Dove Farming

I wouldn’t have made it as a farmer. Every food plot I’ve ever sowed withered and died from factors other than deer. The few times anyone has let me operate a tractor ended with the owner running up waving as I frantically pumped the clutch and Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Banged the disc through ditches, oaks, and stone. And I despise eating vegetables and can only assume they are conceived through evil design.

But I know mourning dove are big fans of farming, and if you love dove hunting, by extension, you love farming.

Mourning dove are probably this hemisphere’s favorite gamebird. They are hunted throughout the United States and down through Central and South America. Millions each year realize their destiny wrapped in bacon and slow-cooked over a wood fire. They flock and feed in agriculture fields throughout this great land, with hunters of all ages anticipating the Season Opener, usually the first hunt of the fall.


Florida is a little different. While our neighboring Southern Brethren kick off dove season Labor Day weekend, Sunshine Staters are forced to wait until the first weekend of October. By the time the northern birds cut their way through the peanut patches of Georgia, they’ve run the gauntlet through enough 7 ½ shot salvos to render them rather spooky. No bother, a dove field is a fun place once the work to get it growing is completed.

By federal law, if one plans to hunt dove over agricultural product, they must do so in a couple of ways. One, have access to property that is regularly farmed and harvested. Two, plan your own landscape of dove-friendly foods. Three, scatter corn and seed three days before season and way-lay them.

Ha! Gotcha on the last one – OK, probably not. Game officers and those running their budgets probably get as excited about dove season as hunters. Nary a season passes when I don’t hear of one group of hunters or another getting busted busting dove over scratch feed. It’s really not worth it, in my opinion.


Generally speaking, Florida is a little lax in the agricultural fields department than states north of our border. You can have a right good hunt around orange groves, for sure. The FWC plants fields throughout the state that offer lucky hunters a chance at the birds, but we just don't have as many open areas rife with corn, soybean, peanuts, and other crops. As popular as this gamebird is, hunting them here presents accessibility issues.

Ten years ago I was involved with planting dove fields for the first time. We had access to mining property in Manatee County and planted three or four locations of 4-5 acre plots. The work was hot and long and never paid off. That summer the state experienced a pretty severe drought, crippling the millet early. This was followed by a July and August deluge that flooded the fields and rotted the sensitive browntop millet. We ended up having a phenomenal shoot over ragweed that fall, though, which saved our spirits.

Over the next couple of years I was invited to a friend’s field, and we made the most of it – the whole dove hunting experience, in fact. Barbecues, a lot of shooting, and suds afterwards. It was a grand experience that I highly recommend, if you get the invite.

Then for some reason over the following few years, the birds just quit. The millet looked good and the hunters were willing, but the shoot just never amounted to much. One more year of that, and the enthusiasm of planting fields went with the dove. I heard reports of decent shoots here and there on other lands, but for me that October Opener was quickly replaced with bowhunting and livelier game.

And it’s a shame, because I truly enjoy a dove hunt. When we secured our Polk County lease this winter, dove hunting was one of the first things discussed. There was certainly room, but where to get a tractor and fencing and time to do so? As the summer advanced, PJ grabbed the reigns of these issues.

Before we get much farther, I’ll be honest. About the most I contributed to this project was money for seed and beer for the workers. Non-Leasemember, but Soon-To-Be-Dove-Hunting-This-Fall Harris brought his tractor and spent the better part of two days mowing and discing. By the time I arrived on Saturday, most of the fencing had be finished, with only a gap left to get the Kubota in and out. Don’t let me fool you, I sweated plenty, but only because it was about 120 degrees outside.


The plan was to plow about three acres and plant browntop and Japanese millet, with a couple rows apiece of sunflowers and corn. There was trouble with the borrowed disc not being heavy enough to sufficiently chew up the thick sod of the cow pasture. Several railroad ties strapped to the disc resolved this issue. In a couple of days, the area will be re-plowed and the seed distributed. Once this is done, the land will be leveled out, and we will pray for rain.

Doing the research later – why not before, I can’t tell you – I learned about the critical issues in planting a field (check the links after my rambling is concluded). One, it is suggested that planting days be staggered out to ensure hunts throughout the three phases of dove season. The browntop should be in high spots so water does not rot it (Japanese millet is more durable). The field needs to be fertilized then sprayed to prevent infestation from soldier or army worms, which, let me tell you the thought of creeps me out. I think that’s what they called those beasts in Tremors.

