How To Plant The Best Dove Field / Sunflowers For Dove Hunting Part 1

[@justinrhodes1802]

Great video! Glad to see this. I actually have the same seeder coming in today that I ordered for my garden and wondered if it would work for a dove field. Now I know!

[@jessieplaysmusic8530]

Crimson clover has gotta be one of the most underrated cover crops.

[@CWBKC]

We are going to drill on 19 inch rows this year, no tilling at all.

[@gsquared2394]

Did that push planter BS a few years in a row. That was absolutely miserable even into tilled ground. Broadcast wheat last fall and that’s what I’m going with this year.

[@northsneads3662]

Dude, i gotta say, thats dedication.

[@bradthorne22]

most underrated chanel on youtube!

[@PilotPatriot]

Thank you!

[@nicsu2128]

You don’t have to be a farmer or have a ton of equipment… But you better know a farmer who has a ton of equipment.

[@travistucker7317]

Cheaper, too.

[@JohnTripp-l5j]

I learned you can make flour out a sunflower stalks ??

[@kevindawg1004]

Lol ok I’m not the only one with that philosophy. Great field hope mine turns out like that

[@nikitiridgeway1375]

How did you water the field, and how often did you water? Do you have a water well nearby?

[@PilotPatriot]

Rain!!! as often as God allowed

[@Miguel_Travels]

Subscribed. I'm looking forward to focusing some of my land management time to game birds. Great video!

[@TheBrushcutter]

Sunflowers are not possible on our field, the deer mow them down. We plant a broadcast of brown top millet and have better luck. We would like to do sunflowers but it's too much trouble to plant them just to feed deer.

[@chrisbowers1570]

I like top sowing wheat for my cover crop if it don't rain it can stay on top of ground legal

[@chrisbowers1570]

And we kill all we can hit

[@patrickhenry7416]

Do you always have bare ground in your fields without herbicide? Thanks!

[@PilotPatriot]

Not without herbicide, thats why we use the Imox

[@tomas_houser]

What is minimum property size needed for a 2 acre field like this?

[@PatriotDIY]

Minimum?.... 2 acres! Lol

[@northsneads3662]

@@PatriotDIY got eeeeeem

[@darrenmiller5419]

What part of TX? Did you get a soil test to figure out amendments? I want to do this in Nacogdoches County and was wondering if the process would be the same.

[@jonbush3681]

I planted my field in mid may and it is looking great so far. Everything you showed worked great. I'm starting to get alot of weeds now. The sunflowers are about 6-8 inches high. Can i spray the weeds now? Which herbicide should i use, Prowl or Imox?

[@PilotPatriot]

Use the imox! If you used Clearfield seed the sunflowers should be fine but I'd still try to avoid spraying them directly

[@jonbush3681]

@@PilotPatriot Great, thanks a ton. Your video was a tremendous help. I used half clearfield seeds but ran out and used regular ones for the rest. Both are coming up awesome.

[@jonbush3681]

@@PilotPatriot I cant find any info on mixing rate for the imox?? I'm going to be using a hand held sprayer like you used. Everything im reading just gives per acre, not per gallon of water.

[@Camdagreat01]

Did i miss you commenting on using the imox and prowl? Did you use them both as pre ermergent? Did you apply them prior to till or after. Thanks

[@Camdagreat01]

@UC1usuCeFHj1tQikOJ00SWyA thank you for the reply sir. What about the prowl?

[@PilotPatriot]

I used the imox after the flowers were over 1 ft tall on any weeds that were between the rows.did not use a preemergant on this field.

[@Camdagreat01]

@@PilotPatriot thanks. I am in the process of prepping a couple acres and though I have planted tons of dove fields and hunted plenty of sunflower fields it’s my first time planting sunflowers myself. The amount of herbicide Information online is mind boggling

[@nickcull1782]

Where abouts in NC are you?

[@TWHunt]

What was the reason for seeding in rows so far apart? I’ve been growing sunflowers for doves the past few years and only broadcasted them by hand. They grow in thick and bring in a large quantity of doves. Thanks for the video, look forward to your update. I’m in Ohio and the heavy rain has me setback by a couple weeks. Got everything replanted last week after huge downpours washed away some of my seeds. Hoping they die off in time for opening day.

[@PilotPatriot]

Dove will definitely still come in to broadcast subflowers. But its recommended to plant rows because dove like to eat off the ground, planting in rows gives them bare ground to land, walk, and eat the seed. I'm sure both ways work though, maybe next year give rows a try and see if you notice a big difference? Good luck with your field! And happy hunting!

[@PilotPatriot]

Another good reason for the rows is that the spacing allows the flower to grow bigger!! If you have too many planted in the same spot like a broadcasted field , all the plants are competing with each other for the nutrients and water in the soil. You can see even my method I think planted them too close together, so I'll go back and thin it a little anywhere that needs it! Bigger Flowers Means More Seed!!! 👍

[@TWHunt]

I’m not a farmer and don’t have access to equipment so I’m always worried they won’t come up and overdo it when planting. This will be my first year doing a whole field (1.5 acre). The last two years I did two long 20 ft wide strips. I usually mow down a section to place my decoys. I’m hoping mine aren’t extremely overplanted this year, I replanted after a torrential rain but it seems not all of the seed was washed away like I thought. I’d like to put out some more 12-12-12 but we’ve been getting heavy downpours about every 24 hours. It’s amazing how many doves come in to just a small stand of sunflowers, hoping an entire acre makes for an exciting season.

