# Dust Bowls- May Hunt??



## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

We were planting some wildlife value trees on some property we hunt yesterday. And found several dust bowls that turkeys have been using already ie. with lots of tracks and droppings. I have the May Hunt (May 7 start). 

OK, turkey gurus- How would you hunt the dust bowls and what time of day?? Call a little or a lot??

TH, MB, FP, EdB, Gobblerman, et al- What say you??

NB


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

i am not a turkey guru and i do not really set up on turkey dust bowls but i have seen them there mostly after they feed for a while in the morning so i would say mid afternoon around 12 or so... snuck up on one a few years back couldnt tell if it was a tom or not because i was trying to stay low enough in the weeds well when he jumped up i was only 12 yards away but we kind of scared eachother and i shot high just by his neck... but yeah i would say mid afternoon is when i see them most sometime a little later maybe 12-5 or 6? not sure how you would set up for them though... good luck


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## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

NATTY BUMPO said:


> We were planting some wildlife value trees on some property we hunt yesterday. And found several dust bowels that turkeys have been using already ie. with lots of tracks and droppings. I have the May Hunt (May 7 start).
> 
> OK, turkey gurus- How would you hunt the dust bowls and what time of day?? Call a little or a lot??
> 
> ...


Around mid-day when the sun is out.


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## Muskegon Jim (Oct 8, 2006)

Usually sometime in the morning to afternoon. If you have a little spare time, head out at dusk and get a brush limb (works better with leaves on it but thats not an option right now) and rake away all the turkey footprints. The next day you can SNEAK in around noon and see if the footprints are back, if so you can rake it again and check it a few hours earlier the next day and after doing this a couple days you will know what time to expect them, obviously if you check it at noon and there are no prints you need to check it again in 4 hours or so. As for calling I would not call hard here, because he may think something is out of place. After all he probably visits that area daily. Also take a little ruler with you and measure the tracks to see if any of them are gobbler tracks. just my .02 cents, Good Luck!


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## breadman (Apr 1, 2007)

My last three birds have come from dust bowl areas. Two at straight up noon, the other at five minutes after. One came running in past two hens and knocked over my jake decoy. I had to control my laughter to shoot him. After chasing birds all morning, I like to set up on the edge of this small opening in the woods, set up my hen and jake decoys and call every 15 minutes or so. Most of the time they come in quiet, so be ready. Good luck.


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

hunt between 10-2
they like dusting during the mid day


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

Many thanks for the tips, guys.

Have never hunted them but one place has a big pine tree in the woods next to a food plot with some dust bowls in it. Might be a good place to sit in the shade at noon, take a little nap and maybe, kill a bird.:lol: 

Natty B.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Anytime after 9 in the morning or so, but usually not till the ground is warm. 

I have never seen a tom dust, I have seens toms try to mount hens that were dusting, but I've never actually seen a tom dust.


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## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

I got that hunt too NB down here. Good luck! I'd save that dustbowl as plan B hunt for later on after the morning actions ends.


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Yes, mid-day is best. I have a sandy dust bowl at the end of a field behind my house, on the edge of a wood lot. I can see them out the window, and zoom in with the spotting scope. I see hens use it, never seen a gobbler use it but they will follow them there and hang out. Three days ago, I watched a fanned out Tom strutting around a hen in the bowl. Mid-day and on sunny days. I am not a fan of decoys, but when I hunt there, I have pinned a hen decoy tight to the ground in the bowl.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I have never hunted around dust bowls so can't be of much help. I would say that you need to be there when ever they are to do any good.:evil: 

The few hens I have seen dusting were during the mid day period.


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