And, we’ll see how it shakes out. According to the literature, we are a little late in the game putting seed in the dirt, but it was still exciting admiring the freshly churned soil of Harris’ work. We envisioned decoys and Mojo dove doing their thing. A few Expert Voices cogitated on from where the dove will fly in to chow down. I’m enthused, but will sadly miss that Opening Day shoot. I’m sure I’ll get a chance in the following days and phases.


Hopefully the seed matures and dove will cover the field. If not, we’ll just spread some cracked corn around and be done with it.

Just joking.

Links from those more in the know than I.

FWC Dove Field Preparation

Dove Sportman's Society

South Carolina DNR - Attracting Dove Legally Excellent chart on what to plant and when

Summer Archery Practice Tips

Believe it or not, bow season starts July 31st in Florida’s South Zone. I have a hunt scheduled in that area for the weekend of August 7th. I am nowhere near ready – practice-wise – for this trip.

Admittedly, practicing in the summer is not all that fun. One can get in a hurry to ditch the humidity. Bugs wreck concentration. Dehydration cramps muscles. Combine this with the typical offseason rust and the situation can get frustrating in a hot second. I’ve never found shooting a bow to be all that difficult given half-way decent tackle, but poor form from lack of attention and rush is usually the difference between bulls-eye shots and those that bury in the muck.

It took me a few seasons to figure out a trick to evade all of this – slow down. These days when I start this annual ritual, I'll pick a distance - usually the 20 yard mark - and loose three deliberate shots spaced with 30 seconds or more in between. This permits me to concentrate on relocating proper stance and anchor point. Again, when rushed, these little aspects of shooting a bow are lost.


After six shots, I’ll back up to thirty yards and wait a minute between shots. Forty yards about the same. Then, I’m done for the day after 12 arrows. As the days progress, I’ll up my quota, but still allow the patience to take calm shots. Shooting with others is a fine way to balance this time.

Shooting in the heat leads to off-accuracy consequences. I used to zip through my duties just to get it over with and return to the A/C. I sweat like a field laborer just getting out of bed and loathe myself for it. The oppressive Sunshine State heat really bothers me – but I will not go afield unprepared, so I compromised with myself. Clean the guilt by shooting fast and not shooting often. No Bueno!

A few years back, this design ruined my left shoulder trying to fit what should have been a several week regimen into a few days. Granted that bow did not have the let-off my current one does, but the results on the Block target were tragic. Lost a couple arrows. A few reminded me of the fighter planes King Kong batted down in the movies, spiraling and looping out of control as I torqued the various muscles used in bow shooting to compensate for the pain.

Irritated and not fully aware of my situation, this all led to one thing – Allen wrenches. Sights and rests were adjusted, and by the end of it, I had one big rat’s nest of a problem that took a start-from-scratch approach to correct. The shoulder pain lasted through November, but I slowed way down to get back to where I started.

Next, your muscles – well, at least mine – can tire easily in the heat. Another reason to slow down the tempo and not work into a sweaty mess. I take a water bottle or two and have a sip between sequences and wrap a bandana around my forehead to keep sweat out of my eyes. So I look strange, but I typically keep the broadhead in the bull. In Florida, shooting in the late evening helps, assuming it’s not raining buckets.

The act of bowhunting is a precision game and often conducted in less than ideal temperature and weather. It makes sense to me to practice in these conditions and adjust. The first step after unleashing that bow from the case from whence it’s spent the last nine months is to steady yourself for this knowledge. From there, work patiently through the sweat and tears. The success of your season may well depend on it.

Reviewing the 2009-10 Hunting Season

For me, the 2009-10 Hunting Season is finished. The Hunting FY ends after Turkey Season is kaput. It’s time to analyze this past year and commence preparation for next. Besides, my energy levels are toast, and I’m ready to put ‘er in port for a while. The May Malaise – an awful affliction related to Mono that renders one totally fatigued and incapable of arising at the butt-crack of dawn for any reason – is in total control now. So let’s take a deep breath and gander back at the year that was.


