1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by First Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: First Light Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast. 7 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 2: I'm your host Tony Peterson, and it's Turkey Week here 8 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: at mediater so I'm talking long beards today, but more specifically, 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: just how to hunt this spring, whether you're dealing with 10 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: beach weather or conditions. It'll make you want to stay home. 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: All right. It's the first day of Turkey Week here 12 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: at meat Eater, and if you're on social media at all, 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 2: you're going to hear about it a whole bunch. You'll 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: probably also see that First Light has a new Turkey 15 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 2: kid out in a pattern called dark Water that is 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: pretty dang sweet. If you're the kind of person who 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 2: likes to put his back to a tree and yelp 18 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: your heart out. You'll also probably hear that we are 19 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: running a Turkey Week sweepstakes where you can win a 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: Texas turkey hunt in the spring of twenty twenty seven. 21 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: For three people. Now, if you've never hunted rios, trust me, 22 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 2: this is going to be a fun one. They are 23 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 2: beautiful birds. They gobble their heads off all day. You 24 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: can be a hell of a lot more fun than Easterns. 25 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: If you win, you'll get a prize pack worth over 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: thirteen grand, which includes a hell of a lot of 27 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: killer hunting gear. Well how do you win? Head on 28 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: over to the medieater dot com and just buy something. 29 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 2: The more you spend, the more entries get dumped into 30 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: the bucket, and someone is going to win, So why 31 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: not you? All Right, Now that that's out of the way, 32 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: it's time to talk turkeys. This is a show I've 33 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 2: been thinking about for a while because I realized how 34 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: much you know the different conditions and weather shape my 35 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: approach to turkey hunting, kind of like how different conditions 36 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: and weather shape my approach to all hunting and fishing. 37 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: And just like all hunting and fishing, instead of using 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: weather as an excuse to not go, learning how to 39 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: use it to your advantage is a better option because 40 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: then you get to go turkey hunting, which is better. 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: And whatever you do when you're not turkey hunting, So listen, up, 42 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 2: because here we go. Let's kick this one off by 43 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: doing a little thought experiment. When I say, think about 44 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: deer hunting this fall, what is the first thought that 45 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 2: comes into your mind? Is it something that involves being 46 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: in a stand or a blind during the peak of 47 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: the rut? Did your mind sort of instantly go to 48 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 2: the best scenario with deer hunting, you know, the time 49 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 2: you just love the best. How's the weather in that scenario? 50 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,119 Speaker 2: Probably nice and cold and crispy, and just the kind 51 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 2: of thing to get the bucks really moving. Now, let's 52 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: try the same thought experiment with spring turkey hunting. Just 53 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: think about it for a second. Think about your hunt 54 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: this upcoming spring. My guess is you pretty quickly put 55 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: yourself in a blind in a spot you love, or 56 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: maybe you're back to a tree somewhere and the birds 57 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 2: are gobbling, it's greening up, and let me guess, the 58 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing too hard, 59 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: and it's as good of a day to hunt turkeys 60 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: as it would be to go sightfish some bedding large mouth. 61 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: But what happens when we actually go hunting. I'm convinced 62 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: that at least half of the time I head to 63 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 2: the field or out on the water, the most challenging 64 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: thing I'll face is the weather. This would be a 65 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: good time to insert some saying about how the weather 66 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 2: here in Minnesota is unpredictable as it gets, but that's 67 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: just pure silliness. Everywhere you go, the locals say the 68 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: same thing about their weather, except for maybe anyone living 69 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: close to the equator. The rest of us Vitamin D 70 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 2: deficient pale hairless monkeys deal with unpredictable weather all the time, 71 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: which means we are very likely to deal with that 72 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: during turkey season. And just like with deer, the turkeys 73 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: just do their thing no matter what the weather is doing. 