# Dove Field...To Burn or Not to Burn??



## Farmbird

We've planted 15 acres in Griffin for a hunt this year and are trying some new techniques. We planted millet, sunflowers, and sorghum last year and bushhogged the millet a week before opening day. There was TONS of seed on the ground and although we had a good shoot, I know it could have been better. Does anyone think that we should have burned rows in the millet? I know doves like bare ground but I thought that the bushhogging would have been enough. Thanks for any insight!

(Planting suflowers on this field was pointless b/c the deer just mowed them down as soon as they headed. Didn't see that coming)


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## kmckinnie

Some of my best shoots have been on a fresh burn.


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## Dupree

Burn!


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## Sam H

Burn it!


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## Dustin Pate

If you can get a permit light it up!


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## Farmbird

Burn we shall! This week of scattered rain should be great for the fields. We're already seeing a ton of activity. If anyone lives in the area and is looking for a field to hunt, PM me.


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## savage

*Burn!*

Get a hayrake and pull the millet into long windrows and set on fire.  This lets you control the fire better and gives you a combination of burnt areas as well as bare ground with unburnt millet seed.  After you burn, run over with bushhog to blow away the excess ash.  The unburnt areas will reseed themselves after a few rains, and you might get a late shoot on it (depending how quickly the cold gets here this year). Good luck!


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## DukTruk

Burn it or till it and over-seed.  If you overseed 7 days before, you are good to go.  Burning the rows is easier to manage as well.

Burning typically burns the husks off of whatever seed is there.  Which makes it easier for the birds to eat.


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## Farmbird

Good tips. Thanks! We've noticed the birds like the bare hay fields where we've sprayed poison to kill the Johnson grass and there's no food there...just bare dirt. Might be the grit?? Anyways, they obviously like bare ground so we'll make it bare. The ash from the burning is good for the soil anyways. Thanks again and come on down and hunt with us if you need a field.


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## Dustin Pate

DukTruk said:


> Burn it or till it and over-seed.  If you overseed 7 days before, you are good to go.  Burning the rows is easier to manage as well.
> 
> Burning typically burns the husks off of whatever seed is there.  Which makes it easier for the birds to eat.





Over seed with what? As far as I can read the rules all foreign seed not grown in the field must be gone 10 days prior to being shot.


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## DukTruk

We have over seeded with winter wheat.  This is considered "standard agricultural practice".  This is from the fed regulations.  I WOULD CHECK WITH THE LOCAL GAME WARDEN BEFORE YOU DID THIS.  It is their call to interpret.  The guys in our area have been good with this and have checked the fields before the shoot to make sure (at the landowners request).  This idea actually came from a game warden that we used to hunt with before he retired.


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## Dustin Pate

DukTruk said:


> We have over seeded with winter wheat.  This is considered "standard agricultural practice".  This is from the fed regulations.  I WOULD CHECK WITH THE LOCAL GAME WARDEN BEFORE YOU DID THIS.  It is their call to interpret.  The guys in our area have been good with this and have checked the fields before the shoot to make sure (at the landowners request).  This idea actually came from a game warden that we used to hunt with before he retired.



10-4 on the wheat. You can do that but anybody reading this there is a certain time frame for areas of the state for when it is considered a standard practice. It is determined by the Ag. department or somebody. It also includes the bushels per acre that is allowed.


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## DukTruk

Correct. The local AG office an get you that. It's also on the Net somewhere. Typically if you're trying to do it the right way, the wardens are good to go.


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## savage

*planting wheat*

Planting dates in northern zone for wheat don't start until Sept 1st.  So if it's out before that..............baited field.  Middle GA planting dates begin Sept 15th.


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