The Highlights

Gator Hunting, no doubt, was one of the most exciting times I’ve had. What a fun way to kick off a hunting season. A bunch of buddies in a boat, stalking the red eyes of Mr. Grins across Polk County lakes. Hooking into one of these bad boys is a thrill, and the teamwork required to put one in the boat safely is a huge part of the buzz . Neither of the gators we took on my tags will awe the serious lizard hunters, but for my inaugural season, it got no better.


A day in North Carolina will live forever around the campfire as long as I'm alive to re-live it for everyone's pleasure. I’d taken a snooze in the stand to fight back a foggy head from the late night drive into town and awoke to two does standing in the dried out soybeans. Two shots, two kills. While on the phone telling Carolyn about it, another pair came running up the length of the field. Cracked a third, and, figuring I shouldn’t get too greedy, let the other one walk. All shots were over 200 yards and filled my freezer for the winter.

My first Georgia quail hunt won’t be withdrawn from the memory banks anytime soon, either. On a beautiful plantation with my soon-to-be-wife and in-laws, we had a fantastic shoot. The dogs worked hard as did the guides. It’ll be hard to let another December pass without a bobwhite extravaganza included.


A few others – the annual Christmas hunt in Sarasota County. Close friends and a perfect stress reliever after the busy holidays. Hunting in Levy County with long-time hunting buddies. It’s always more of a steak and bourbon affair, but I did pop a couple hogs.

The Lowlights

Missing the turkeys. You can surf back through my archives on this. And I still have another punishing tale to write once I muster the strength to do so.

Bow season. It was so blazing hot through September and October; the deer movement was about non-existent in Manatee County. On my last bowhunt in January on public land, it was the coldest day in the last 30 years in the Sunshine State.

Duck season was disappointing as well, but mostly from my lack of attendance. The few times I did make it out, the birds just didn’t cooperate. Friends still make these trips worth while.

The Enemies

Mother Nature proved, once again, what a fickle wench she can be. The extreme heat, the extreme cold. Just a weird weather year. The acorns didn’t fall until late, and the pollen in the Spring was intolerable. With the rain in between, some of the best-laid plans crumbled.

Something New


We went over gator and quail hunting. A trip to Lake Toho in September to shoot moorhen was fun – bet I can scrounge up some interest for a .410 tournament this next go-round. I scouted plenty of WMA’s I had not been on and look forward to hunting in the coming years.

My Hunting Plans for 2010-11

The quota season is getting close. Applying for hunts at…oh, wait, I’m not saying! Potentially, this year’s deer season can stretch from July to February with careful planning. There’s talk of bowhunting the heat and lightning in the South Zone for velvet bucks this August. Gator hunting permits will go online soon. You can bet my name will be in that hat. There’s a fleet of coyotes on my lease that I’ll have to tangle with sometime soon, as well as herds of hogs that need thinning. Gonna try to plant a dove field. Will also forgo bowhunting during that week in September when the early duck season is open. North Carolina in November is a-go. And who knows what else, especially with turkey. The hope is a strong tonic against the malaise.


Finally, thanks to everyone who reads my nonsense on a regular basis or even stops by, tricked by a fancy headline. The Lakeland Ledger runs a feed through its site, and I apparently haven’t written anything too offensive to change that. Same with Central Florida Online helmed by Marialice Quinn, a big supporter and source of encouragement. Trying to get the Orlando Sentinel to run a feed - feel free to e-mail them on how you feel about this.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention followers on blogspot, Backcountry Sportsmen, USA Hunting Pros, The Outdoor Show, FS Forum, NWTF, Mossy Oak, Florida Fish and Hunt, and The Wildlife Pro Network.

If any of ya’ll have any suggestions or tips to share about the site or hunting, holla. (And you can always subscribe by using the application on the right side of the page!)

Kinda weird chaptering the last nine months into such a short article, but rest assured, they were a fun nine months, regardless of how the hunts turned out.

Cheers to you and your hunting seasons!

TWL Classics - To the Hunt

Two years ago I started my volunteer outdoor writing service through a local newspaper's public blogging site. Unfortunately, through powers beyond my control, my archives from that source are gone and lost forever. Luckily, I saved rough drafts of my work on my computer, and once or twice a week I'll re-introduce a past column back into the wild of the World Wide Web. Enjoy!

