One thing you can do to escape a spring gale is to hunt in creek bottoms, where the banks and trees help block the breeze. That's how the author bagged this beauty. Photo by Marc Murrell

If you go after turkeys in Kansas during the spring season, you're likely going to encounter inclement weather that takes many forms. Gentle rains are OK, and a little breeze never bothered anyone. But many a spring turkey hunt sees winds blow in with what seems the intensity of a typhoon, making it miserable for both hunters and hunted. Perspicacious gobbler chasers -- the smart ones, to use a blunter term -- generally stay home, figuring that there's always another day.

However, common sense doesn't always prevail, and turkey hunters intentionally venturing out into or inadvertently caught in these conditions have a tough road to travel if they plan to bag a tricky tom.

Sound emitted by and responded to by both birds and hunters often figures into the success or failure of spring turkey hunts. "So when the wind kicks up, it's time to change tactics a bit," said Eric Johnson, a diehard turkey hunter who has experienced more than his share of foul-weather hunts. "Soft-sounding mouth calls and slate calls are traded for the loud, resonating tone of a good box call that cuts the wind and carries a considerable distance."

And, Johnson has learned, when the winds get to the point that you and the turkey can't hear one another, it's time to use another sense. "If it's really howling, then I'll resort to getting a visual," he observed. "You can drive around, or take off on foot, and scan likely-looking fields and try to figure out how to get close enough to call them or get ahead of them or in close proximity so they can hear you."

Decoys are usually the ticket for Kansas' turkey hunters, but strong winds have carried many a decoy into the next ZIP code. On those days, Johnson switches to a heavier decoy made from harder, thicker plastic to combat the wind.

"Another trick I've learned is to face the decoy into the wind," he said, "and then I'll take a couple of small sticks and stake them on either side of the tail so that it can only move and pivot 3 to 4 inches either way. That way, it keeps it from spinning or falling off the stake. But if it's real windy, I'll just leave the decoys in the truck."

Much of the eastern half of Kansas lends itself well to hunting turkeys in the wind. A bit of relief in the form of hills and meandering creek bottoms allow both turkeys and turkey hunters to get out of the wind. And when Mother Nature throws all her spring weapons at you, it's time to do whatever it takes. Such was the case a few seasons ago, when Johnson and I teamed up for a spring opener.

"Where are you at?" came the familiar voice of my good friend at 4:15 a.m. on my cell phone.

"I'm just leaving," I assured him.

"I was just checking to make sure you were going," he said. "Did you see the radar and wind forecast?"

"If it wasn't opening morning, I would have crawled back in bed," I replied after seeing the huge lines of thunderstorms that, it was predicted, would pack gale-force winds.

I headed east toward Greenwood County and watched as the highway signs shimmied like a college dance team. The wind ferociously pounded the right side of my truck, and my hands found the familiar 10-and-2 position from driver's ed, despite my not having used it much in the two intervening decades. Lightning from several locations reminded me how little I like walking around fields carrying a 12-gauge lightning rod.

But this was opening day, and I didn't want to miss it. Besides, the forecast folks had been wrong before, and I was hoping that this would be another example. Unfortunately, they'd hit it right on the money -- and then some.

When I met up with Johnson, talk turned anxiously to things to come, and we debated how bad the storms and wind might be and whether to stay in the friendly confines of my vehicle or head down to the timber. Opening-morning anticipation overruling common sense, we exited the truck with gear and guns at 6 a.m.