Our deer lease usually has one small plot of sunflowers that we dove hunt in September. I spoke with the landowner last night and he is planning to plant this field with wheat around September.

My question is... If he plants wheat say September 1 could we dove hunt over it within the next few days or any time period for that.

Side note: the way i read the TPWD rules this would not constitute baiting since it is regular agriculture practice.

Any thoughts or opinions?

Yeah you should be okay. We also plant winter wheat in a few fields and the game warden said that wasn't baiting since it is part of agriculture.

you are fine. We hammer dove every year over natural spillage.

Your fine dont worry about it.....

Your only problem is that the hunting isint going to be nearly as good. Dove love sunflowers but not wheat. This year when your hunting the field will still be bare, maybe you could talk him into planting some sunflowers somewhere else on the property.

your all good man. Its no different than hunting ducks and geese out of rice fields etc etc.

Appreciate the feedback. Good to hear. I was just more worried about haveing the loose seed on the ground from the actual planting process.

If hre drills his wheat it will be to deep to do you a whole lot of good. If he slings and drags then it will be game on.

as long as it is planted in a normal agricultural practice for that area then you are fine. and the ag extension agent has to agree so you cant just spread it out on top and hope the rain covers it.

What an answer.....who told you that and what did they sell you after you bought that line of garbage?

You talk to ten aggies and they seem fine and then one answer like that one and let the jokes fly.

If he drills the wheat you should be ok. If he broadcasts it, you better get the GW out to look at the field...I don't think it'll fly.

I have federal regulations links in the sticky at the top of the forum so it is easy to find. Here is one for Dove.
http://www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/dovebaiting.htm

Although the Service had considered prohibiting hunting migratory game birds over top-sown fields, the new rule continues to allow hunting over top-sown seeds that are present as a result of a normal agricultural planting. It also authorizes hunting over seeds top-sown as part of a normal soil stabilization practice. The definition of normal soil stabilization practice includes plantings intended to reclaim surface-mined lands as well as measures to control agricultural soil erosion.

So it looks like it would be alright???

Just know that you still could get caught up with a local game warden's different interpretation and be put in a spot having to prove you where legal to a JP or Judge (who also may have a different interpretation) after a citation is given. If your field is recently planted by your landowner right before or at the start of Dove season it might be best to contact your area game warden so that he is aware and agrees in advance that it can be hunted over.

good advice Sniper... thats probably my best bet

Welcome TijuanaTom



Make sure your land owner is using "bona fide agricultural operation or procedure." (good faith)

Leaving wheat, grain on top of the ground to attract dove will most likly be a violation of Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/424548/site_id/1#import



A good court case to study regarding baiting.
http://ftp.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F3/174/174.F3d.571.98-30719.html

One of my lease buddies is concerned that us having our deer feeders could be considered baiting. I would think that unless we hunt over the top of them we should be good. I am pretty certain that folks don't turn their deer feeders off during deer season so they can hunt dove but I thought I would pose this question to all the "ahem" experts on here!

http://www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/FederalRegulations1.htm

Here is an exert from this reg below.

Baiting means the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them.

Seriously? I guess you have never hunted in a cut wheat field.

Don't tell them that, they might also figure out how easy it is to find a bird in 3" Stubble.

Best hunting there is =unplowed Disater wheat field.
Dove and turkey will cover you up.

Read and Think

One thing to consider is the penalties that can arise from hunting over bait. Also if you ask a Texas game warden and then get checked by a federal gw???? You might not get the same opinion. I got checked hunting within 30 yards of an empty corn feeder 3 years ago. She, the gw, started explaining that it would be a class B misdemeanor and would require a trip to jail. I called BS but after she crawled all over the ground and found not a single piece of corn it didn't really matter. Hunting right next to an erected metal barrel is legal.

Depends on the mood of the warden. Couple years ago a guy brodcast wheat broke the pto shaft and spilled some dont know how big the pile was he made some attempt to kick and drag the seeds. Game warden wrote more hunters a ticket than you could shake a stick at and told them not to return to this field for ten days. I guess long enough for the dove to eat the seed.

law says as long as the seed was planted using a normal "agricultural method".

Just don't carry steal and lead in your truck.