Oh boy, here we go again
If the weather man is correct, youth turkey hunters and their mentors are in for another soaking this weekend, April 25-26. Once again, preparation and strategy will play a key role in staying warm, dry, and, ultimately, harvesting a bird.
As if kids that hunt around here haven't had it hard enough, the weather this year doesn't plan on cutting anyone a break. After such a harsh winter, it seems all the birds would have perished. To my surprise, there are more birds around than I have seen in many years. All we can hope is that numbers continue to climb, and populations return to what they had been 10 to 15 years back.
With a heavy population, you have a better chance tagging a bird, even under harsh conditions. As it stands, we will likely only have a slight chance of success, because the birds just don't work as well when cold and wet. A change of strategy from your warm- and dry-day hunts will definitely be needed this weekend.
If it's nasty out this weekend, it will be the third year in a row for youth turkey hunters. Bagging a bird is hard enough, then add to that cold and wet weather, and you are almost sure to struggle.
There isn't anything you can do for the birds to make them more comfortable, but you can at least pamper yourself a bit. I don't know anyone that enjoys getting rained on and returning to the truck dripping wet. Lucky for us, there are a few solutions to this problem.
The first is rain gear. There are so many kinds on the market, it's hard to figure out what is best for you. The range in price is drastic, from a few bucks for a rubber slicker, to several hundred dollars for a high-end suit. They all work, but the more expensive stuff tends to last longer. In a pinch, you can also make your own suit at home.
I was in Ohio recently, and I wanted to go shed hunting, but the problem was it was going to rain. I took the plane there, so I had to pack light. I wasn't able to bring rain gear and didn't want to buy a new set, so I made my own. I used nothing but heavy trash bags and duct tape.
I took a pair of pants, and set them on top of a bag with the waist band on the open cinching end. I then followed the contour of the pants with a pair of scissors. After cutting, I used three small pieces of tape to secure the seam. Once it was secured, I ran a full strip of tape down the seam.
For the top, I only made head and arm holes. For a hat, I used a plastic grocery bag. I cut out a hole for my face and put it over my head. I then put my arms through the hand holds on the bag. I stayed completely dry, and found one of my best sheds ever while wearing it. The best part of wearing my home spun suit was the looks on everyone's faces when I walked by. One lady froze in her tracks as I approached her on the trail, and stepped to the side. The look on her face was priceless. As I passed I asked her, “What's wrong, haven't you seen a garbage man before?” We both had a good laugh and I explained why I looked so ridiculous. For only a couple bucks, I was able to manufacture a suit that lasted my whole trip, and only took half an hour to make.
Lucky for us we also have a few other ways of staying dry and still keeping yourself in the hunt. Pop-up blinds are much like a giant umbrella in that they shed the water and help keep you dry. As the blind gets soaked, the water channels down the roof and runs down the side walls. Even though most of the blinds are not waterproof, you only get dripped on once in a while because of this process. If you plan on spending some time in the woods this is your best bet at staying warm and dry.
There is also what are called tree umbrellas on the market. They are nothing more than a large umbrella that attaches to the tree. The only problem with them is they don't protect from blowing, wind-driven rain, like the pop-up blinds do. The other method is to drive around and look for birds. You can stay dry in the truck, and hopefully make a quick stalk happen after spotting a bird. The name of the game is keeping your youth hunter happy and giving your all to the cause.
Don't forget to have a permission slip signed by the parent of a child that you are taking out. Make sure to have the youth pattern the gun he or she will use. Know the effective range of the gun and the child to prevent misses. Most of all, pass on all you can, be safe, and have a great time!
Good wishes and fight the weather to flop a bird.
As if kids that hunt around here haven't had it hard enough, the weather this year doesn't plan on cutting anyone a break. After such a harsh winter, it seems all the birds would have perished. To my surprise, there are more birds around than I have seen in many years. All we can hope is that numbers continue to climb, and populations return to what they had been 10 to 15 years back.
With a heavy population, you have a better chance tagging a bird, even under harsh conditions. As it stands, we will likely only have a slight chance of success, because the birds just don't work as well when cold and wet. A change of strategy from your warm- and dry-day hunts will definitely be needed this weekend.
If it's nasty out this weekend, it will be the third year in a row for youth turkey hunters. Bagging a bird is hard enough, then add to that cold and wet weather, and you are almost sure to struggle.
There isn't anything you can do for the birds to make them more comfortable, but you can at least pamper yourself a bit. I don't know anyone that enjoys getting rained on and returning to the truck dripping wet. Lucky for us, there are a few solutions to this problem.
The first is rain gear. There are so many kinds on the market, it's hard to figure out what is best for you. The range in price is drastic, from a few bucks for a rubber slicker, to several hundred dollars for a high-end suit. They all work, but the more expensive stuff tends to last longer. In a pinch, you can also make your own suit at home.
I was in Ohio recently, and I wanted to go shed hunting, but the problem was it was going to rain. I took the plane there, so I had to pack light. I wasn't able to bring rain gear and didn't want to buy a new set, so I made my own. I used nothing but heavy trash bags and duct tape.
I took a pair of pants, and set them on top of a bag with the waist band on the open cinching end. I then followed the contour of the pants with a pair of scissors. After cutting, I used three small pieces of tape to secure the seam. Once it was secured, I ran a full strip of tape down the seam.
For the top, I only made head and arm holes. For a hat, I used a plastic grocery bag. I cut out a hole for my face and put it over my head. I then put my arms through the hand holds on the bag. I stayed completely dry, and found one of my best sheds ever while wearing it. The best part of wearing my home spun suit was the looks on everyone's faces when I walked by. One lady froze in her tracks as I approached her on the trail, and stepped to the side. The look on her face was priceless. As I passed I asked her, “What's wrong, haven't you seen a garbage man before?” We both had a good laugh and I explained why I looked so ridiculous. For only a couple bucks, I was able to manufacture a suit that lasted my whole trip, and only took half an hour to make.
Lucky for us we also have a few other ways of staying dry and still keeping yourself in the hunt. Pop-up blinds are much like a giant umbrella in that they shed the water and help keep you dry. As the blind gets soaked, the water channels down the roof and runs down the side walls. Even though most of the blinds are not waterproof, you only get dripped on once in a while because of this process. If you plan on spending some time in the woods this is your best bet at staying warm and dry.
There is also what are called tree umbrellas on the market. They are nothing more than a large umbrella that attaches to the tree. The only problem with them is they don't protect from blowing, wind-driven rain, like the pop-up blinds do. The other method is to drive around and look for birds. You can stay dry in the truck, and hopefully make a quick stalk happen after spotting a bird. The name of the game is keeping your youth hunter happy and giving your all to the cause.
Don't forget to have a permission slip signed by the parent of a child that you are taking out. Make sure to have the youth pattern the gun he or she will use. Know the effective range of the gun and the child to prevent misses. Most of all, pass on all you can, be safe, and have a great time!
Good wishes and fight the weather to flop a bird.
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