Rather have a huge field across from yours or none in 5 miles?

White0ak

Banned
Scenario time.....choose between the two scenarios below given the habitat and location are constants:

#1 --- a small 5 acre millet field with a 100 acre high dollar dove field magnet right next door on Mr Alpharetta's property....

VS.

#2 --- a small 5 acre millet field and no other fields within 5 miles, all to yourself...

Which scenario would you prefer and why?
 

Danny Leigh

GONetwork Member
Probably #2... I've been on decent fields with not much shooting only to have the field next door sounding like WWIII. You would think some of those birds would at least happen by, but they come from a direction that doesn't fly over the field you are on.
 

Souhternhunter17

Senior Member
#2 all day... the 2 fields I help plant, prep, and hunt would be in this category. When your the only small field around its much easier to attract birds than trying to pull them from a larger field. Either way I think location and the availability of 3 things ultimately plays a huge role in how many birds will use your field 1. food 2. water 3. perching/roosting sites close to feed. If you have all three and manage your field right you will have birds.
 

White0ak

Banned
Thanks, I'm a #2 advocate myself. I have shot a lot in both scenarios, just curious as to what the consensus is amongst the shooters on here.

Some folks tend to cite the "bouncing back and forth" of birds between the two fields in scenario #1.....My personal experience has taught me if the big field has held them for a couple weeks or more up until the opener, the birds have somewhat forgotten about your field given the 2 week seed bender they've been on at the larger field, thus leaving you in earshot of WW3 with far less action, unfortunately.
 
That’s a no- brainer....doves favor bigger fields especially in comparison to a small field in close proximity. Sounds like you would be better off hunting with Mr. Alpharetta ( if invited) and I’m sure he would probably appreciate it too with you not posting up on a patch across the road.
 

spring

Senior Member
Similar to what others have said, I’d go with #2. I often experience close to the same thing with shoots that I have. My best field, which is a 50 acre center pivot, is a spot birds like. There’s a property line along this field, the other side of which is also in row crop; usually the same thing. Often when the birds are there and I decide to have a shoot, some of the birds are coming across my neighborhood’s land as they head to mine. The last thing I want is my neighbor to see all the birds and for him to decide to shoot them the day before I do. What’s the best plan? I’ve found that letting my neighbor know when I plan to have a shoot is the best choice, letting him hunt on his side at the same time. That way, we all get plenty of shooting without running the birds off sometime before all my friends arrive.
 

casey0802

Member
Scenario time.....choose between the two scenarios below given the habitat and location are constants:

#1 --- a small 5 acre millet field with a 100 acre high dollar dove field magnet right next door on Mr Alpharetta's property....

VS.

#2 --- a small 5 acre millet field and no other fields within 5 miles, all to yourself...

Which scenario would you prefer and why?
#1..... if the birds are coming to the high dollar field.... do you know where this is....i could invest in such as this..
 
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