007]

I 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.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I 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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[Tail Feathers]

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!

[GobbleNut]

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. 



 

[Meleagris gallopavo]

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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