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sunflowers

3K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  treehugger 
#1 ·
Does anyone know what kind of sunflowers they plant on the FWA's for attracting doves. I am planning on planting some myself this year for hunting. Dont know what kind they are or when to plant. Anyone else do this?
 
#3 ·
I use the bird seed sunflowers...... just plant 2x's as much as you want if deer are in the area...........

Only thing I have found deer like more than sunflowers is PEANUTS............. YUP!!!

I planted peanuts in Indiana for deer!!! 38% protien!!! Then I found deer can only proccess 18%!!! lol.
 
#6 ·
There is a place in South Dakota that sells sunflowers by the 50lb bag. They will keep well for 3 years I have found. They sell what is called a dove blend. If I think about it I will get you the phone number and post it here. If you buy them somewhere else, the type you want I believe is called Paradovic (not sure on the spelling). Look at Wildlife Nurseries or some of the other wildlife seed providers, however the place in South Dakota is cheaper. I plant them in April and start mowing a few strips of them in mid August. In front of where I plan to shoot (I don't have a dog to find them for me) I disk an area. Planting the wheat and letting it stand and then mowing it is a good idea too. I have found that you can use an herbicide called Poast to kill grass in the sunflowers. You should spray when they are fairly short. This herbicide keeps grass out of clover plots too.

I found that when we built our house I had an earthmover scrape top soil off an area and put it around my house for grass seeding purposes. The area with no top soil has been an excellent dove field. The sunflowers grow in that clay, but there are no hidden weed seeds left. Even the foxtail is gone. The only thing I have to keep out of there are Canadian thistles. For that I use a hand sprayer. Standing dead ripe flowers with bare ground underneath is the best. I usually take my limit in 1/2 hour the first couple of days. If you get frustrated with the shooting you can "cheat" a little by driving a metal fencepost into your plot and wiring a dead elm tree to it. It makes a great place to hang decoys and also makes the birds "flutter in" for a landing on the tree.
 
#8 ·
SCotty Don't

You realize that you are "baiting" those poor, stupid doves don't you Scott. I'm let down by this obvious "poaching". Can you just hunt them over a corn or bean field? Those are "natural" food plots, which is totally different!!!! Something to consider Young Scooter.

You are the scoring God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#9 ·
If thats baiting I am guilty. I have been hunting the FWA sunflowers for years. Cant beat that action. Brings em in from everywhere. Last year my best day I shot 11. And that was at Kingsbury FWA

Ever try a mojo for doves yet. I would say they will make those outlawed. They work too good. But I wont put it away till they make me. Try shooting a dove that is folded up and diving at your mojo 30 ft away from you. You will go through 3 boxes in 1 sitting. I love the early action doves provide. The sunflowers will make it that much better at a private spot this year.

Thanks for the info on the seeds. Going to check around and see who might have them here.
 
#11 ·
Dean Weimer said:
You realize that you are "baiting" those poor, stupid doves don't you Scott. I'm let down by this obvious "poaching". Can you just hunt them over a corn or bean field? Those are "natural" food plots, which is totally different!!!! Something to consider Young Scooter.

You are the scoring God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dean...is it legal to bait Walleye...ooops, wrong thread! :dizzy:

treehugger
 
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