Task 1: Field Layout, Preparation, and Planting. This request for quote will be for the fall tillage, planting and tending of two annual crops placed adjacent to each other to provide a dove field for public hunting. The hunter cover and two inside strips of lure crop (remaining strips of the field on each side of the hunter cover) shall consist of black-oil peredovik sunflower (i.e. hunter cover and 1/2 lure crop closest to the hunter cover). The remaining ½ of lure crop needs to consist of winter wheat or be planted to millet (either proso millet or a mixture of proso, brown top, and other millet spp) if the wheat germination is less than 50%. Figure 1 shows the required field planting layout. After completing any grubbing of woody vegetation, or mowing of herbaceous vegetation, the contractor must assure that the whole field is tilled at least 6 inches deep, fit down, or cultipacked to create a firm planting bed free of large clods by October 21st, 2025. There must be a winter cover crop of winter wheat planted or broadcast by November 1st, 2025 over the field at a minimum rate of 60 lb/acre. Prior to planting, soil tests must be taken to assess appropriate fertilizing for crops. Fields (excluding areas to be planted to sunflower) must be sprayed with glyphosate for areas to be planted to Millet. Glyphosate and pendimethalin must be sprayed in areas to be planted to sunflower. The spraying should be completed once weeds germinate and within 2 days prior to the planting of each crop to provide a good clean seedbed free of weeds prior to the planting date and give plantings the best head start. Early-maturity sunflowers (N4H161 variety) are preferred and can be obtained from Nuseed. If sunflower is a Clearfield variety, the Beyond® herbicide can be used. If a conventional variety is selected, pendimethalin must be included with the glyphosate burndown for residual pre-emergent weed control in sunflower plantings. For the remaining lure crop, millet species must be planted in less than 10-inch rows prior to June 1 st, 2026. Sunflower must be planted in less than 35-inch rows prior to June 1st, 2026. The center 30 feet of hunter cover can be omitted from any pendimethalin application to allow annual weeds to grow with the sunflowers. Tending of Crops. After planting, fields must have at least 90% germination of the crops throughout at least 90% of the field to be paid in full for acreage planted. The contractor must tend the crop so that it is properly fertilized after planting at least once prior to June 21st, 2026, to aid in timely maturity of the crop. The fertilizer must contain milorganite or other deer repellent chemical to dissuade deer herbivory. Cultivation can be utilized in lieu of herbicide in sunflowers. Seventy-five percent of the field crops need to be 18 inches tall by June 30th, 2026 for the contractor to receive full payment for task 1. Fertilizing and herbicide application may be done together or separately. If the sunflower lure crop fails to grow or gets eaten by deer, the cooperator can till and broadcast buckwheat in the lure crop portion of sunflower areas by June 30th, 2026 as a substitute to get partial payment for the sunflower lure crop. The project manager will inspect the field in July to assure weeds have been controlled and crops are growing sufficiently. Task 2. Manipulation of Lure Crops. Late-summer manipulation (either through mowing, tilling, or a combination by August 20th, 2026) must result in greater than 25% bare ground with seed scattered across the top of the ground. Vegetation must be mowed as short as possible in the lure crop areas and late-summer tillage should not be more than 2 inches deep. Ideally, mowing should be done as slow as possible, angling down and contacting the rear of the mower deck across the surface of the field. Tillage, if needed to meet bare ground goals, should just cut up mowed vegetation laying on top of the ground and scarify the top of the ground for bare ground, grit, and seed exposure. Strip tillage can be utilized to accomplish bare ground goals within lure crop areas as needed but the whole field should not be tilled. Hunter cover should be greater than 3 feet tall by August 20th, 2025. The project manager will inspect the field to assure weeds have been controlled and crops are at sufficient height at the deadline. The contractor will be paid on the result of both the crop planted for hunter cover and the lure crop with associated manipulation on a percentage basis. If the crop yield or weed-control specifications are not met, pro-rated payment for the first task will be issued. In the case of a catastrophic failure, as long as fields are tilled, planted and tended, contractor will receive at least 50% payment on total bid. The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, and supplies to complete the above activities. All task 1 activities need to be completed for full payment on Task 2. The contractor must stop using heavy equipment if ruts regularly surpass 6 inches deep or soil is too wet to till or plant. Electronic maps can be made available if needed. The contractor is required to contact the ODNR, Division of Wildlife project manager at least two business days prior to initially entering the property for work.
