Sand Bar Gobblers

[bukket]

Anybody ever hunted sandbars on large creeks or rivers?
The area I hunt on the Iowa River has a large ridge over the river with a big bend. During shotgun season I couldn't believe the turkey sign on the exposed sand bar. I'd never thought of hunting something like this in the spring (provided it is exposed). What a great place to dust and strut. The birds must be flying right to it off their roosts on the ridge. I'll have to get the trail cam out there to try and disprove myself.

 

[muddy]

sounds like a good spot. i've never heard of turkeys using sand bars but they gotta drink too!! i'm guessing that would be a great landing area for them. if there's tracks there rest assured there's turkeys using the area. good luck!!

 

[huntn4life88]

Probably a good landing spot, good strut zone in the spring, and maybe a good dusting spot? maybe not dusting because of the sand being more grainy and not having the power stuff they usually like for their feathers. O well go back in the early spring and look for sign then, just cause they re there in the fall doesn't mean they are there in the spring, you know they'll be in the area but not necessarly in that spot.

Also i'd maybe go out in the end of march sometime early in hte morning maybe you'll hear some chiming off, i kno we did while out snow goose hunting this past spring and that was around march 15th sometime.

Sorry for the rambling,

huntn4life88

 

[deadeye]

I have been on the river fishing in the summer before and on several different occassions had a group of turkeys walk out of the timber onto the sandbar and walk the river for a ways. Couldn't really figure out why they did it - never really saw them dust, eat at anything, or even drink. Of course I was fishing and could have missed something. I don't know how it would have been a normal travel route for them either. Thing I hate about hunting next to a water obsticle is usually you call one in from the other side and they won't fly the water to come into shooting range. Have had that happen multiple times and it drives me nuts just like it does the turkeys. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[bukket]

A little update here.

I haven't set out the camera...but I did go set up with my bow early today in a position to watch the sandbar. Sure enough 13 birds flew off the roost right down the corridor onto the sand. I really don't know what the heck they were doing. The just sort of wandered around there for 15 minutes then melted into the timber.
The timber is only 100 yards wide there and opens up into 100+ acres of CRP. In the spring they tend to fly right down into the field. I guess we'll just have to see what they're doing by April. It's still a long ways off.

 

[Limb Chicken]

Sounds familiar doesn't happen to be around Lone Tree does it?

 

[bukket]

No, it's up around Belle Plaine.

 

[Limb Chicken]

Just sounded familiar. They definately use the bars for loafing and dusting if it is availible... Good Luck. Would make for a great picture!

 

[bukket]

I keep telling myself I'm going to take the digital out after hunting season and try to get some shots. Maybe I can go try and find some sheds in a few weeks and set up for a shot or two.