Sorghum Production in Mississippi
Is it legal to hunt ducks over milo?
This answer is only a brief summary of federal regulations defined and regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Always refer to "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Baiting Regulations" or your local conservation officer (game warden) for complete regulations pertaining to crop manipulation.
It is illegal to hunt waterfowl over an area where grain has been artificially distributed, which could serve as a lure. This is defined as a "baited area."
Waterfowl baiting does not depend solely upon the species of agricultural crop. Baiting depends mainly upon how the crop is manipulated or managed.
You can legally hunt waterfowl in an unharvested standing crop, a flooded standing crop, or a harvested crop field. Plants considered agricultural crops include: milo/grain sorghum, corn, rice, planted millet, soybeans, etc....
You can NOT legally hunt waterfowl over an UNHARVESTED agricultural crop which is manipulated (bush-hogged, rolled, disced, trampled, etc...). THIS IS CONSIDERED BAITING, an illegal hunting method. However, you can hunt waterfowl over a crop field which is manipulated AFTER it is harvested.
There is also a distinction between natural and planted crops - you can manipulate natural vegetation (such as a naturally reseeding stand of wild millet), but not unharvested planted crops.