I am hoping someone can help me out.

The farmer next to my lease has a large cattle pasture and I was thinking about approaching him to see about leasing 5-10 acres for a dove field.

I was thinking the field would consist of long strips of browntop millet alternated with barren strips that could be disced and top sown with wheat over several weeks. I.e. one strip this week, one strip next week etc. to allow for several hunts. I’d be able to keep the cattle out of anything planted and of course after the hunts the cattle are welcome to come feed on the new wheat and browntop. He usually rotates the cattle out of this pasture in the the fall and back in the springtime.

That’s more or less my idea. I’d like some input on the farmers side before I make my pitch. I have no idea if this would be a non-starter as far as pasture management goes. Would it help/hurt the pasture? What might a farmer permit and what might he be concerned with? Would it be something a $per acre rent amount could fix? If so how much? Any practical considerations such as legalities are of course welcome!

Don’t know what kind of operation he has going, but we make a field every year on one of my buddies pastures/hay fields. About a5 acre block down by a creek. It is disked about 2-3 weeks before season and we top sew wheat. We will disk and hunt it a couple of time through September. After we are done hunting, we let it grow until late feb/March and let the fall calves graze it. We will drill it with sorghum Sudan grass late April, and then cut hay off of it during the summer.

My FIL's place has a large cattle pasture on it. During the winter, the farmer brings in bales of hay to feed the cows and he has a 'yard' where he drops the bales all winter. As the winter progresses, the feeding area becomes bare ground and the huge amounts of seeds that drop out of the hay bales attract a ton of doves. Never early enough in the Fall to have a good shoot, but late December - January is always good.

We hunt several places that are just pasture land and not to brag but we have done really well and usually we just feed wheat out of a spreader on tractor. We do go through a lot of seed but have done good with it. No plowing just ride around spreading seed a couple times a week.

I wouldn't brag to much either. It's illegal.

Top sewn wheat must be on prepared (plowed/turned) ground to be legal. A normal farming practice. Also, you can't go back and re-apply seed if you wish to remain by-the-book legal.

I can get a limit during winter where I feed cows...i have hunted a pasture thats in a good fly zone with success...didn't even have to till any dirt...

Coming from a farming background here is my advice. First off remember farmers, especially old school farmers are a different breed. Start by asking if he has any areas specifically that aren’t hayfields that he might be open to letting you plant and go from there. Let him take the lead of where is an option if he will allow you to hunt. Also offer to bring him fresh dove meat and of course he’s going to be concerned about people shooting around his cows. so let him know how cautious everyone will be. It’s a whole different ball game when hunting around cows

Seems like there are some different rules around livestock. Kinda like hunting a feed lot.