Fine Line between Legal and Baited.....Help me find it.

[PBiz]

So can I spread 500lbs of wheat on the ground and disc it again friday?

You have to wait 10 days after the wheat is gone to hunt.

[Palmetto Bug]

The term "normal agricultural practice" means whatever DNR wants it to. Last year, the farmer I lease my fields to harvested peanuts and then right before dove season, broadcast oats as a cover crop. This was done for no other reason than as a cover crop yet for some reason, it is not considered a "normal agricultural practice" and is illegal to hunt over.

[DMP]

The term "normal agricultural practice" means whatever DNR wants it to. Last year, the farmer I lease my fields to harvested peanuts and then right before dove season, broadcast oats as a cover crop. This was done for no other reason than as a cover crop yet for some reason, it is not considered a "normal agricultural practice" and is illegal to hunt over.

As long as the oats, wheat or what ever is planted according to the time table that Clemson says it should be planted then its a normal ag practice from my understanding.

[tkohn]

Then it would be a timing issue as those grains would normally be planted later out???
Or that it was not drilled?

[GRW]

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/pubs/doveguide.pdf

It appears legal to hunt over as long as the wheat is planted in accordance with Extension guidelines. Extension guidelines indicate it be planted between 10/1 and 11/30 and be covered to 1 1/2".

[quack head 11]

So can I spread 500lbs of wheat on the ground and disc it again friday?

Dook if I am not mistaken you CAN broadcast and cover wheat on or after Nov. 1st. and you will be legal to shoot. Because Clemson Ext. deems Nov. 1st the normal agricultural date for planting wheat.

[DMP]

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/pubs/doveguide.pdf

It appears legal to hunt over as long as the wheat is planted in accordance with Extension guidelines. Extension guidelines indicate it be planted between 10/1 and 11/30 and be covered to 1 1/2".

Correct. Thats how they did away with the top sowers. It doesn't fit in the extensions guidelines to plant wheat in late August or early Sept so therefore no more sowing wheat and hunting it the first season which is when 75% of your dove hunters hunt.

[MDman]

Please read a post before you reply. I stated that if some was spilled or knocked down then that was ok. Even leaving a wildlife strip since brought up does not raise my brow; however to plant a field to leave, flood , or bush hog in my mind does not equal a normal agricultural practice. I would tend to think my view is more coservative than liberal.

I understand your viewpoint, like many other's viewpoint on this subject, but their is a big difference in normal ag practice and normal ag intentions ( which is where your thoughts and many others on this definition lie).

It is every farmers intention to plant a crop and harvest that crop. This doenst always happen. Certain perils- drought, excessive water, heat, hail, etc....., can prevent that farmer from harvesting a crop.

Let's use a common scenario that happens every year. Farmer plants a corn field, but doesnt get the rain. Corn doesnt mature and his yield is very low, so low as to make it financially impossible to endure the expense of harvesting that crop. So what is he to do- destroy the crop and get ready for next year. How is this most likely done? bushhogging it and then running a disk through it. This is a normal ag practice and is done every fall in every state across the country.

Now, here is the DNR 's stance on hunting that field. Are they going to prevent the farmer or others from hunting that field because the doves are in there thicker than flies? Did he purposely do this just so he could have a field to hunt? I sure as hell wouldnt think so. And neither does DNR. This is why even "doves fields" can be manuipulated in this manner- a normal ag practice. A simulation of a natural occurance

The same thing goes for duck ponds. What happens when a farmer has soybeans drowned by heavy rains in November and the ducks are dropping in like crazy. Would DNR say this field is illegally baited because Mother Nature dumped a lot of rain? No, they wont. This is why it is legal to flood corn ponds ( and other crops) for ducks.

Now, the law is stricter on waterfowl about crop maniupulation because because H20 comes into the equation. Its a whole lot easier to hide bait under a foot of water. This is why actual harvest or cultivation manipulation is stictly prohibted. Only flooding the crop is allowed - a simulation of a natural occurance

[MDman]

The term "normal agricultural practice" means whatever DNR wants it to. Last year, the farmer I lease my fields to harvested peanuts and then right before dove season, broadcast oats as a cover crop. This was done for no other reason than as a cover crop yet for some reason, it is not considered a "normal agricultural practice" and is illegal to hunt over.

No, DNR doesnt make it what it wants to. It is very clear and very concrete.

It follows Clemson extention guidelines.

Cover cropping is a normal ag practice as long as it is covered by a drag or disc.

Now, many farmers do not do this because it is extra expense and cover crops like oats, rye, triticale, will normally germinate being top-sowed with just a little bit of rain.

But, in your case in the above, that field would be baited.

[Ghost River]

So can I spread 500lbs of wheat on the ground and disc it again friday?

Yes, top sowing wheat is actually a normal ag practice. I think when they arrest you you'll have a good chance to beat them in court with that one.

[SCTurkeyGuide]

Every dove field is baited, period.

Bottom line, if the leo wants to write you up, he can and will.

x2 on inviting leo's to hunt with you

[ndbrown213]

it says you can plant wheat after 10/1 so technically you can plant wheat and hunt this first season because it doesnt go out until 10/10

[Capt. Tom]

Silage chopper is the way to go. I agree it makes a field look like you took bags of kernel corn out and spread it around. To me it does not seem like a "normal agricultural process" but to the law it is!! It is the only way to go in my opinion for attracting birds when dealing with corn.

[Palmetto Bug]

It has to be a "normal agricultural practice" as defined by Clemson no matter why the farmer is actually doing it. Farmers often broadcast cover crops outside of Clemson's recommended guidelines. As far as dove hunting goes, these are not guidelines but rather mandates.

[HighVelocity28]

We use a flail mower on our sunflowers and millet mix cause it bust the heads up and throws seed everywhere. Bushhogging lays most of the heads down without busting them up. If u hit it with a flail mower you will start a feeding frenzy!!!!!!!!! I agree a silage chopper will work wonders too!