Small Dove Fields

[M2Field]

Anyone ever try and plant sunflower in a small area to hunt doves? I'm talking like just an acre or less? Thinking about planting sunflowers next year in one of my foodplots just to see if I can bring in a few birds. Or would that be a complete waste of time?

[Slaya]

If you have lots of deer, yes, it would be a waste of time, unless you can keep them off the flowers (if you figure it out, clue me in). That said, however, millet draws 'em okay, and you may be able to draw a few birds for one or two guns.

[BigBrother]

Until all the houses were built next door, my uncle had a damned fine 2-3 person field on one acre. Powerline, chinaberry tree, sunflowers and millet...scrub pines adjacent to it. Some of my most memorable shoots came outta there.

[LabLuvR]

I do small fields all the time. Millet would be much better than sunflowers as you have very little risk in deer wiping you out. You may be surprised at how well a small one acre millet field can perform.

[M2Field]

Sounds good. I see a lot of doves on my property as is. Yes lot's of deer to deal with.

Anyone ever tried one of those stringy deer repellent fences? My buddy put one up around a soybean patch and it seemed to keep the deer out.

[LabLuvR]

Those work okay, but I like Poconite or either Milorganite a little better. Usually we just incorporate the Milorganite into our fertilizer when planting.

Depending on how big the field is you could do strips of millet and buckwheat. If you do buckwheat then you need to use some sort of deer repellant. Buckwheat is a good dove attractant and holds up much better under browse pressure than sunflowers imho.

[Slaya]

Lab,
I've never used any repellant on the buckwheat, and still made plenty. Do you have much trouble with the buckwheat making up your way w/o poconite? The strip I have now is flowered out, and doing well. It is adjacent to the sunflower strip the deer mowed this year. There is some browse damage on the edges, but it will make plenty of seed, and provide some bowhunting opportunities shortly. The food plot looks even better.

[turfgrass]

M2, as stated above, I'd just plant millet in a small field like that
plus, if you've got many farmers with corn close by....once they get the combines cranked up good it's gonna spread the birds out anyway

[BigBrother]

Best possible scenario is to have your little field in the middle of a bunch of other dove fields...time your hunt for a day after theirs.

Pure murder...

[LabLuvR]

Slaya, you are right. Normally I do not use anything to protect my buckwheat. However this year due to the very dry conditions, the buckwheat is not standing up to browse pressure in the dove field very well. After planting some for a dove field, I put some in a bow food plot and put poconite on it. The food plot is doing very well with blooms on the buckwheat. If I can get some pics to load I will show ya just how well.

[Swamp Rat]

If you have well-drained soil.... benne is the ticket, with millet.

[gamhuntr]

I have planted a 2-3 acre dove field every year for the last 6 years. We kill 200 or so doves off of it each year. THe secret is to feed the doves using a feeder throughout the spring and summer. I always plant my sunflowers so they mature right around the beginning of the season so when you have to stop baiting the birds have the planted sunflowers to keep drawing them in. Luckily I do not have any deer in that area to eat my plants. For feeding them I mix sunflower, wheat, and scratch chicken feed in the feeder. They love it. Feeding doves does cost some money but its cheaper than planting a huge field.(fertilizer,spray,seed,time,and fuel) I always split the cost between a few friends so its not too bad. Just make sure you have all bait out of the area according to the state regulations at least 10 days before the season starts.

[SCH2Ofowler]

I have a 2 acre field just out of town here in Greenwood. We plant half the field in wheat and then plant the rest of the field in millet and sorghum strips. It makes a great field for two to three guns at a time and provides shooting all season long.

[willyworm]

I have an area I was thinking about planting... millet seems to be the popular answer due to lack of interest from deer. That been said, is it too late to plant it? I know there's no chance on the upcoming season, but maybe it'll be ready for some 2nd, 3rd season action?

[Slaya]

Plant it to Buckwheat. ASAP. In 6 weeks you'll have seed for the second season; maybe even make the last hunt of the first. If you're in the Low Country, put half to Buckwheat and half to Browntop Millet, yiou should still be able to make millet before the first frost.