Originally Published January 2008

My truck is four thousand miles past its last oil change. My knees and back are shot from miles of traipsing through palmetto flats and swamp bottoms. Worse still, my dog barely recognizes me, and I am all but broke from traveling so often.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

For me, hunting season is not just an opportunity to escape the house or work for a weekend - it is a passion, a way of life born from being raised in the outdoors of Polk County and Central Florida. I am one of the lucky ones. From September to April, I actively hunt throughout the Southeast for just about anything that has a sanctioned season. When not actually hunting, I’m actively researching new ways to spend more time in the woods.

Already this year I’ve hunted deer in three different states, and ducks in two. Chased hogs in South Florida with rifles and dogs. I’m catching gobbler fever and close to donning the vest, laying out the decoys in the front yard, and calling to the neighbor’s cat. I dream of Africa and constantly check prices for hunts on the Dark Continent as if I could afford it right now. If an outfitter offered hunts for a giant slug on some tropical Pacific island that runs hunters a merry chase and tastes good wrapped in bacon and grilled, I’d be scheming on how to get there and what rifle I should bring.

As I said, I am one of the lucky ones; however, writing about hunting – or fishing for that matter – is a unique task. One can write about football or baseball without ever taking a snap or swinging a bat in a meaningful way. Come to think about it, there are numerous major television networks, publications, and radio stations geared around this very model. To write about the outdoor life, an author must actively engage in these activities or the reader will color them a fraud.

This, of course, leads to some challenges when dispensing advice. Let’s suppose I write an article about how to harvest a deer in a particular place during a specific time of the year with a certain firearm I feel is the most adequate for the situation. Some will take it as the suggestion it was made to be, and others will read it as gospel and go out of their way to tell me I’m wrong. If you need proof of this, read the “Letters” section of any outdoor magazine. Or check online blogs and forums.

Another trouble with writing about hunting or fishing is within the game itself. Hunters and anglers go to great pains to try and predict what their quarry will do under certain conditions. Much ink has been spilled trying to explain the many wrinkles in deciphering game activity. I use this example all the time – I once read that a gobbler will never cross water to come to your calls, and that was true until one old boss tom did.

My point, if I am forced to make one, is that the best way to become a better hunter is to be in the woods and learn for your self. The ultimate goal of this blog is to help discover ways you can enjoy your pastime – to be active and enjoy the tradition and adventure of sport hunting. At the very least, hopefully I can help you slack off a few minutes of work discussing what you love to do.

Living in Polk County, this should not be too difficult of a task. We are fortunate to be surrounded by plentiful public land, and opportunities for private land access for a wide spectrum of game animals. The central Florida hunter is also blessed to be within a tank of gas or so away from some excellent hunting prospects to the north in states such as Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolina's.

Of course, there will be some advice-related topics as this is the nature of the outdoor writing business. Certainly, some people enjoy discussing different hunting strategies and equipment, and I hope to keep readers updated on dates of applications, special hunting opportunities, and any legislation involving our sport. But most of all, I want to use this forum to broaden the scope and bring into focus the multitude of hunting possibilities available to the Polk County outdoors person at a time when the sport seems to be at its least accessible point.

As we prepare to put another fall hunting season - hopefully a successful one - in the books and ready ourselves for the doldrums of February and the blissful return of spring gobbler, I’d like to propose a toast to our fortune in the woods and on the water. This naturally would be better around an oak campfire and with an actual drink in hand, but still - to the hunt, the memories of years past and the promise of the future!

Go Go Gadget Hunter

I love this. Just in case you can’t read the text from my sorry camera phone picture:

“Crunching Feeding Sounds that Calm Deer.”

“Pacifies a Deer’s Alert Instincts.”

“Calms Spooked Deer.”

“Stops Deer in a Relaxed Manner.”

THE KRUNCHER!!! (Cue: triumphant horn music)

What will they think of next?

I have to be careful because I do represent Mossy Oak and I’m not sure who all they are in league with, but I had a good laugh at Wal-Mart last week. If it’d been on the other side of Christmas this could have ended up in a few stockings.

