Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Give specifics on burning for quail; months, speed, frequency, etc? Reasons (such as burning after May to encourage forbs)?
Burning grassland for quail?
- Thread starter Catscratch
- Start date
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
I burn half the pasture each year assuming the conditions are good enough to do so safely. Usually ends up being in March. Depending on conditions there's enough unburned areas in thickets, etc to still allow nesting on the burned side also. I know Fish and Wildlife wants smaller patch burning but I'm not good enough to try and control fire that much, haha.
Fish and Wildlife did some summer burns on nearby public ground last year. Not sure how it's working out, but I did walk it that fall and it seemed a little weird. Lots of black areas that hadn't regrown, but seemed back to normal this year. I can't do summer burns in the pastures due to the grass impact, but think it would be a good idea in non-grazed areas such as corners, woodlots, and areas the cattle can't access.
Not sure about your area but up here Fish and Wildlife put on a summer burn seminar that was really good. They even showed a small area that was burned the previous year and you could absolutely tell the increased forbs vs grass. Maybe they do the same thing in your area?
Now that I'm thinking about it, I have a spot that would be perfect for a summer burn. It is a 7-10 acre kind of dead zone with crap cool season grass and some tall sunflower type weeds that doesn't seem to hold any game. Hmmm. Might have to see if @Turkey Creek can help burn this summer
Fish and Wildlife did some summer burns on nearby public ground last year. Not sure how it's working out, but I did walk it that fall and it seemed a little weird. Lots of black areas that hadn't regrown, but seemed back to normal this year. I can't do summer burns in the pastures due to the grass impact, but think it would be a good idea in non-grazed areas such as corners, woodlots, and areas the cattle can't access.
Not sure about your area but up here Fish and Wildlife put on a summer burn seminar that was really good. They even showed a small area that was burned the previous year and you could absolutely tell the increased forbs vs grass. Maybe they do the same thing in your area?
Now that I'm thinking about it, I have a spot that would be perfect for a summer burn. It is a 7-10 acre kind of dead zone with crap cool season grass and some tall sunflower type weeds that doesn't seem to hold any game. Hmmm. Might have to see if @Turkey Creek can help burn this summer
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
We're all just jealous of all your big bucks!Why’s TC get invited to the fun?! I’m in Kansas too!
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You 3 can't be all that far apart, can ya?
Our g&f on their blackland prairie area prefers to burn 18 months apart - Feb and 18 months later in Aug and vice versa. Claims it provides a more diverse plant community and the summer burn controls the woody vegetation better. Dont burn all your land on same schedule.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Actually we are relatively close to each others locations. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to lending manpower for a couple of burns if I can get the same in return. I can usually get a good selection of burn equipment to use as well.
Quail need a couple of major things that currently are lacking in most landscapes. Partially open ground with forbs = brood cover with a food source, mainly insects just after hatching. Nesting areas are typically short vegetation with native warm season grass clumps from the previous year. Most ground has too much vegetation and duff from previous years. Quail chicks cant navigate it. Think of trying to roll a 50 cent piece over what you are looking at. Patch/ spot burning is probably the most beneficial for quail. Small areas within a bigger landscape. Fall burning tends to promote forbs.
Quail need a couple of major things that currently are lacking in most landscapes. Partially open ground with forbs = brood cover with a food source, mainly insects just after hatching. Nesting areas are typically short vegetation with native warm season grass clumps from the previous year. Most ground has too much vegetation and duff from previous years. Quail chicks cant navigate it. Think of trying to roll a 50 cent piece over what you are looking at. Patch/ spot burning is probably the most beneficial for quail. Small areas within a bigger landscape. Fall burning tends to promote forbs.
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
Why’s TC get invited to the fun?! I’m in Kansas too!
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Just had to poke @Turkey Creek because he had said he likes burning in another thread. Sounds like we should all get together and burn, baby burn!
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Releasing pen raised birds to supplement a native population is never the way you really want to go, but I am going to look into more research on that subject ----likely a blog at some point. Simply for the fact that you mentioned. You cant increase the numbers of something that doesnt exist.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Texas A&M has a bunch of videos on youtube summarizing some research they have done on re-introducing quail. I think University of Missouri might also have a few.
Something not really mentioned is the benefit of connecting habitat types. I am going to be trying to do this on my new farm that is mostly pasture - have sections of grasses and forbs that are enclosed with green firebreaks, which are further enclosed/connected with shrub windrows. I have started planting the windrows to break up larger sections of pure grasses that will eventually serve as overhead cover for the broods. The added benefit is that the deer should like the cover for traversing the open areas during daylight.
I bring this up because it might be worth considering for anyone thinking of burning - preserve some shrubs for overhead cover when doing a burn.
