Dove food plot

moellermd

moellermd

Super Moderator
So how big does a food plot for doves need to be? What is the seed of choice? Thinking about putting one in but checking on the legalities.
 
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I have had good luck with black oil sunflowers, sparsely planted to allow open dirt, I have also planted wooly croton among the sunflowers, and hope to this year, if I can find seed! Allow for a football field size area per shooter, mow strips about a 10 days to a week before the season to allow the birds to begin using it. Try to pick an area with one or more ponds nearby, within sight featuring open shoreline, and some cottonwoods or dead snags to roost in. Doves like the wide open spaces. Shoot either mornings or afternoons every other day to avoid burning them off. They will leave soon enough anyway, first cold rain, or cold snap will push them out fast, though you may get some northern birds in later, for a day or two at a time. In my area, we usually have birds for about a week at the Sept.1 opener. then again for a day or two at a time through late October,sometimes early November. Last year was a disaster, cold overcast rainy for three days before the opener. Never saw any number of birds at all. So it sure can be hit and miss! When it's good it's memorable.
 
I'm going with the Buckwheat, some Sunflowers mixed in, this year. Couple of weeks before, supplement the plot with wheat seed (after sunset of course). The flooded pond has a very shallow clean bank where I spread out gravel.
 
Moe,
Outdoor life just had an article and map of a 1 acre spot I think in kansas, that they shot 1000+ doves off of. Involving sunflowers worked ground mowed strips of sunflowers. Great article if you want to look it up. Very similar to what Old & New described. I think they even mentioned putting in two poles with a line strung for them to sit on before flying down.
 
Sunflowers without a doubt. Milo will work also. My dove hunting spot is a stock dam in the middle of a pasture with a few trees near by. It is always pretty good for doves, but last year the pasture was bordered by sunflowers and Milo, amazing. We could station 6-7 guys around the pasture and all would get shooting.
 
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