Milo for doves

[Jim Boyd]

Hey guys

I am not a bird hunter but have some questions.

I have three fields with milo in them: .8 acres milo with an acre of standing corn in same field, one acre milo which is separated from 2 acres of standing corn by a hardwood hedgerow of water oaks and also 3 acre field of milo with no corn present.

The milo was planted with ICP and peredovik sunflowers, which were rapidly wiped out by the deer.

The corn in one field (larger of the two) is poor but there is decent corn in the field. It is also currently being hammered by the deer and can’t last much longer. The smaller corn field has better corn and can last a while longer.

The milo is in varying stages. Some heads are blackish or brownish and the seeds are hard when you bite them. Some heads are still green and soft.

I have seen almost zero impact from the deer on the milo?

I can get pics this weekend if that would help. I will note that some areas are weeded up badly, particularly the smaller fields.

Questions include - will doves come to the milo If I bush hog it and if so, when should that happen?

I cam mow lanes into it if that would help?

Should I also mow some of the corn at the same time?

I probably could not hit the darn things if I even had a wing gun (which I don’t) but friends would likely want to shoot them....


Thoughts?


Thank you!

 

[across the river]

Yes, dove will eat both milo and corn. You preferably want to cut the milo that has dried out, but it isn't going to hurt anything to cut it all together if mixed. Doves prefer clean ground, so if you can cut it and then rake it or even disc harrow part of the field to get at least some clean ground it will help. You don't necessary have to do the whole field How long it takes you to see dove on it depends on how many are in the area and how many you want to come in. Usually within a week or two you will have some birds, but the numbers can vary greatly week to week or even day to day sometimes. Doves migrate, so you can get ebbs and flows. I am assuming the fields are in South Carolina, which means you have until October 12, before it goes out a little while. If you just want to have one shoot, I would cut it all now and rake or disc at least part of it. When I had numbers I deemed suitable between now an the 12th, I would then shoot it before they left. If you want to hunt multiple times, I would cut a part of the field and disc or harrow that part. How much depends on how many people are shooting, but cut enough so the birds aren't falling into uncut milo where you can't find them. Then cut later, a week or two before you want to shoot it again.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Yes, dove will eat both milo and corn. You preferably want to cut the milo that has dried out, but it isn't going to hurt anything to cut it all together if mixed. Doves prefer clean ground, so if you can cut it and then rake it or even disc harrow part of the field to get at least some clean ground it will help. You don't necessary have to do the whole field How long it takes you to see dove on it depends on how many are in the area and how many you want to come in. Usually within a week or two you will have some birds, but the numbers can vary greatly week to week or even day to day sometimes. Doves migrate, so you can get ebbs and flows. I am assuming the fields are in South Carolina, which means you have until October 12, before it goes out a little while. If you just want to have one shoot, I would cut it all now and rake or disc at least part of it. When I had numbers I deemed suitable between now an the 12th, I would then shoot it before they left. If you want to hunt multiple times, I would cut a part of the field and disc or harrow that part. How much depends on how many people are shooting, but cut enough so the birds aren't falling into uncut milo where you can't find them. Then cut later, a week or two before you want to shoot it again.

Great, great info, sir.

Many thanks !!!!!