Something not really mentioned is the benefit of connecting habitat types. I am going to be trying to do this on my new farm that is mostly pasture - have sections of grasses and forbs that are enclosed with green firebreaks, which are further enclosed/connected with shrub windrows. I have started planting the windrows to break up larger sections of pure grasses that will eventually serve as overhead cover for the broods. The added benefit is that the deer should like the cover for traversing the open areas during daylight.
I bring this up because it might be worth considering for anyone thinking of burning - preserve some shrubs for overhead cover when doing a burn.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Shrub cover is an absolute requirement for quail. No permanent patches of shrubby cover = very poor quail habitat.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Just had the thought that many may not know "how" to burn. ie - are permits needed, does the fire department need to be notified, what are your legal responsivities, etc. Anyone want to start a list of things you need and/or should do before conducting a burn?
I'll be honest and say that I usually wait for the neighbors to burn. Not much can get away from ya if the surrounding 10,000 acres are burned already.
I'll be honest and say that I usually wait for the neighbors to burn. Not much can get away from ya if the surrounding 10,000 acres are burned already.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
In Kansas it varies from county to county. Some require you to fill out a physical permit for the year (heading there today actually), others just require you to call in prior to burning. I have to have the permit on file and then call in each time I burn. "BuckDeer1" might be able to go into the legality portion better than I as I think he has been on a volunteer fire dept here in KS for quite some time. I am making a blog on prescribed fire at some point in the coming weeks and I will link it here if I remember to do so. Its not ready to publish yet though. Ag landowners who follow certain guidelines are fairly protected from litigation I believe if they have followed those guidelines.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
In ky I just call before I burn but they have really wanking burn laws. Makes it very hard to legally burn
it is unlawful for any person to set fire to, or procure another to set fire to, any flammable material capable of spreading fire, located in or within one hundred and fifty feet of any woodland or brush land, except between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM, prevailing local time, or when the ground is covered with snow.
Spring fire season in Kentucky is February 15 through April 30. Fall fire season runs from October 1 through late December.
it is unlawful for any person to set fire to, or procure another to set fire to, any flammable material capable of spreading fire, located in or within one hundred and fifty feet of any woodland or brush land, except between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM, prevailing local time, or when the ground is covered with snow.
Spring fire season in Kentucky is February 15 through April 30. Fall fire season runs from October 1 through late December.
Skye King
5 year old buck +
The forestry department here will do burns. I had approval last year for them to burn my woodland but their dozers were down for rebuilds and I missed the window. I am going to reapply and hope for approval again. If I get approved the forestry dept. will establish fire breaks around the burn area and do the burn for me. After that I plan to maintain the firebreaks and do periodic burns myself.
I did burn a couple of pastures myself and did not have any problems. Probably because I had disced a firebreak around each of the pastures and had a tank of water on my 4 wheeler just in case the fire jumped one of the breaks.
I did burn a couple of pastures myself and did not have any problems. Probably because I had disced a firebreak around each of the pastures and had a tank of water on my 4 wheeler just in case the fire jumped one of the breaks.
This is so location specific, it may not be worth compiling. Every state has a different process, as well as differences between counties and even differences between what fire houses service the area.
For example… all I have to do in my county in Texas is notify the local volunteer fire department of my burn (the morning of), and notify them when it is complete/mopped up.
Don’t always trust the fire department for good advice either. Mine asked me to postpone from a Thursday to a Saturday because they would have enough guys to man a truck on the property just in case. I declined to burn on the Saturday because of extremely low humidity and forecasted 20+mph sustained winds. I burned on my planned day (Thursday) with higher humidity and 3-5mph winds instead.
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Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Yea its aggravating and makes no sense, but our county posts on the county seat's fire departments Facebook page whether or not burning is allowed that day. There are plenty of days when the report starts off saying that we are in low risk for wildfire that day fire and then the report concludes with NO BURNING will be allowed today. WTF!
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I can't even begin to count how many times conditions were great when a fire was lit, then have them turn for the worst a few hours later. I talked with a friend the other day about burning. I asked him some specifics and he said to call the chief. Said they'd probably do a training burn or something if I wanted equipment out there before I lit it. I'd think bare minimum would be to first call the people who would respond if it gets out of control and ask them what they want you to do.
Skye King
5 year old buck +
A couple of years ago I set a grass field afire and it got away from me into the woods. I wasn't having any luck putting it out when the local volunteer fire department showed up and helped put the fire out. After everything was done I was thanking the guys for helping and made the comment that I would be looking for a bill from them in the mail. The chief said that that was what I paid taxes for, never got a bill nor heard another word about my fire.
The forestry department here will do controlled burns for $30.00 an acre. Really cheap since they bring their doziers and cut fire lanes before burning then they do the burn. Next time I burn I am calling these guys.