74 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 2: And if we understand how to work with that, we 75 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: can kill long beards no matter what Mother Nature gives us. Now, 76 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: I know we all want those bluebird skies and those 77 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: calm winds and all the beautiful sunlight waking up the 78 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: world and getting the food chain in motion, both by 79 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: feeding tiny, weightless packets of energy to plants but also 80 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 2: raising the air temperature enough to get the insect life 81 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: really going. But we often don't get that. If you 82 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: have a long turkey season and enough time to get 83 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: out there, you probably don't worry about this much. You 84 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 2: can pick and choose your dates and use the forecast 85 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: to tell you when to hunt. But a lot of 86 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: us have schedules that just don't allow for that. And 87 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 2: if you have, you know, kids that are in a 88 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 2: stupid amount of activities, you might only have a weekend 89 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 2: or two to put them on a bird let alone yourself. Plus, 90 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 2: it's hard to argue against the benefit of sitting in 91 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: the woods trying to call in a tom versus not 92 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: sitting in the woods and not trying to call in 93 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: a tom. So what can you do when the forecast 94 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 2: calls for something less stellar than you'd like? Well, adapt 95 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 2: use it to your advantage. Let's start with a for 96 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 2: sure weather condition you will get if you have a 97 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 2: turkey hunt enough wind wind sucks for almost every outdoor pursuit. 98 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: I probably mind it the least while deer hunting because 99 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: it does give me some real advantages there, and I 100 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: probably hate it the most while fishing for obvious reasons. 101 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 2: In between those two is high winds wild turkey hunting. 102 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 2: Way back when I was in high school, a buddy 103 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: and I pulled into a parking area on a chunk 104 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: of public land in northern Missouri, well before first light. Now, 105 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: as soon as I got out of his truck, I 106 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: heard the hissing sound of air going from where you 107 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 2: wanted in a tire to where you don't, which is 108 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 2: no longer in the tire. We had a quick conversation 109 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: and realized that since you could only hunt till one PM, 110 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: we'd changed the tire when we got back, so we 111 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 2: split up and we headed out with the wind absolutely 112 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 2: whipping across the land. I didn't do this on purpose, 113 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 2: but I ended up dropping into a valley and sneaking 114 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 2: along in a low spot where the wind wasn't quite 115 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: as obnoxious, and as gray light started to permeate the 116 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 2: world around me, I stopped next to a hillside that 117 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: sort of banked off the valley I was in, and 118 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 2: then I looked up into the trees and realized two things. 119 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 2: The first was that I was very close to a 120 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 2: hell of a lot of roosted turkeys, and the second 121 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 2: was that it was damn near dead still where I was, 122 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: despite being able to hear the wind roaring over the 123 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: hill above me. I'm sure I've put my ass on 124 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: the ground faster while hunting, but I don't remember, when 125 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: I do remember a tense ten sit there waiting for 126 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 2: those birds to start hitting the ground, and the absolute 127 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 2: rush of walking up on a public land bird with 128 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: a big old rope beard and the longest spurs I 129 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 2: had ever seen on a tom Those birds weren't roosted 130 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 2: there by accident, And it would take quite a few 131 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 2: fall turkey hunts back in Minnesota to get me to 132 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 2: realize just how much wind plays a role in where 133 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: they roost. To figure this out, where you hunt, take 134 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 2: into account the wind direction, and then imagine what you'd 135 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 2: have to do in order to sleep in a tree 136 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 2: but not constantly be hammered by the blowing air. Turkeys 137 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 2: are masters of knowing where these spots are, and if 138 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 2: the wind is set to blow all night, they will 139 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 2: roost in a place that's advantageous for them. But you 140 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: might not have that spot on your hunting ground, and 141 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 2: what if it's supposed to be windy all day. Let 142 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: me put it this way, turkeys are not curious. They 143 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 2: are cagey, and this is because a hell of a 144 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 2: lot of stuff tries to eat them all throughout their lives. 