[@PilotPatriot]

@@TWHunt All that sounds great! I know the feeling...just are the seed goes in the ground all you can think about is " I hope it turns out right" Nothing wrong with experimenting either! Especially since you are doing a big field now, do half one way and half another and see how it goes! Good luck with everything!

[@gumpycognac4505]

How did it work out with rows last year?

[@kevindawg1004]

What is your h20-roundup ratio for your I’m assuming 4gal backpack sprayer?

[@PilotPatriot]

I pour about what I think it should be....then give it another splash or two! Lol too much is better than not enough!

[@claycrowder388]

How do you keep the deer out of your sunflower?

[@PilotPatriot]

I don't, they ate some of our flowers early on but didn't make a huge difference in the end. Once the plants get to about a foot tall they stopped messing with them. Planning to try to put flags or something up to maybe keep them away. Also hear If you have heavy deer activity obviously your best bet would be some type of temporary fence.

[@davidmiller1483]

Clay, check out Big Pensel's channel. He picked up a sack full of hair from his local barber shop and put it out around their field. That scent will keep them away and it is a very cheap way to do it.

[@maquick1]

How much Imox did you add per gallon of water?

[@mosesvasquez3170]

How much clearfield seed did you use for the 1.5 acres?

[@PilotPatriot]

5lb

[@mikecole30820]

What species of sunflower works best?

[@PilotPatriot]

The ones we used are called clearfield sunflowers

[@mikecole30820]

@@PilotPatriot Thanks!

[@stevep8626]

What herbicides were used, and what part of the country is this in?

[@PilotPatriot]

Roundup before planting and Imox to control weeds after! And North Carolina

[@jusvettec4894]

what part of NC are yall in?

[@555rush]

PilotPatriot How soon after spraying the Roundup do you plant the seeds?

[@wagonwheel9426]

4:49

[@bahuuwas]

why is your flag upside down on your hat?

[@PilotPatriot]

?????? It's not

[@steari]

Just using the Round up deserves a dislike. smh

[@PilotPatriot]

Why's that?

[@steari]

@@PilotPatriot Killing every insect and plant in your field, whether they're good or bad, is a poor farming practice. Your beautiful clover could have either been tilled into your soil to add organic matter before hand (reducing fertilizer costs) or served as a living mulch considering the row spacing. Killing the whole field is akin to continually taking antibiotics and eliminating all of the good and bad bacteria in your gut. Down the line it causes issues in the overall health and immunity of the soil. This raises the need for more and more additives and amendments. It's the viscous cycle of modern farming. Not only is it deteriorating your soil but your personal health. I'm here in the Midwest and the amount of farmers and people living near farms that have been diagnosed with cancer is astounding!!! Sorry to be brash in my first comment, but the use of Round-up is so dangerous yet so prolific that I felt compelled to condemn it's use!

[@PilotPatriot]

@@steari killing every plant in the field was kinda the point! The organic matter still got tilled back into the soil regardless, dead or not, and the field is top seeded with a wheat cover crop after dove season each year and the process starts over again!! Why do you think they make round up ready crop seed??? To kill of competing plant species! Fight weeds and grass in your field if you want....but herbacides work for us!

[@steari]

@@PilotPatriot Lol, but every insect and microorganism was lost in the process. They're kind of the building block of soil health. You're telling me there aren't people who can sow after tilling and get the same result as you? Or even drill seed without tilling?!?! Hmm, somehow we are able to do it here so I guess that answers that!!! If you are stuck in this belief system out of habit or convenience that's fine. Just trying to prevent long term damage. Good luck to you!

[@PilotPatriot]

@@steari it's not a belief system lol, I'm not a farmer I'm a hunter! I work with what I have! If I had the equipment to drill the seed I would but as you can see I'm planting a 2 acre plot with a single row push behind seeder, backpack sprayer and the only tractor emplements I have available! It's weeks of back breaking work as it is there's nothing convenient about it...i don't wanna have to fight weeds every day too!! This is a poor man's dove field not a commercial farming operation! Thanks for watching

[@ghetinknotabush8602]

You should really get a chicken nugget or chicken wing habit going. Feeding birds, wildlife, is a commendable activity but killing little birds for no more than a snack izzz cheaper elsewhere and readily available.

[@PilotPatriot]

Circle of life my friend!!

[@rwh-fr4zs]

A Biden ad? Damn dude.

[@PilotPatriot]

I have no control over the ads! KZbin actually taylor's the ads that play to things they think the VIEWER would like.......what you been watching?! Lol

[@oldAndNtheWay]

roundup.... ugh. really dude? toxic so toxic

[@PilotPatriot]

Lol, yes, roundup!