Mowing for doves?

[hammer33]

I have 3 small 1/2 to-1 ac plots planted in sunflowers/millet/sorghum/buckwheat and a heap of ragweed. How would you dove guys go about bush hogging it to provide the most/longest opportunity? This is my first year having a summer plot that could be used for doves. When should I plan on cutting it for opener?

 

[scn]

I would start mowing some strips in the next week or so.

 

[Dodge Man]

I have 3 small 1/2 to-1 ac plots planted in sunflowers/millet/sorghum/buckwheat and a heap of ragweed. How would you dove guys go about bush hogging it to provide the most/longest opportunity? This is my first year having a summer plot that could be used for doves. When should I plan on cutting it for opener?

Is everything green or starting to die? You might want to spray and kill some spots before you mow them.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Is everything green or starting to die? You might want to spray and kill some spots before you mow them.

I would do this if its close to mature. Too much rain right now to put a bunch of seed down.

 

[hammer33]

Sunflowers are done. Gold finches are having a ball with them. The rest of the plot is green, especially the ragweed !
Plots are square. Main plot backs up to a fencerow on one side with a gravel farm road on the other with a 40 acre soybean field beyond. Right side is bordered by soybeans and the left side is a mowed grass patch where we park our farm implements. What pattern should I mow to maximize the small plot? I figure I will be sitting in the fence row under a tree facing out over the plot?

 

[hammer33]

I mowed one pass around the outside today. Looks like a lawn underneath. Tons of ragweed too so Im not optimistic that the plot will be worth much for doves. But Im a rookie so who knows.

 

[bloodtrailing]

Doves like a clean area to feed, may try dragging to get some clear spots.

 

[Iglow]

Doves like a clean area to feed, may try dragging to get some clear spots.

This. They like bare ground. Several years ago me and my neighbor had a heck of a shoot on 1 acre.

 

[Iglow]

Sunflowers are done. Gold finches are having a ball with them. The rest of the plot is green, especially the ragweed !
Plots are square. Main plot backs up to a fencerow on one side with a gravel farm road on the other with a 40 acre soybean field beyond. Right side is bordered by soybeans and the left side is a mowed grass patch where we park our farm implements. What pattern should I mow to maximize the small plot? I figure I will be sitting in the fence row under a tree facing out over the plot?

Do your mowing in the middle of the day so you don't spook them off the place when they are feeding. Watch them coming in the morning and afternoon, you may not have to be right on the field if they are coming thru some gap or from a certain path. Don't continually spook them off the place, they'll find somewhere else to feed that they aren't bothered, that's what we did.

 

[hammer33]

Thanks for all the tips!!

 

[Bgoodman30]

They want dirt and seed. So if you have weeds you need to spray and/or disc. I have sprayed some but waiting until next week to really start because its too wet.

 

[hammer33]

So schedule wise, I need to get it sprayed pronto so it can die back, then mow a bit and rake to get to bare dirt? Do I just pile up the vegetation and hope enough seed came off on the dirt?

 

[deerfever]

I just mow my sunflowers and buckwheat down in strips scattering the seed and then spray , I like to do it two weeks before I plan to start turning strips for fall plots. TWRA has a great video called dove fields 101 that explains legalities of dove fields and what to do on the website. I leave barriers to separate, so my fields are broken up this allows you to plant the sections at different times (hard to do all at once).

I mainly plant wheat but do some of the strips with turnips , clover and such mixed in also . Doves are finicky,do not get discouraged as some years are better according to weather and others factors. Either way I get my food plots done while hopefully allowing my son to take part in his favorite type of hunting. Good luck!

 

[Chiflyguy]

I have a ton of doves around by me.
You should have a great season.

 

[Creek bottoms]

Mow a strip then disc it. Keep doing it until the opener.

 

[hammer33]

Mowed half of the smallest plot sunday. Drove by this afternoon. ONE dove and 299837 gold finches The dove looked lonley and confused. LOL

 

[MidTnBuck]

We mow strips, spray standing flowers in between then wait a week, bush-hog a few more strips and run a disk a couple days before opener. Bush hog the remaining the week after opener and turn the ground. Generally the 2nd week is our best week barring any bad weather.