145 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 2: In addition to the fact that for several weeks each spring, 146 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: we try to shoot them in their faces. They don't 147 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 2: seem to handle a lot of unpredictable movement in the 148 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: woods well, which is what the wind causes. They also 149 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: don't seem to like not being able to hear a 150 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: whole lot either. Duh. Now, you might think, well, that's 151 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 2: the same as deer, but it's not. An animal that 152 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: uses its nose as its primary defense against predators is 153 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: an animal that is far more comfortable in the wind 154 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: than one that doesn't, and turkeys don't. The hard part 155 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 2: about this is that turkeys in windy weather aren't super 156 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 2: likely to call much. You know they're gonna sound off 157 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,679 Speaker 2: on the roosts, but often when they hit the ground, 158 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,239 Speaker 2: they'll go where it's calm and they won't say much. 159 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: This makes running and gunning really tough, because if you're 160 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: not in the red zone, the odds of getting a 161 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 2: response are low, and you're very likely to have to 162 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 2: work with several birds, even during the mid or late 163 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: season when they should be more scattered than not. Turkey 164 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 2: hunting in the wind is a game of patience, and 165 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: it requires you to identify the spots that would allow 166 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: them to have some respite from it and then get 167 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 2: in there and hope your instincts are correct. Now, you 168 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: certainly will see birds out in fields that are just 169 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 2: doing their thing, but generally they'll be tucked in on 170 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: a field edge or somewhere that offers some protection if 171 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: they can get it. No matter what, if you hunt 172 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: when it's really blowing, pay attention to where you see 173 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 2: birds because their response to those conditions today is very 174 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 2: likely to mirror their response to those conditions in the future. 175 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 2: High winds aren't much fun to hunt it until you 176 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 2: figure out how to work with them, which is pretty 177 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: much the same thing as hunting in the rain. I 178 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: have a complex relationship with turkey hunting in the rain. 179 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: Then I'm almost ashamed to admit, but I will anyway. 180 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: It's almost like cheating to turkey hunting the rain. But 181 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: there's nothing that looks worse in photos and videos than 182 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 2: a wet gobbler. I know, I know, I literally have 183 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: influencer in my job title. This doesn't make me feel great, 184 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 2: but the truth is, if you don't turn everything you 185 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 2: love into a job like a total moron, you can 186 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: just go turkey hunt in the rain and live with 187 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 2: the consequences and on this front, I view turkey behavior 188 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 2: and dear behavior almost exactly the same. It's missing out. 189 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 2: Oh good, get out there and fill your tag. Raining lightly, 190 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: Oh good, get out there and fill your tag downpouring 191 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: so hard you can hear them building an arc somewhere 192 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: in the distance. Oh good. Stay home and have a 193 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 2: cup of coffee and chill out, and plan to get 194 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 2: out there before the rain lets up, so you can 195 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 2: be there when the animals feel that same relief. Most 196 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 2: people who have turkey hunted a little bit have probably 197 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 2: noticed that a light rain brings the birds out into 198 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 2: the open. I don't know if this is because the 199 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: woods just get a little too claustrophobic to them, considering 200 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 2: they just can't hear or probably see quite as well 201 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: in the rain. It could be as simple as they 202 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 2: expect worms to come out in the rain and they 203 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 2: want to eat them. The reasons for the behavior might 204 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 2: never be truly known to us, but knowing that the 205 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 2: behavior exists and it's very reliable is really all that 206 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: matters here. If you have the chance to hunt a 207 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: light rain, do it. They are often visible and often 208 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: very callable. Just don't be surprised when your trophy photos 209 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,719 Speaker 2: look like you killed a soggy black chicken instead of 210 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 2: a twenty five pound former dinosaur with knife blades on 211 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 2: his legs now Ken, you killed birds in a downpour, 212 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 2: you sure can. Quite A few years ago, I slipped 213 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: into a chunk of timber in southern Minnesota to hunt 214 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 2: a ridgetop with a logging road on it, mostly because 215 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 2: I was avoiding going where I really wanted to because 216 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: somebody else was already parked there. It was pouring, and 217 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: by that I mean the kind of rain where you 218 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 2: were just soaked within like five minutes of being out, 219 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 2: and if you don't go home and dry off and 220 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 2: oil your gun up, you'll regret it very soon. On 221 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: my very first setup of that morning, with my gun 222 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 2: over my knees pointed down that logging road, I about 223 