Turkey dusting
 

I'm kind of new to the turkey hunting but I have land to hunt now and birds with it and I finally have the first season there....I'm curious about turkeys dusting themselves....I assume this is to get rid of bugs....What time of day do they usually do this and how often? I have about 10 acres of sandy ground that is surrounded by woods with a corn field to the north. I've seen them here but just wondered when I'd expect to see them here?

Normaly, turkeys will dust at anytime of the day. Food sorces seem to be an area they will dust right after they eat. Water is important to a wild turkey and most times they will drink first before they do any kind of activity.

As for dusting I would say late morning and early evening seems to be the times I've watched them do it, I really can't say I have followed the same bird around to see if it dusts more then once but I would guess it depends on how bad the feather lice are on that year...

I think it is good to note the locations of dusting sights but, frankly, I've never had any success "hunting" them. I've only seen hens use dusting sights, usually by themselves. I am not saying that this is the norm and should be generalized to everywhere, that is just my observance. While I strongly suspect that gobblers dust themselves during the spring mating period, I have never observed it.

Later in the morning and mid-afternoon are the times I've seen turkeys use dusting sights.

MC

Thanks for the information.

i have only seen hens dust also, you have me curious now as to why this is.

Now that you mention it, every turkey I have ever seen dusting has been a hen. Last year a hen dusted on a pond bank just in front of me. She would stop and pick at the bugs/lice that fell off her while dusting, drink at the pond and dust again.

In my experience, dusting usually takes place later in the day, sometme between 10 am and afternoon. A gobbler in the spring especially, has more on his mind in the morning than taking a bath...although some attention to his hygiene might go a long ways toward success with the ladies! LOL I wouldn't write it off entirely, but muc better to know roost sites, strut zones, feeding areas, etc than banking on a dusting area. Although knowing that hens go there during the day does mean that a gobbbler might be nearby as well later in the day. Good info to have.

I have also heard that a turkey will dust to keep it's scent down in case of predators??? Anyone else ever heard this?