DuckSouth.com

General question for everybody that has caused me some thinking these past couple of seasons especially. I see a lot of germinated rice in cut rice fields could be ratoon sprouts as well. Without getting into specifics about leftover grain with current harvest practices. How much rice is in those green cut rice fields. Last year was real bad for germinating before season and this year is bad enough. Some years it's brown and the seed is there real good. What's ya'lls general thoughts on leftover grain in a green rolled pumped up rice field and general duck usage. I know it's best to leave some standing, but how much is left there this year where it has been cut.

You always want to rent a rice field from a farmer with a John Deere Combine because an International will starve a duck to death. With the warm weather a lot of the rice has germinated but thier is still plenty left for the ducks.

I have a pretty good idea that it's not very much by early December

It's really hard to say, even in general. Most of what you're probably seeing is like you said "ratoon sprouts". The stalk of the plant is probably not dead and remember like any grass, rice's growing point is near the soil. As long as the plant is not dead and the growing point is not damaged, the rice will continue to grow in these warmer than normal temps we've had lately. But I regress to your question, really hard to say, but no matter how good you think you can set a combine or how good a particular machine (red or green) every one I have ever had dealings with left some "good" grain in the field. Sure to be some still left there.

i just planted some rice for the first time this past spring. its up and dried out. the seeds are just hanging from the stalk. is it best to leave the hanging? of the harvest them?

Cut the rice!

Buckshot ??? Did you just ask should you cut the rice or leave it????
Tell you what, why don't you cut it and be sure to get it all. Better yet bush hog it and show the local game warden what a good job you did .

yea i know it is illegal to minipulate ag crops. i was just wondering if you are not a farmer, why wouldn't you leave it standing. i bush hogged alot of smartweed around my rice and millit, to open up a couple of holes and get some seeds on the ground. By the way the local Gamewardens are my hunting partners. and gave me my rice, and millit to plant!

There is plenty of rice in the field. most of the time it is not the seed that has sprouted but the plant has regenerated. You can argue about leaving some standing but it is my experiance that a disked rice field does better than one that is not. the only thing i leave in my field is some stripes to hide in. in is also best to leave stubble standing close to the shallowest part of the field. The ducks always stay in that area of the field.