My best guess is that a hunter mashes this thing together to resemble the sound of a whitetail feeding and this, what, calls in deer? How close does the animal have to be for this to work? And how does the deer discern this noise from the cacophony of crows cawing, owls hooting, turkeys clucking, and squirrels themselves crunching on acorns? I suppose some things are best left for the eye to witness.

The thing is if you’ve arrived at the point where you’ve bought the Kruncher, you probably own every other grunt call, bottle of deer urine, rattling bag, and doe bleat that’s hit the market. No way can this be any outdoorsman’s first call. Reminds me of a hair loss lotion or male enhancement product you see advertised – you’ve tried the rest, now try the best! A hunter’s own chance at battling their deer hunting insecurities.

Gadgets, by definition, are devices that probably aren’t worth what you paid for them regardless of price. Hunters are a gadget-intense bunch. I’ve had my own. My very first, as I recall, was a boot knife I purchased at a gun show for ten bucks when I was twelve. Functionally, it was about as practical as my nipples, though it did possess the same aesthetic appeal. The “blade” was some aluminum/plastic compound that was only fitting for throwing into the sides of trees. Not much help skinning a hog. All the guys in camp were realllll impressed. Or nervous. Pick one. The vendor at the show had no qualms hawking it to me, and I’m sure has slept fine since.

One year in college I acquired a “Spit & Drum” turkey call from a manufacturer I’ve long forgotten. It came with a video. One half looked like - and probably was - the mouth piece from a standard grunt call and made a very similar noise. The other side was a rubber ball somewhat resembling the float in the back of a toilet. The concept was to blow on the grunt tube end to simulate a gobbler drumming, then you flipped it over and slammed the toilet float half on your leg creating a sharp hissing noise, that, I guess, sounds like a tom spitting. It left bruises.

Now, I’m not a professional turkey hunter by any means, but the first rule of this sport, clear as I’ve understood it, is to stay as still as possible; I don’t see how this fit in to that strategy. Same goes for the plastic turkey wing I once bought and toted for years. It worked for the guys in the video. It’d be probably noon judging by the sunlight when they would spit and drum, and sure enough, the camera would cut away to a gobbler beelining it to the decoys, though it was much darker outside then for some reason.

Gadgets have a powerful pull against one's common sense. For a large portion of the county - who nonetheless sees this regularly occur on TV at a variety of exotic private locales in Texas - rattling antlers are pretty serious, make-your-hands-bleed gadgets. I dutifully carried a pair for years and would clack away, nervous I'd be stormed by Mucho Grande before I could hoist my gun or bow. Can't say this turned out to be an issue. But one day I had an epiphany:

“Ian, you’ve paid God knows how much money on the latest camouflage to hide in the trees, have driven many miles for a chance at a buck, and you’re out here waving your arms around and banging horns together just making a racket? C’mon, boy! Sit down and be quiet.”

It’s is remarkable the number of bucks I’ve killed since this enlightenment.

Once upon a time I had a plastic polymer shooting stick. As a teen – yes, a teen – I fancied myself a big-time pistolero. Carried a Ruger Redhawk .44Mag in a shoulder holster with two speed clips totaling 18 rounds of kick butt awesomeness. Well, I’d seen in a magazine where this other big-time pistolero used the exact stick with his .44 to hunt caribou. Not having a prevalent population of caribou in Central Florida, I figured it could at least translate into a useful hog hunting tool.

One evening a member of camp came out of my tent, presumably in there perpetrating some prank, with my shooting stick in hand. I won’t repeat the fire-side jokes and sick sexual innuendos here because there may be children reading, but to this day I still catch grief. Someone claims to have it and is waiting for the proper time to abuse me with it for old time’s sake. I showed them, though. I bought a bipod.

Perhaps my favorite gadget, that I’m proud to say I did not buy, was a little key chain device that when you hit a button it made a sound like a corn feeder spinning off. Now, I’ve seen deer and hogs and turkey literally run over each other at this noise before on private lands, but I have laughed myself to tears on the stand thinking of some hunter in the Green Swamp or some other public land romp-and-stomp hunkered by the tree, pressing this button, and grasping his gun in eager anticipation. Wait fifteen minutes, hit it again – standard deer call instructions. Maybe if he or she had a Kruncher to make it seem more realistic it could have worked.

