OATS - question

Question is, when planting oats, does that seed germinate on top without cover after being rolled with a brillion type 2 roller cultipacker ? I see a lot of seed on the surface nothing germinating, was dry and summer like when sowed, now had plenty of rain and cool weather for 1 week after, the seed on the surface is not germinating, yet any seed that had cover has sprouted 2"-3" just have no idea as to how oats are sowed, but remember seing both oats and winter wheat do quite well here in the past.

I've been watching the field closely, harrassing 1 pair of geese so far, more will be on the way, and some turkeys, though they don't seem to have bothered much seed, it's visible everywhere, geese will go after those sprouts though, hate the darned things, their protected, but open season on turkeys, spring season is the month of May, they have been here for weeks now, surprised they have not moved on, will have to snag one of them, always good eating.

Stopped 6 ATV riders in one group yesterday, they just blow right past the signs, after running 1/4 mile down a state road from a power line easment, to make the connection on our side to the same easment, using our land to get to it again, state road bisects the line, they were p$ssed too, one took off tearing up turf doing S patterns. They'll be even more p$ssed the next time they try it and I'm not there, amazing what you can make from scrap steel and leave about 1" protruding across a narrow area past where the tractors pass through, where they'll run to follow the power lines. All this to keep a tiny 7 acre crop, nothing to write home about but it has meaning to me. Now have to patrol on the weekend, like it's not hard enough already, jerk parents by em these things and give em money for fuel, they then run illegally and they think nothing of tresspassing and wrecking sh$t, I'm so glad I cut em off at the pass, that fresh field would have been vandalized. Newbies too, they did not know the area, could easily tell that before they figured out how to get across the state road, I can see them, gives me time to react, but who really needs this nonsense, every year now.

Last minute rant there, these ATV'ers are just so annoying.

My observation is with all that seed on top, not sure what is under, would he have been better off drilling then underseeding or vice versa or some combination there of with some type of implement or combination of ? This field will produce, if that seed was under, less bird pilfering, more germination, would be a thick stand of oats followed by whatever is next, the soil holds moisture even in the driest of years, bottom field in a valley.

I'm not sure if he still has a drill, but I have seen some of the hay he has planted in recent years, just not at this stage.

He told me about one of the larger fields he planted with hay down the road a bit from his farm and said he got a crop of oats off it before the hay, not sure if both were in the same year he said he did that one right, money wise, he's been doing this a long before I was born, just bs'ng with him one afternoon, not really sure, but that hay sure was nice, thick and uniform.

I don't think this was drilled, was rolled, but seeing all the seed on top, I just wondered if it were lightly dragged it would seem to maximize the oat germination, I suspect he may have done alfalfa or something, this field was in alfalfa for many years and it did well their. I'll have to get a hold of him, this is a drop in the bucket, he's still doing 300-500 acres worth of crops, though I'd like to help this small field do well, have to see what he says, have not bothered him, busy time of year etc. Appreciate your response, always something to learn.