I have always see dust bowls and places where they dust often,but have never hunted any of these spots. Seems like a sit and wait kinda deal to me. Do you have any suggestions or strategy for hunting a dusting spot ? Or should I treat it like any other sign I find and just use it to know turkeys are in the area.
I've been told a gobbler will use a dust bowl but have yet to see it. I have seen hens dusting with a strutter nearby and I have seen hens dusting alone. I've flushed hens that went up in a cloud of dust but I've never seen that when flushing a gobbler. So no I would not hunt a dust bowl, unless I had been following some field birds and knew where they dusted every day.
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IVE SAT ON dust bowls WITH NO LUCK ...........
I killed a jake one fall very near a dust bowl but it was right on the travel route to a roost. I'd just treat it as good turkey sign and assume it indicates a flocks core area.
I have had luck early in the season hunting these areas. Once they go to nest, they are not dragging a gobbler along with them. Usually it is the hens dusting. Had luck on a bird recently that was with hens by hunting the spot they were dusting.
good indication of birds in the area, but not an assurance that the ole claw toed, bearded devil is going to show up
Dust bowls let you know you are in the right area. Most of the places I hunt, there is tons of sandy soil and other than letting you know there are birds nearby, they are not much more than a turkey track to me. When I see them, I think of being a likely place that birds will be later in the day, when it gets hot. Always has been when I have seen them there, but it may be coincidence. Not like I have seen tons of birds dusting though.
They are NOT deer scrapes or rubs that will likely be checked regularly though, IMHO.
Quote from: g8rvet on April 19, 2017, 09:11:30 PM
Dust bowls let you know you are in the right area. Most of the places I hunt, there is tons of sandy soil and other than letting you know there are birds nearby, they are not much more than a turkey track to me. When I see them, I think of being a likely place that birds will be later in the day, when it gets hot. Always has been when I have seen them there, but it may be coincidence. Not like I have seen tons of birds dusting though.
They are NOT deer scrapes or rubs that will likely be checked regularly though, IMHO.
x2
I've called or killed 7 gobblers off The same dust bowl. over The last 5 years almost every morning hunt the girls fly down and head almost straight to these bowls. Guess who follows.......
Any time I find a bowl I mark it and see if there is good roosting near. If you have both you have a dynamite spot