# Anyone Burning Their Dove Field?



## Gadget (Aug 11, 2008)

I have 30 acres in wheat that we left standing which was planted in early spring. Normally we just bush hog strips and spray some glysophate(roundup) to kill the grass and weeds. We were thinking about trying to burn instead of spraying.

I've never burned before so I'm looking for some pointers. We have a lot of Johnson grass  and other grass coming up in the wheat so we need to do something to expose the ground, something more than just bush hogging. We've already cut a perimeter around the field and quartered it out by bush hogging. I was thinking I'd burn a quarter or third the next three weekends before the dove opener. I do have access to drip cans and will use the 2:1 ratio of diesel and gas to ignite. Do I need to cut the area I'm burning and let it stand for a week to dry out? or can I just burn the area without cutting? Not sure if it'll burn with all the green in there or not?


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 11, 2008)

I am glad you posted this. I'm also interested in burning this year.


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## hevishot (Aug 11, 2008)

yep...we burn sections every weekend starting this weekend...I dont bushhog if I can help it. I spray it real hot with the gly...wait a week, sometimes two....cut a break around where Im burning and circle the field with a drip torch. I sprayed a wheat and a browntop field over the weekend. The key is to kill ANYTHING green in the field. If its not too high (like mature coffee weed) then a hot dose of gly should kill it. Also, to get the best burn possible, burn as big an area as you can. I've gotten much better burns by burning big areas as opposed to strips...breeze is THE key to a good, hot fire. With the right breeze and some good dry "fuel" (wheat and weeds) you should come out with a field full of nothing but seeds. a good clean burn IMO is the best way to lay out the dove buffet....


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## Gadget (Aug 11, 2008)

hevishot said:


> yep...we burn sections every weekend starting this weekend...I dont bushhog if I can help it. I spray it real hot with the gly...wait a week, sometimes two....cut a break around where Im burning and circle the field with a drip torch. I sprayed a wheat and a browntop field over the weekend. The key is to kill ANYTHING green in the field. If its not too high (like mature coffee weed) then a hot dose of gly should kill it. Also, to get the best burn possible, burn as big an area as you can. I've gotten much better burns by burning big areas as opposed to strips...breeze is THE key to a good, hot fire. With the right breeze and some good dry "fuel" (wheat and weeds) you should come out with a field full of nothing but seeds. a good clean burn IMO is the best way to lay out the dove buffet....




Thanks for the info Hevi, was hoping to bypass the Gly by burning instead, not in addition to, but I guess it won't work that way. What about bush hogging then just let lay for a week to dry out and then burn? Might take two weeks to dry out ? If we have to wait that long then we might not have enough time to do it properly.


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## General Lee (Aug 11, 2008)

Has the burning ban been lifted?


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## hevishot (Aug 11, 2008)

Gadget said:


> Thanks for the info Hevi, was hoping to bypass the Gly by burning instead, not in addition to, but I guess it won't work that way. What about bush hogging then just let lay for a week to dry out and then burn? Might take two weeks to dry out ? If we have to wait that long then we might not have enough time to do it properly.



rick, it will still work like that, especially with the right wind on the day you burn. Most of the time the burn will be spotty but there will be plenty of clean spots. The problem I run into is with when you cut it and let it lay, while what you have cut is drying, new green growth is occuring underneath. So when you go to burn, the green "stuff" can hinder the burn a good bit and not get the ground as clean. If you spray it then light it up, EVERYTHING is dead and dry tender so it all burns right to the ground...leaving nothing but seeds on clean dirt. Might want to try some the way you are planning and then save some to spray and burn. See which does best. Hope ya'll wax 'em!


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## wildlands (Aug 11, 2008)

Gadget I hope you do not use a 2:1 mix. That is way to hot, it needs to be  4:1 mix diesel to gas. As far a burning, EPD is not letting us issue permits for dove fields this year. Only permits for bonified agriculture practices and in some counties the extention agent has to aprove it first. I would check with the local guys at the forestry unit where the land is located. They will know what you need to do.

Ken


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## Gadget (Aug 11, 2008)

wildlands said:


> Gadget I hope you do not use a 2:1 mix. That is way to hot, it needs to be  4:1 mix diesel to gas. As far a burning, EPD is not letting us issue permits for dove fields this year. Only permits for bonified agriculture practices and in some counties the extention agent has to aprove it first. I would check with the local guys at the forestry unit where the land is located. They will know what you need to do.
> 
> Ken





I'll check with the county and see what's up.  My property owner has over 10,000 acres and does at least one controlled burn a year sometimes several, he's the one that gave me the 2:1 ratio.........but he's not the one actually doing the work, his employees are, so I'll be talking to one of the foreman and find out for sure...


Thanks for the info.


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## Gadget (Aug 11, 2008)

hevishot said:


> rick, it will still work like that, especially with the right wind on the day you burn. Most of the time the burn will be spotty but there will be plenty of clean spots. The problem I run into is with when you cut it and let it lay, while what you have cut is drying, new green growth is occuring underneath. So when you go to burn, the green "stuff" can hinder the burn a good bit and not get the ground as clean. If you spray it then light it up, EVERYTHING is dead and dry tender so it all burns right to the ground...leaving nothing but seeds on clean dirt. Might want to try some the way you are planning and then save some to spray and burn. See which does best. Hope ya'll wax 'em!




Some of the johnson grass is so high 5ft or so, we'll probably have to cut it before we can spray it.

I'll have to check with the county and see if we can even burn........legally.


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## hevishot (Aug 11, 2008)

if you're talking about brown top, one thing you might could do is bale it or maybe know a local who might do it for the bales? Some years we have a neighbor who bails the browtop, leaving them for cover during the season. Then he comes and gets 'em for his cows. Good trade. Just a thought.


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## General Lee (Aug 11, 2008)

hevishot said:


> if you're talking about brown top, one thing you might could do is bale it or maybe know a local who might do it for the bales? Some years we have a neighbor who bails the browtop, leaving them for cover during the season. Then he comes and gets 'em for his cows. Good trade. Just a thought.


That is a good idea.I know folks that do it every year and it works out great for both parties...........


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## easbell (Aug 11, 2008)

We burn every year. Normally we spray, wait 2 weeks, burn and then bushog whatever is left to scatter the seeds. It produces a nice clean field. Good luck.


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## Gadget (Aug 13, 2008)

easbell said:


> We burn every year. Normally we spray, wait 2 weeks, burn and then bushog whatever is left to scatter the seeds. It produces a nice clean field. Good luck.





We already cut some of it and plowed a fire break around the entire field, gonna let it lay for two weeks and apply for a burn permit next weekend.

Thanks for all the info


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