Over the years I've come to believe that rising or falling barometric pressure has a lot to do with the way turkeys behave on a particular day. Of course, I can't prove it scientifically, but nevertheless my observations suggest that gobbling activity slows as a storm approaches and the turkeys go into survival mode, which means filling their crops with food. Then, as the barometer rises, whether the rain has stopped completely or not, your chances of hearing a hot tom sound off grow better by the minute.

When I was younger, with a lot less free time and a lot more energy, I'd drive to my turkey hunting spot in the dark even if it was raining. Once there, I'd sit in the cab of my truck eating doughnuts and drinking coffee until daybreak. At that time, if the storm were waning, I'd go hunting. If it didn't let up I'd head back home.

On one memorable morning, after steady rain gave way to intermittent showers, I hiked slowly along a skid trail, stopping now and then to make turkey calls into the basin below. I called and listened for several minutes at each spot, but heard no turkey sounds until 8 a.m. Then, in response to my box call yelps, a distant gobble rang out from a hollow, as always a pleasant surprise.

I knew the country well and figured the turkey was following a lower dirt road that roughly paralleled the skid I was on. As luck would have it, a finger ridge just ahead spilled downhill to the road. By hiking down the backside of the ridge I could stay out of sight and, I hoped, get into a good calling position just above the two track.

A few minutes later I found a comfortable spot and sat down with my back against an old pine tree. Once settled, I yelped with a box call and the turkey gobbled back from just around a bend. I yelped again, and within two minutes (it seemed much longer) the round-tailed tom stepped into view. I aimed my 12-gauge pump shotgun and sent a 3-inch magnum load of No. 5 shot at his head and neck. The gobbler fell 18 steps away, and even though his feathers were still damp, he looked just fine to me!

I believe improving weather turned that wet tom on. Of course, I never would have heard him had I not been willing to face the uncertain conditions in the first place.

HUNTING IN SPORADIC RAIN
It was interesting to watch another gobbler's reactions to my calls during sporadic rainfall a few years ago. As it happened, I knew where the tom was roosting and I set up well before dawn in what I thought was an ideal spot. It had rained during the night but for the moment the precipitation was on hold.

Right on cue at first light, the turkey started gobbling on the roost. He sounded off a few times on his own, getting my hopes up, but when he flew down he became quiet as a canned clam. I was still wondering where he went when I noticed movement from the corner of my eye. The tom and two hens were walking into a wet meadow about 100 yards to my left.

Because the gobbler was henned up, as they say down South, it was not a good situation for calling, but I decided to give it a try anyway. The tom's immediate reaction was exciting. He gobbled back repeatedly, sure he was going to be joined momentarily by a third hen.