When discussing how to prepare a dove field, the subject of illegal baiting is very important. This document is not intended to fully discuss the issue of baiting, nor does it cover all possible baiting scenarios.
A simple guideline to remember is that for dove hunting, it is legal to grow crops in accordance with LA Cooperative Extension Service recommendations and then manipulate these crops so that seeds that were grown on that particular field are readily available to doves. It is not legal to add supplementary seeds to a dove field, nor is it legal to harvest seeds and later return the seeds to the field. Dove baiting regulations are different than those for waterfowl. Contact LDWF Enforcement Division or visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website (
www.fws.gov) for information regarding migratory bird baiting regulations.