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 2: couldn't believe it when I saw two redheads bobbing my way. 224 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,319 Speaker 2: It was the first day of my hunt, and when 225 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: I saw that they were jakes, I did something I 226 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 2: almost never do, which is I let them walk right 227 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: up to me without taking the safety off. Now, in 228 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: their dumb, juvenile brains, they finally formed a thought that 229 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 2: something didn't quite seem right because I hadn't even put 230 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:19,959 Speaker 2: out a decoy, given I didn't think i'd call in 231 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: any birds and was mostly killing time. So they turned around, 232 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 2: and that was when the thought of who I really 233 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 2: am as a hunter hit me across the side of 234 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 2: my head like a sock filled with nickels, and I 235 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 2: buried the bead of my old mossburg on one of 236 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: their necks. And that was that much later, while bow 237 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 2: hunting turkeys up here in the Twin Cities, I had 238 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: a flash storm roll through that took me from nearly 239 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 2: perfect turkey weather to sitting in a blind in a 240 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 2: total downpour. I had a bird just gobbling his head 241 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,079 Speaker 2: off below me the whole time, and I knew where 242 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 2: he was. I knew he was strutting on a little 243 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 2: two track, and I knew that I could probably sneak 244 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 2: up there and get a lot closer to him. So 245 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: I grabbed my bow and popped in a mouth call 246 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 2: and did just that. They not only did I see him, 247 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 2: but while I was glassing him and trying to figure 248 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: out if I could call him up the road and 249 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 2: draw without getting busted, I noticed a little whack a 250 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 2: mole situation directly in front of me. A whole flock 251 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 2: of hens was bedded in the grass along the little 252 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: logging road, and occasionally one of them would pop its 253 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 2: head up, look around, and then it would just disappear. 254 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: I got to watch those birds do what birds often 255 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 2: do during a heavy rain, which is just sit tight 256 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 2: and ride it out. That Tom couldn't help himself and 257 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 2: was strutting for some of the birds that were farther 258 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 2: down the road, but the ladies weren't having it. The instant, 259 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 2: and I mean the instant that I felt the rain 260 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 2: downshift in gears, all of those birds stood up, and 261 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 2: I had a few brief moments of chaos before that 262 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 2: Tom came right in and I not only shot some 263 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 2: feathers off his back, but absolutely barrowed my arrow into 264 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 2: a tree right behind him, which sent the whole flock 265 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: in a direction that did me absolutely no good. Heavy 266 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 2: rain is a bitch, but it often comes with lightning 267 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: and thunder. And while I'm I'm not telling you to 268 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 2: stay out there and get fried, I'll tell you this. 269 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 2: Every time I've been out turkey hunting and a thunderstorm 270 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 2: has rolled in, that toms have gobbled their heads off. 271 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 2: Not never did me much good. For calling them in, 272 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: but it's always pretty cool to witness. It's also true 273 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 2: that if you know where they are going to roost, 274 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: and you are dealing with some level of rain and 275 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 2: maybe thunderstorms, you can bet your ass that they'll get 276 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 2: back and stage up to roost earlier than they would 277 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: if it was beautiful out. In a lot of states, 278 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 2: you can hunt until sunset, But if you do that enough, 279 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 2: or you glass enough birds in the preseason, you'll see 280 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 2: that they often don't fly up until way way after sunset, 281 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 2: which means they don't get that last good period of 282 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 2: movement in before shooting light ends. That's not the case 283 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: in nasty weather, though, and it's something you can use 284 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 2: to your advantage. Hell that's how I arrowed my bird 285 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 2: in Minnesota last year. It was supposed to rain on 286 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:52,959 Speaker 2: and off all day and be cloudy and gloomy, and 287 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 2: I figured that the birds that had given me the 288 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: slip so far would show up early enough and be 289 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 2: callable enough. I ended up arrowing did just that, and 290 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 2: he gobbled while coming in from a long ways off. 291 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 2: He was just getting to the roost early because of 292 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 2: the conditions, And it was a fun sit and at 293 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: least I believe made possible by less than ideal turkey weather. 