Written by: Pierce Young

Need a dove field in a hurry? You can still attract doves and stay within the law. Dove hunting is one of the most popular migratory bird hunts in North America, and in Mississippi, it is both a popular activity and a social tradition.  As a hunter or land manager, it is your responsibility to know and obey all laws that pertain to the sport.  

Here are some tips on how to produce a last-minute dove field hat keeps you legal in Mississippi: 

  • Yes, you can hunt over top sown winter wheat, if it is done in a manner consistent with a normal agricultural practice.   
  • You can plant a wildlife food plot in the fall and hunt doves that are attracted to it, as long as the proper planting rates and dates are followed, and it is done in a fashion considered to be a normal agricultural practice.  
  • Wheat is to be planted at a rate not greater than 90 lbs per acre that is spread evenly across the area. It may not be piled or clumped.  
  • It is NOT a normal agricultural practice to sow seed several times in quick succession.  In the absence of drought or flood, planting should be done only one time on a seed bed prepared sufficiently to reasonably ensure germination.  
  • You can NOT top sow wheat (broadcast) over an unprepared pasture?  
  • Wheat or rye can be overseeded prior to harvesting soybeans, corn or cotton to establish a cover crop and is recognized as a normal agricultural practice.   
  • Part of a field can be bushhogged at different times, such as four rows now and four rows later, and so on 
  • Millet or sunflowers can NOT be top sown.   
  • After sunflowers, corn, or millet are ripe and before the hunt, it may be knocked down or bushhogged. 
  • Standing grains can NOT be bushhogged and additional grains be added to the field  
  • Maintaining bare ground areas by disking throughout the planted areas also will help attract doves.  

For more information about our dove program, visit our webpage at 

www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/wildlife-species-program/dove-program