The Sun

[Xtrema30]

Im not new to turkey hunting but I'm not a seasoned veteran either, but i had a guy tell something along the lines that in the morning times when the birds start gobbling that he will never face or fly down towards the sun. so if you set up inbtween him and the sun your chances are decreased greatly. please allow some input on this
thanks

[30_06]

I can't say that I have noticed that before.

[dirtnap]

Never heard of such.  I've killed one or two.

[Greg Massey]

I agree most always the birds will fly down to the cool side of the ridge or bottom...I'm not saying one want fly up the ridge but ive never have saw but a couple do this during my 30 yrs of turkey hunting.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

On several occasions I've seen them fly down in the direction of the sun.  I think it has more to do with where they want to go to eat or drink.  Usually, where I hunt anyway, the sun isn't all that high in the sky when they fly down and is behind the surrounding trees.  I do think they prefer, for the sake of better vision, to have the sun at their backs when on the ground and moving, and the sun is higher in the sky. 

[crow]

My policy has always been to never face the sun in gunfights, for everything else it doesn't matter-------but thats just my policy 

[GobbleNut]

I suspect there may be rare occasions when the conditions are such that the location of the sun at sunrise would impact where a gobbler chooses to fly down.  I also suspect that there are many other factors that are more important, however. 

The most glaring error in the theory is that, at least where I have hunted, turkeys rarely wait until the sun has risen to fly down.  Most times they are on the ground and beginning their days activities before the sun comes over the horizon.

You should consider the effects of the sunrise and how it is going to impact your set-up on a bird when it does come up, however.  If you can help it, you don't want to be looking into the sun with approaching birds,...and you most certainly do not want the sun to be hitting you directly as turkeys approach you. 

In summary, choosing your set-up locations based on the theory of a gobbler flying away from the sunrise is, in most instances, probably a waste of time and, in many instances, may be counter-productive.

[guesswho]

i had a guy tell something along the lines that in the morning times when the birds start gobbling that he will never face or fly down towards the sun.

I think he might be telling you what he would do if he was a gobbler, so he thinks it must be true. 

I see that theory trashed every year where I hunt.  I've seen them on the limb doing 360's and gobbling all directions.  Ever hear a bird on the limb and think man, he pretty close?  Then the next time he gobbles you think is that the same gobbler?   Especially in flat land.  Chances are he's just changing positions on the limb. 

And like Gobblenut said, most the birds I encounter are on the ground before the sun breaks the horizon. 

Now the Sun does factor into my set-ups, or at least the shade does.     

[Bowguy]

Not sure if we're talking the same species. Easterns where I hunt typically fly down before the sun is up. Not in the dark but before the sun actually rises which is a half hour or more before the sun.

[Xtrema30]

 I figured it was bull...just wanted input and yeah ive expiereneced the bird changing position on the limb a ton.

[silvestris]

I think one could never factor the sun into the equation of a blind hunt.  I might give it some thought on a roosted bird, all other things being equal.  I hate my position when the turkey is approaching with the sun at his back during the first hour after sunrise.  He can clearly see under that circumstance, and I can't.

[Hooksfan]

As others have pointed out, in my experience the sun has never been a factor at fly down time for me. However; I did learn years ago that on certain sunlight conditions that if I have the sun at my back and turkeys in front of me, I am much more successful making moves without being detected. Years ago, I discovered this while running across a cut soybean field to bust a fall flock. I literally ran 100 yards across a wide open field and ran into shotgun range. When I looked back across the field where I came from, all I could see was black due to the sun.

[stinkpickle]

...
The most glaring error in the theory is that, at least where I have hunted, turkeys rarely wait until the sun has risen to fly down.
...

Bingo!   

[WildTigerTrout]

Never say never when it comes to turkey hunting. The only absolute in turkey hunting is there are NO absolutes.

[TRG3]

In the 2014 season, I set up my decoys in a picked soy bean field beside a 40-acre weed thicket where the hens would go to nest, sometimes dragging a gobbler with them. It was still dark when I set up and I got comfortable against a big oak tree. As the clear sky began to reveal the rising sun, I realized that I'd made a mistake in facing east toward my decoys but it was too late to relocate since the gobblers were already on the ground. About an hour later, I heard a stick snap behind me and soon a gobbler walked past me at 10' and directly into the sun as he challenged my Funky Chicken. While I was successful in making the shot, it was a chore for me to then have to look into the sun in order to take the tom. This year, I sat up in the exact same spot but this time waited for a cloudy day to do so. Even after 30+ years of turkey hunting, lessons are learned.