What You Need To Know About Hunting Cold Weather Turkeys

It looks like the Midwest is going to be hit with another cold turkey season for those youth and early season hunters. We have learned from past years’ experience in hunting in these elements what it takes to bag a bird with the few days you have. The first thing to think about is how was the mast crop where you were hunting this year? From deer and shed hunting it is important to make a mental note of which areas had the heaviest number of acorns and other mast trees. Shed hunting is a perfect opportunity to scout for these areas right before turkey season. When scouting you are looking for fresh scratching in the leaf litter and potential roost trees. On cold windy days we have found it best to key in on the mast producing tree areas in the timber and the bottom of a ravine. Turkeys like these areas because they will be sheltered from the wind and will be searching for nuts beneath the leaves on the frozen ground.

Hunting turkeys in a cold front tend to be quieter and almost call shy. With the colder weather they will be in bigger flocks instead of lone Toms, so it will be in your best interest to get as close to the roost as possible. However, it is a different ball game when hunting a cold front verse having consecutive cold days. Once the turkeys adjust to the cold snap, you may be in for a treat. Some of the best gobbling and vocalization days have been witnessed on these cold, high pressure days. Hunters tend to not think about monitoring the pressure system when gearing up for the turkey woods, but it can play a big roll in your odds of bagging that bird. High pressure days can be a turkey hunters’ best friend.

When gearing up to head to the turkey woods on these cold days, be sure to think back to deer season on what areas had the best mast crop and base your calling off the birds. Turkeys tend to be call shy with a cold front, but if there has been cold weather for awhile, they may be fired up and ready to put on a show! Good luck and stay warm!