Is it to early?

My food plots never turned out last fall so I was thinking about going ahead and turning them under and planting for spring/summer. Is it to early to plant and will the game warden consider it bait?

If you make an attempt to cover the seed it shouldn't be baiting. You may need to follow the extension service recommendations on planting, at least you do for doves.

Get you a digital meat thermometer from the grocery store and use it to measure the soil temp in your field. Seems like soil temp readings are taken at about 4-5 inches but look it up to double check me. That is what will tell you whether or not it's too early to plant. Look up whatever it is you're wanting to plant and see what the ideal planting temp range is for that plant specie. Some things like sunn hemp and buckwheat like much warmer soil temps than things like cowpeas. Plant when your soil temp reaches acceptable levels.

This chart is for vegetables but it shows what I'm talking about. You CAN plant when soil temps reach the green dot level.....however, you'll likely do much better to wait until soil temps get closer to the optimal level...represented by the black dot. You need to at least be at that minimum though.

You don't even have to test the soil temperature yourself. There are several farming websites that produce a soil temperature map every week or so. Just google "Alabama soil temperature map". I found one on an ALFA website that's currently showing most of Alabama in the mid 50s. While it may not be exact, it should be close enough for your purposes.

I think I'll probably go ahead and pick up seed and start turning some dirt this weekend. Maybe wait another week or so before planting.

I always wait until May to plant anything. No fear of frost and the soil temps are better. Besides deer don't need the food right now, its everywhere.