From Pasture To Bedding Cover?

[IkemanTx]

What is the best way to convert open pasture to bedding cover?
Once I start work on the place, cover will be the absolute biggest project for several years. Hinge cutting isn't an option since most of the place doesn't have anything to cut, and what few trees are on the place are mature producing Burr Oaks.
I have considered several things, such as
Switchgrass mono-culture
Bedding in a Bag type native mix
Miscanthus Gigantus
Cedar trees (as much as I hate them in this area)

I might try different things in different areas, but I think the switchgrass monoculture might be the least costly to impliment. It if readily available, doesn't require specialized drills or spreaders to apply, and seems pretty easy to maintain in the long run. The miscanthus looks like it could be a great solution as well, especially after watching some of the Maple River Farms videos... BIB type blends just seem to be far and above the most costly and difficult, as a drill compatible to native grass seed is hard to find around here.

Am I missing any other decent, fairly quick, cover ideas?

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I think you are right on track to start with! Switch grass!

Is it in North Texas where trees grow slow?

 

[IkemanTx]

I think you are right on track to start with! Switch grass!

Is it in North Texas where trees grow slow?

It is in North Texas, though I guess it could JUST be considered Northeast Texas.
Post Oak Savannah Country.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I hunted by the Red River on a piece of property that had a lot of CRP type grass, although I don't remember what type of grass it was. But what stood out was all the scrub oak patches that were on that farm. Can they be grown by broadcasting acorns and working them in to your type of ground?

Those oak patches held a lot of deer!

 

[yoderjac]

What is the best way to convert open pasture to bedding cover?
Once I start work on the place, cover will be the absolute biggest project for several years. Hinge cutting isn't an option since most of the place doesn't have anything to cut, and what few trees are on the place are mature producing Burr Oaks.
I have considered several things, such as
Switchgrass mono-culture
Bedding in a Bag type native mix
Miscanthus Gigantus
Cedar trees (as much as I hate them in this area)

I might try different things in different areas, but I think the switchgrass monoculture might be the least costly to impliment. It if readily available, doesn't require specialized drills or spreaders to apply, and seems pretty easy to maintain in the long run. The miscanthus looks like it could be a great solution as well, especially after watching some of the Maple River Farms videos... BIB type blends just seem to be far and above the most costly and difficult, as a drill compatible to native grass seed is hard to find around here.

Am I missing any other decent, fairly quick, cover ideas?

Probably the least expensive route is to kill everything with herbicide, disturb the soil, and let nature takes its course. You may be surprised what is in your native seed bank. In my area, broomsedge bluestem is in the native seed bank. You should also consider how you plan to maintain it up front. For example, if you plan to use fire, install and maintain firebreaks. Provided you have sufficient acreage, consider dividing the area into thirds. This will help with maintenance. For example, if you plan to use a bushhog to maintain it, you will want to bushhog it just before it gets too large for your equipment to handle. If you bushhog (or burn) the entire thing, you'll lose your bedding. If you plan it right, you can bushog 1/3 every couple years. 2/3 will be good bedding cover and the other 1/3 will be starting over. You can maintain an area in early succession for quite a while this way.

This is the only method you haven't listed that I can think of. Nothing wrong with the methods you propose. I'm not a big cedar fan either. It just depends on what you want. Switchgrass will give you cover only. Natural regeneration will give you both native foods and cover.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[IkemanTx]

The oaks idea is interesting, but that is a species that will be hard to maintain as early successional. If I can get a good thicket going, it will be an good many years before it is tall and thick enough to really provide bedding cover.
I am needing to provide at least some pretty immediate cover.

And Yoder,
I know time of year the disturbance occurs can often produce dominance of a particular vegetation type or species, any particular season that might produce the tallest thickest cover?


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[Boll Weevil]

Piney woods region of NE Texas? Not sure if you're thinking about establishing something permanent but a wide-spaced planting of your area's native pine (shortleaf?) might work. Shortleaf grows more slowly and with the wide spacing there's enough sunlight hitting the ground to allow early succesional vegetation to flourish. If there's enough goodies in the existing seedbank, disturbance and periodically mow to knock back the woody stuff would keep it a pretty nasty thicket for quite a number of years.

Just another thought to add to your list of possible options...

 

[IkemanTx]

Piney woods region of NE Texas? Not sure if you're thinking about establishing something permanent but a wide-spaced planting of your area's native pine (shortleaf?) might work. Shortleaf grows more slowly and with the wide spacing there's enough sunlight hitting the ground to allow early succesional vegetation to flourish. If there's enough goodies in the existing seedbank, disturbance and periodically mow to knock back the woody stuff would keep it a pretty nasty thicket for quite a number of years.

