In case some of you didn't know, the co-op guidelines say that it is legal to broadcast wheat into standing crops. In the guidelines it makes a reference to cotton and soybeans as being standing crops. Nothing from the guidelines convinces me that standing crops are limited to cotton and soybeans, however. I think it just uses them as an example.

However, the question I have is whether planted peanuts fall into the category of a "standing crop." I don't know the scientific term, but the fact that peanuts grow under the surface might not categorize them as standing crops.

I have a close friend that is a game warden and he told me peanuts don't fall into the standing crop category. It actually makes sense to me however I wanted to see if any other folks in other counties had any experience on this issue.

For reference, go to the bottom of page 3 and read #1:
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1467/ANR-1467-low.pdf

I thought there had to be a prepared seed bed

Is it normal agriculture practices to top sow a cover crop (wheat) into a peanut field after being harvested? If so, should be legal in my view.

That GW is full of schit. We put cover crops on peanut ground too. But really doves come to the shelled peanuts as good as they will wheat. So enjoy a good legal shoot on the harvested field!

I am talking about while the peanuts are still intact...before they've been pulled.

Joe, as far as I know what you just described is legal.

Have you tried to find doves in green undug peanuts. Good luck with that. How the hell do you think doves will find wheat in that thick cover? Yes I'd say you were illegal throwing wheat into undug peanuts.

There has been a fair amount of birds in the rows. There are wide rows and there is a lot of bare ground for doves. I have to make do with what I have. Pretty sure you won't be affected very much so lay off.

Because I'm in the Ag business and it's not a damn normal practice to spread wheat into un harvested peanuts. There's not a good seedbed. When the digger inverts them all seed will be turned under or disturbed too bad. Go ahead and hunt how you want. Obviously you don't have much experience with peanuts.

The point of this post was to determine whether it might be legal by finding someone who might have knowledge about this specific situation and not to advise me on how to hunt.

Whatever man. I tried to "advise" you what a normal Ag practice is and you won't accept it. Hope you find all of your doves in the green peanuts or maybe you've got a good dog to help.

I think the answer lies in the phrase "normal agricultural practice" and I think 257 gave you an answer. If throwing wheat into green peanuts is not "normal agricultural practice" then it's not legal.

To be perfectly honest, I doubt you're going to find anyone that will give you a definitive answer. As it states in the the publication you linked, dove season is actually regulated by the USFWS. There was a nasty disagreement several years ago that centered around a youth hunt that was put on by ADCNR. As I understand it a USFWS employee decided to show up and flex his muscle by giving out tickets on this hunt. In essence, you're asking folks to tell you what's legal and what's not, but giving you an answer might require being a mind reader of some jackass that works for USFWS. I'd stick as close as possible to "normal" practices as outlined by the examples in that book. You might have a hard time defending it if the USFWS decides they don't think that's "normal".

What else can be planted in the next week or so, in addition to a winter wheat like gore, for a late season dove field? I'm down in FL Panhandle and want to plant something now for late November, December or January hunts. As warm as it is What else can I still plant that is good for dove? It's still hot but must be too late for brown top millet. What cool season planting is attractive for dove in addition to wheat?

Yeah, with stuff like cotton and soybeans you can top sow with wheat without turning the ground over. I also agree that wheat into unharvested peanuts would be risking a hefty ticket. They are very different in that one requires the ground to be turned over (then cover crop planted), while the other can be harvested and then top sown into the standing stubble (perhaps even top sown before harvesting).

Here is the story on that fiasco.

Canceled Youth Hunt

Perfect example of what is wrong with game wardens.It only takes one like this to color how wardens are seen for a long time.

I'd have been ready to fight

That federal SOB didn't care about anything except showing everyone that he was in charge. Our state GW's should have thrown him off the property except that they might have lost $$$ from the feds.

He was a former state gw from here.

To simplify the answer to the question, the item in question states:

1. Planted into a seedbed that has not been tilled. Recommended practices for planting into an unprepared seedbed include using a no-till drill, broadcasting seeds into cotton stubble that remains after harvest followed by mowing the cotton stubble, and aerial seeding into standing crops, such as cotton or soybeans, prior to defoliation or leaf drop.

In response, "cotton or soybeans" is preceded by "such as" making "cotton or soybeans" an example of standing crops. That is, standing crops are not limited to cotton or soybeans and can be any crop not yet harvested (i.e., standing). Accordingly, the answer to your question is that peanuts, or any other crop prior to harvest, could be considered a "standing crop."

That said however, don't stop reading there. As pointed out by others above, there is a caveat that the action taken to attract birds must be part of "normal agricultural practice" and I believe that's where you will run afoul (no pun intended) of the law.

In my humble opinion, broadcasting wheat onto a peanut field prior to harvesting would meet the criterion of sowing into a standing crop. However, harvesting peanuts afterwards is certain to disturb the soil and wheat sown making it pretty clear the sole purpose of sowing the wheat was to attract doves. Accordingly, I do not believe this would be considered "normal agricultural practice" and as such, expect you would be ticketed for baiting.

After harvesting, sowing wheat as a cover crop appears to meet the definition of "normal agricultural practices" and would not be considered baiting.

Hopefully this answers your question.