Pennsylvania Game News - August 2019 - 27

AUGUST 2019

managed field. They include manipulating
nearby water impoundments to provide
mud or gravel flats for water access;
strategically girdling undesirable trees to
create loafing snags; or planting clusters
of conifers in or around a field.
Single-width disc-lines within a field
provide additional landing locations. Even
grading field lanes, or building them up
with fine aggregate such as stone dust,
while allowing weeds like foxtail or
ragweed to grow alongside will provide
additional grit and food opportunities.
Remember, the key to success when
building a managed dove field is ensuring a dove's needs can be met in the field
or nearby, just as we have all our conveniences under one roof
Come opening day, Sept. 2, this
exciting addition to dove hunting will be
available on state game lands near you.
Visit the Game Commission's website
to check out managed-dove field maps
and find one. Establishing a managed
dove field to provide family wingshooting
also is something you can consider doing
on your property. A guide to establishing
your own field also is available at the
Game Commission's website.
Remember, when you build a dove
field, doves come in flocks. So, whether
you're a diehard dove hunter or haven't
taken a shot at these feathered speedsters
since you were a kid, there isn't a better
way to go about it.
Get out the thrower and shatter a
few clays, then, grab your dove stool, a
pocketful of shells, and some close friends
to spend some quality time in a dove field
near you.
27

Hal Korber

cover is established against a hazard, such
as a road, house or powerline, requiring
hunters to shoot away from it. Leaving
standing cover in the middle of a field
allows for manipulated residue on both
sides and more potential stand setups,
while promoting safer hunting.
Vegetation management matters a
great deal in dove field development.
Field preparation depends on prior
crop history, but previously cropped
fields need only residue mowing or light
disking, while sodded areas might require
traditional plowing and disking.
Field planting time depends upon what
crop is selected. But, generally, 90-day
sunflowers should be planted by early to
mid-May, while millet needs to be planted
by mid-June.
Getting seeds in the ground on time is
important because the plant must reach
maturity several weeks prior to the season's start.
Herbicides can be used prior to or after
planting as needed to give young plants
a good start and push growth throughout
the season. Crop manipulation should
begin in mid-August by mowing a third
of the field farthest away from the planned
shooting cover. Within one to three days
of the season opener, an additional third
of the field should be mowed closer to the
planned shooting cover.
To extend the field's attraction deeper
into the season, an additional portion can
be mowed after the opening day, but all
manipulation must be completed by Sept.
15. After that date, it's unlawful.
Additional practices can be incorporated to draw and hold doves within a
Pennsylvania Game News - August 2019

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