Truth is, we rarely stop buying gadgets; they just get more expensive and sophisticated. This is especially true as we branch out from hunting just one species. Duck hunting is a mad disease. I have robo-ducks and bags of decoys, including some now that don’t have heads to make it seem like they are feeding. I recently acquired a 3 ½ magnum though I duck hunt maybe four times a year and would miss most in-flight waterfowl with a heat seeking missile.

Turkey hunting can get ya – all the scribes say you can’t have too many calls. These scribes also tend to go on industry-sponsored hunts. And predator calling is bad, too. Have this device that flips a cotton ball thing around in erratic circles. A hawk is gonna take off with that some day. Goodbye, eighty bucks! Have a digital predator call that has, of all things, terrified chicken calls, fighting toms, wounded wombat, and annoyed anteater.

It’s all in fun. The Kruncher may fill a void in some hunter’s daypack and lead him or her – though “her’s” are much less apt to buy such things – to Boone & Crockett glory. And really, I think there is still an untapped market. Just think of the other bodily functions we can simulate from your favorite game animal! Combine doe estrous with a water bottle and we have the Urinator – wait, I think that is the name of a narcotic masking device.

Well, you may need that gadget too if you find yourself buying this stuff on a regular basis!

Winter Tips for Wild Hogs

The days for chasing deer are dwindling down. Alas. The bells toll for deer season throughout much of the country by late January, and the dreariness of winter hides the promise of Spring Turkey. Nothing left but football and NASCAR.

Not so fast.

Wild hogs - plentiful in many parts of the country and sneaking into others with each passing day - are a year-round hunting opportunity. And, man, do I enjoy hunting them this time of the year. Whether you are seeking a fatty for the freezer or that big boar for the wall, December, January, and February are my favorite months for popping a pig here in Florida.

So if you just can’t stand staying inside watching the playoffs in the coming weeks, here are some tips for finding some pigskin of your own.

1. Follow the food – hogs will eat anything, but by this time of year, most of the acorns are off the ground and once-lush oak hammocks are all but barren of food. It’s now when they ramp up their rooting activities, working over ditches, creek bottoms, and wet-weather ponds seeking anything edible. The reason for this is simple – these places capture moisture which in turn produces new-growth plant life and attracts insects and grubs. In addition, these spots collect berries and acorns that have been washed here by previous rains. Palmetto patches, while tougher to hunt, offer a similar buffet of groceries. Of course, if you have a magical tree that slings little yellow acorns, that much better.

2. Stay on the move – since there is no real obvious concentration of food, stay mobile. The weather is nice so you won’t sweat to death, and hogs are apt to move throughout the day for similar reasons. Next, with all the leaves off the trees, still-hunting through fall’s impenetrable swamps is much easier, and the hogs will still hole up here.

3. Avoid full moons – this is a general hog hunting rule for me anyhow. For some reason, I’ve had no luck at all this time of the month. Maybe others have, but I’d schedule a different date if I were you.



4. Hunt fronts – hogs are active all times of the day before and after a front blows through. A light rain is perfect to get them on their feet and feeding. Now, if it’s too windy, you are better off staying in camp, but a drizzle and drop in temp is a good recipe for putting one on the ground.

5. Take advantage of small game hunts – most FL WMA’s will offer small game hunts with hogs on the menu. They usually allow only shotguns or rimfires. OO Buckshot works – not my favorite, but it will – but slugs are the way to go here (check individual WMA regs.) Or if you are feeling spunky, I’ve put down more than one hog with a .22LR or .22 Mag. This is also a fine opportunity for archery hunting practice.

6. Plan for next year – The FWC and Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swift Mud) offer hog hunts throughout the year for winter hunts. Sometimes they are still hunts, other times it’s for those who run dogs. Either way, keep an eye out!



7. Hold out for that boar – my best boars have come during the winter. As mentioned above, their Eden-like swamp strongholds tend to be barren so boars will wander farther and more often for food and females. This is their most vulnerable time of the year, in my opinion - kind of a hog rut, you could say. If you’re trophy hunting, it may be worth letting the little ones work under a feeder for a while longer and wait for Mr. Grinnin’ Lips to sidle on in.

Hog hunting is a great deal of fun in the winter and they can be hunted in a variety of ways. If anyone else has some tips, please feel free to leave a few!!!