294 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 2: Of course, I can't really talk about hunting turkeys in 295 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: the weather without just talking about temperature. Real cold sucks, 296 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 2: and we get it up here in Canada South a 297 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 2: lot when it's supposed to be super cold. One thing 298 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: I notice is that the bird's default back to their 299 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: winter mode for at least the first part of the day. 300 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: They'll gobble like mad, But the ladies tend to lead 301 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 2: them all to the same food sources that they hit 302 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 2: all winter long, and they'll do their best to fill 303 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: up their crops before doing anything else. If I'm facing 304 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 2: stupid cold weather and just hunting for myself, I won't 305 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 2: go out a lot, you know, until like noon or later. 306 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 2: I'll hit that afternoon window of higher temperatures and hunt 307 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 2: off the hopes that the birds will spread out and 308 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: do their thing after their morning routine. It often works. 309 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 2: But if I have kids to take or someone else 310 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: or whatever, sometimes you just go do your thing and 311 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: the cold and hope for that bird that will cover 312 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 2: ground and work no matter what. Now, with turkeys, that 313 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 2: bird is often out there at some point of the day. 314 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 2: They're out there when it gets really hot too, but 315 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: that's a different thing. My least favorite turkey hunting condition 316 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: just might be blazing heat. Now, just like with cold, 317 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 2: how hot is too hot is relative. My version of 318 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: that would be dream weather for someone down in Texas 319 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 2: or Florida. But it's safe to say that if you 320 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 2: have temps that you'd consider oppressive, the birds will react 321 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 2: to it. The heat often leads to loafing in the shade, 322 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 2: but again you can use that. I killed a bird 323 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 2: on some public land last year in Nebraska while hunting 324 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 2: in really hot weather by sitting close to a windmill 325 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 2: over a stock tank. The flock of jakes that came 326 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 2: in all had their mouths open because it was stupid hot. 327 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: And I don't really know how to make this sound 328 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 2: any smarter than it is. Hunting around water allows you 329 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 2: to be where the birds are, expect birds to go 330 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 2: because they want to go there, And if it's one 331 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 2: of those early April heat waves like I was in, 332 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: you have the added benefit of a little micro habitat 333 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 2: around that water that has lots of fresh greenery and 334 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 2: bug life, and maybe even some frogs or snails to 335 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 2: convince them to come in and chop down. Essentially, if 336 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 2: it's going to be super hot, hunt where you'd want 337 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: to be if you were covered in black feathers and 338 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 2: had to be out there all day. You might hit 339 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: the field, you know, for an hour or two in 340 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 2: the morning, but mostly you'll be in the timber, maybe 341 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 2: low in the timber where the coolest temps are, and 342 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 2: you'd almost always build in a visit to water at 343 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 2: some point throughout your day, and no matter what, just 344 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: try to be out there in the afternoon or evening 345 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 2: when temperatures start to drop a little, Just like with deer, 346 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 2: you'll often witness a flurry of turkey activity. And that's 347 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 2: when the birds get real callable because they feel it too, 348 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 2: and they know their chances of meeting a girlfriend for 349 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: the day are the best they are going to be 350 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 2: before it's time to sleep away another night in a tree. 351 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: Don't fear the weather. This bring my friends, learn how 352 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 2: to use it, and then come back throughout this week 353 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 2: because I'm gonna keep dropping a few more turkey episodes. 354 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:10,959 Speaker 2: That's it for this week. I'm Tony Peterson. This has 355 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 2: been the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which is brought 356 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 2: to you by First Light. As I said, in the intro, 357 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,239 Speaker 2: it's Turkey week here. Lots of cool stuff going on 358 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 2: and you can find out all about it if you 359 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 2: head to the mediater dot com. Go check that out. 360 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 2: And while you're there you'll probably see some turkey hunting 361 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 2: films get dropped. You'll probably see some more podcasts on turkeys. 362 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 2: I know, you'll see some articles, maybe some recipes. Whatever. 363 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 2: We're celebrating America's greatest game bird today and all through 364 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 2: this week, and you can check that stuff out at 365 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 2: the mediator dot com. And as always, thank you so 366 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 2: much for your support. We truly appreciate it.