Just another thought to add to your list of possible options...

Not quite far enough east to get into pines. They are somewhat common around homesteads around here, but mostly as wind breaks. Often they require supplemental watering. There is one pice of public around me that has a small population self establishing though, so it is a viable option.


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[yoderjac]

The oaks idea is interesting, but that is a species that will be hard to maintain as early successional. If I can get a good thicket going, it will be an good many years before it is tall and thick enough to really provide bedding cover.
I am needing to provide at least some pretty immediate cover.

And Yoder,
I know time of year the disturbance occurs can often produce dominance of a particular vegetation type or species, any particular season that might produce the tallest thickest cover?


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I'd look for more local advice on this. You are absolutely right that the time of disturbance (or fire or herbicide for that matter) affects the mix of new plants from the local seed bank that are encouraged. I don't know enough about what might be in your seed bank in Texas to give you good advice on timing. I just wanted to provide another option to consider. I have access to our game department biologists and a private forester. I typically talk to them before taking action since they know our local conditions pretty well.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[TreeDaddy]

Ikeman,

Where in north texas are you?

I am also post oak savannah.

Last year I just "let a few fence lines go" and i now have forbs,grasses,and who knows what at 6 feet or better

bill

 

[IkemanTx]

Ikeman,

Where in north texas are you?

I am also post oak savannah.

Last year I just "let a few fence lines go" and i now have forbs,grasses,and who knows what at 6 feet or better

bill

Central Fannin County.


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[H20fwler]

I'm doing the same as you with fifteen acres of pasture along a thirteen acre woods.
I put a couple shallow ponds in mine and planted some native grasses switch/bluestem/indian and I'm planting some conifers in a couple little clusters of 8-10 for "islands" of cover.

You are definitely on the right track with tall grasses, some of the spruce might work for you being that they don't need as much babying and water.

 

[Bill]

I can't speak to anything in your area so I don't know if this is a viable idea.
My best switch grass field "for deer" was almost a failure. Native clover, ragweed and other weeds took over the first year. Today it's very sparse switch clover and weeds. The deer love it once the weeds and switch get tall enough to offer them cover. Kinda turned into a bed and breakfast. If there is a clover that does well in your area I'd inter mix it in the planting.

I also have another 10 acre field of it that is pretty much a monoculture. Deer use it for travel and bedding but it offers no food value.

Back on the old forums Don Higgins caught some flack about his switchgrass seed. I tried it. In my experience his claim about it growing taller is very accurate. Most of my CIR switch stalls around 5 feet. Real world switch gets much taller. At the time the price was in line with CIR. Don't know now but it may be worth a look. If I'm not mistaken I believe Don recommends planting at 2lbs/acre so other native plants can fill in and it is not to thick for the deer to travel easily through.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I don't need any switch taller than 5' as it is. I hate the fact that when a buck is walking across the CRP and I can barely see a horn once in a while.

5' is plenty good for deer cover to me!

 

[rocksnstumps]

Not a local but use to live in your general area a number of years ago. I wonder if someone or agency associated with the Caddo National grasslands might have some advice to offer. Use to fish Crockett alot, nice little lake in that area

 

[IkemanTx]

I like the taller switchgrass, I'll look into his product. I kind of like the islands of cover idea, and may disk in some acorns to make them. The light seeding rate on the switch sounds actually sounds like a better idea than the dense switchgrass stand I was originally considering.


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[wiscwhip]

You could use both Alamo or Kanlow in your area and be just fine.

 

[ALwoodsman]

I planted Alamo switchgrass here in Alabama and it has done well. I ordered it from Turner Seed Co. in Texas.

 

[IkemanTx]

I saw clover mentioned as an interplanting option, any other ideas for nurse crops? Maybe some legumes that won't shade too much... with my very limited knowledge, I'm thinking partridge pea, vetch, and clover.


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[JFK52]

I like the idea of a prairie with a few types of grasses ; switch grass, little blue stem, big blue stem and indian grass and some specific forbs that would provide food for the deer. Leave a fire lane around the outside of the prairie for burning and plant that with clover. A fire break does not always have to be disked earth, green space works also. The only drawback is that you will have to find a crew that will do the controlled burns on a 4-5 year interval. There may not be any in your area.
I am a prairie enthusiast so that is what I recommend prairie plantings. It is a long term commitment and takes time to get established. I did this exact thing to a 12 acre piece on my land 23 years ago. I am lucky in that I use the UW-Stevens Point fire crew to do my controlled burns. It is a group of college students who volunteer for this after school club. They assist the DNR on wild fire calls and do controlled burns throughout the state. Stevens Point is only 25 miles from my land. Their rates are reasonable, averaging about $200 per burn for the six burns they have done on my prairie.