food for dove

[foxhunter5]

i would like to plant somthing that will attract doves,quail,and geese...but the problem is that i only have 1.5-2 acres to plant,any suggestions?i wont b planting until next year,unless there is somthin i can go ahead and plant

[mrjbigfoot]

I'd make part of it sunflowers, if you want doves & dig a pond if you want ducks & geese

[timhicks]

I love to hunt milo fields,, they grow uo and you can walk the and scare the dove out like quail..You will hear a hoo hoo hoo hoo and you mayn get doulbvles /triples. Sunflowres are also great but they are hard to walk through AND VERY NOISY. Tim

[mrjbigfoot]

We don't walk through them, until after they're harvested. We just take dove chairs & sit in the flowers.

[timhicks]

All the guys that hunt with me sit on their on butts too, I love for the dog to get a bit of exercise and we usually get more birds,, They are harvested but they just top them here and its about knee high walking down the rows,,You get right up on the doves and they dont have a clue till you are on top of them.They always cohoo when they take off and sometimes there will be 7 or more dove feeding at a time. I have shot a triple and reloaded and had the others fly back around.I have a blast except I wear shorts and it cuts up my nice sexy and tan legs.. Tim

[mrjbigfoot]

You must be a better shot than me Tim... I usually burn up a box of shells & have 4 or 5 doves to show for my efforts... of course, mostly what we do is pass shoot as they're coming in... it's all big fun!

[timhicks]

I will say this,, with the outmost true feelings... Dont buy the super speed shells at wal mart or any sale items that have cheap shells. The shells that they sell at wal mart k mart oshmans academy,,,so on and so on, The have no cups in them The have a cheap azz paper wad that does not hold a pattern worth a chit. I have cut them open and showed alot of people,,I am not a gun expert but can shoot clays pidgeons with the best, alot comes to the shells you choose.I shoot wolf they are a good choice and seem to be repeatable.. I mean I buy every year and the same consistency. I shoot a case of shell during dove season and I miss too ,trust me I miss, alot more than i want to admit.I shoot a modified choke and have a blast .. I love hunting.. Tim

[mrjbigfoot]

Heck Tim, I garauntee your a better wing shot than me... I shoot good shells, 7 & 1/2 or 8 shot, modified choke & I still shoot about 25% on pass shooting those little fast flying SOB's... I do a lot better on ducks & geese!

[Phishy]

thinking , thinking....i have seen a ton of doves, (WI here) in stubble fields of oats and winter wheat..... what else, this would be early season hunting, right??, late season they're in my bird feeder then gone on migration

[timhicks]

Mrj,, I will be honest thats how I kill alot more than my buddies,,Of course having a lab with a great nose helps more than a person who has never had a dog could imagine. My lucy usually will find the birds after I am done for the other guys who cant find theirs,, all i got to do is point her in the right direction and tell her find the bird,,numerous time sometimes..But the heat doesnt help her. When its cooler she is much better.I used to shoot a semi but have gotten back to a pump ...more accurate for me/ Less shells. Tim

[RodnGun]

Here's what I might do with the 2 acres you have to support the birds you mentioned:

Doves....a small stand of sunflowers and just a few rows of milo will keep them around. They also need to drink and to help try and pull in geese and/or ducks and water for the doves....your going to need a pond or wetland of some sort.

Corn will be eaten by all of the birds your targeting....but I think getting water for any ducks and geese could be your biggest challenge.


The following from a site dedicated to habitat for Bob Whites:

"The bobwhite's diet consists mostly of seeds, fruits, insects, and small amounts of green matter. Choice agricultural foods are browntop millet, corn, cowpeas, grain sorghum, Japanese millet, lespedezas (annual, bicolor, thunbergii), and wheat."

Where I was raised we were passionate about our quail hunting (miss that up here in the North East). We hunted a lot around big lespedeza patches. It provides ground cover....and they do not get competition from larger fowl.

Don't know if that helps or not.....

[myEspringr]

It's a blast that's for sure' i'll be on the edge of the sunflowers . i know i'll burn up a box atleast and prob. only come home w/ a couple , but its worth it.