Autumn Management - Game Covers that Last through the Season

August is a critical month for game cover management. By now, the season’s early optimism has given way to reality: some plots look strong, others are patchy, and a few may have failed altogether. If your game covers look patchy in August to early September, don’t panic - but don’t delay either. With the right decisions now, you can keep birds on the ground, keep game covers standing into winter, maintain drive quality and deliver habitat benefits well into January.

This guide shows how to judge whether to rescue, patch or re-drill in August to early September, while there’s still a short sowing window, and how to carry management forward into October and beyond. From feeding strategies to protecting canopy structure, it also covers wildlife-friendly tactics and cost-effective approaches that keep covers, birds and biodiversity in good shape right through the winter, and help you invest more where it matters most.

Why late-season reliability matters

• Conservation – good cover doubles as a winter refuge for farmland birds and pollinators, supporting biodiversity goals and stewardship delivery.

• Holding power – thin, weedy or lodged crops are unlikely to hold game through the winter, making drives unpredictable and reducing habitat value

• Presentation – a well-structured canopy gives birds confidence to sit tight and a more consistent stream of quarry

Late-season reliability isn’t just about sport - it’s about stewardship and sustainability. A strong canopy provides warmth and shelter for game and non-game species alike, while reducing the temptation for birds to wander into neighbouring ground. It also underpins the role of shooting as a driver of conservation.

Understanding how birds use these, and other, habitats is an important part of biodiversity action planning. With tools such as bioacoustics monitoring, we can help you track farmland bird presence and activity more accurately over the season.

In the UK, August to early September is the final window for reliable game cover establishment. Don’t panic – but don’t delay. A smart rescue now keeps birds and biodiversity on your ground through January.

Game cover rescue: step by step 

Step 1 - Diagnose before you drill 

Before reaching for the drill, take a hard look at what’s in front of you:

• Map weak spots - identify areas where crops have lodged, gaps have appeared, or weeds (especially barnyard grass or foxtail millet) are taking over

• Check the cause - was the seedbed too rough? Was weed control not effective?  Were fertility issues not addressed? Understanding why a crop failed is the first step to fixing it

• Perennial patience – if you have planted game cover perennials, such as chicory, canary grass and miscanthus, this year and they are looking stressed – don’t panic. There is plenty of time for them to recover once soil temperatures rise and moisture returns

Perennials are your insurance policy - hold your nerve.

Step 2 - Rescue vs Re‑drill (decision guide)

Situation	Best Action	Why
Isolated weed patches	Spot-spray glyphosate,* then patch with fast brassica / game cover rescue mix	Stops seed return; quick canopy
Dominated by weeds	Top and spray.* Consider replacing failed crops with a bumblebird mix (see below)	Stops seed return; provides some value
Thin but clean stand	Top up N; inter-row broadcast mustard or forage rape ahead of rain	Buys time without full re-drill
Crop too immature for season	Use August / early-September fast-growing species (e.g. brassicas, buckwheat)	Quick canopy

*Always check Countryside Stewardship or SFI prescriptions before spraying or re-drilling; apply for a Minor Temporary Adjustment (MTA) if needed

The golden rule is not to overreact. If 70% of the plot is sound, patch the gaps rather than starting from scratch. If weeds are the main issue, a targeted spray and a quick catch crop can save the day. Rescuing game cover crops should be your first choice; full re-drilling is the last resort, and only if you can still hit the mid-September deadline for meaningful growth.

💡 If the crop has failed, consider replacing it with an autumn-sown bumblebird mix, especially where wild game is important. It offers excellent, insect-rich brood rearing the following spring.

Bumblebird seed mix is a good option for supporting wild game.

Step 3 - Fast-growing brassicas that still work in the UK (early–mid September) 

• Mustard – cost-effective, upright, quick canopy. Limited winter hardiness with late sowing

• Fodder radish – vigorous, tall. May brackle later but usable

• Forage rape – more structure, Tyfon holds later

• Utopia – kale-like canopy if drilled now. Later sowing helps prevent bolting

Our late-sown game cover rescue mix combines fodder radish, forage rape, stubble turnip and mustard. You can add Utopia to enhance winter performance, and/or kale or chicory for a two-year cover.

Timing reality check: After mid-September, even fast brassicas struggle to deliver meaningful cover before frost. If you miss this window, focus on feeding and planning for next year.

Tip: Drill into moisture and roll immediately. A stale seedbed with weeds already flushed and killed is ideal. 

Step 4 - Build drives without harming wildlife 

Late-season drive creation can be done without compromising conservation:

• Example: Leave a spring fallow for lapwing. Once chicks fledge, drill turnips/forage rape, then broadcast mustard into stubbles for flushing strips

• Benefits: Adds structure, respects ground-nesters and creates a late-season drive

Step 5 - Low-input options for holding areas 

Not every plot needs to be a showpiece drive. For secondary areas:

• Perennials (miscanthus, chicory, canary grass, sweet fennel): long-term insurance on exposed sites. Once established, they reduce annual costs and stress

• Lower-input cereals (triticale, linseed) for secondary drives or resting plots

• Autumn-sown bumblebird: excellent brood rearing the following spring, especially for wild game

Why it matters: these options spread risk and reduce reliance on annuals, which are vulnerable to weather extremes. 

📞 Unsure? Speak to one of our advisors on 01480 890686 

Step 6 - Common mistakes to avoid 

• Drilling because seed is on farm, not because conditions are right

• Drilling game covers on standard row widths (aim for 40–50 cm)

• Cutting fertiliser or weed control to “save money” - it costs more in failures

Looking ahead: autumn management October-onwards 

Once the mid-September sowing window for game cover crops has passed, management focus truly shifts from rescue to resilience. The aim is to hold structure, keep birds content, and deliver conservation value well into the new year:

• Feed before the gap – introduce hoppers and scatter feeding from early October, before natural food sources decline. GWCT research shows survival of grey partridges and other farmland birds can more than double where supplementary winter feed continues into March

• Spread pressure - rest vulnerable drives and use secondary covers (cereals, perennials, wild bird mixes) to share the load and reduce abandonment

• Link habitats - connect covers with hedges, margins, stubbles and woodland rides to create warm, secure holding networks across the estate

• Learn and adapt - walk covers regularly through autumn. Use weak spots to inform 2026 cropping choices e.g. different mixes, wider rows or perennial integration

From October onwards, game cover management is about resilience.

Yellowhammer under a feeder.

Final thoughts

August to early September is your last real chance to influence how your covers perform this season. Act decisively, but act smart: diagnose first, patch where possible, and only re-drill if you can still hit the growth window. And remember, every decision you make now should also set you up for next year.

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🚨 Need a rescue plan? Book a 20-minute advisory call.

🌱 Order late-season seed now - window closes mid-September.