Converting Pasture to Quality Habitat

[Zack]

I’m about to close on my very first “farm“. It’s roughly 140 acres in Alabama and has approx. 50 acres of pasture. The pasture is broken into sections of approx. 30/10/5/5 acres. It’s split up via small creeks and old fencerows that have grown up. I’m interested in improving the habitat for deer and turkey, mainly. The remainder of the property is hardwoods and some cutover.

What are my options on converting the pasture into quality habitat for deer and turkey? I’m leaning towards turning it into early successional habitat via burning and herbicide. Then, once established, I’d like to break the early successional habitat into smaller blocks using firebreaks of say 5-10 acres each and managing with prescribed fire and planting the firebreaks in the fall. Does anyone have experience doing this? I’ve read it can take several years to establish the native grasses and forbes. Again, this is what I’m leaning towards but am certainly open to other suggestions.

Long time reader, first time poster now that I have my very own place to get to work on. Looking forward to it.

 

[IkemanTx]

I’ll let the more experienced guys do the recommendations... but, I wanted to say congrats on buying a place!

I’m hoping to start something similar in the next couple of years, but I’m worried I may have to replant all the natives, because the place has been non-native for decades.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boll Weevil]

Congratulations on the new ground!

1st questions: Do you know what kind of grass the pastures are in? Fescue, Bermuda, orchard, other? Were cattle on it in the past?

Certain grasses are extremely persistent and competitive. If cattle have been pounding Alabama clay for years there's likely some compaction concerns.

 

[SwampCat]

My pasture had been grazed by cattle for years - at least 20 - when I got it. I would bush hog in the fall and spray gly in late winter when fescue started making an appearance. This took a couple of years - but little bluestem came in strong - with some switch and some gama grass. I didnt plant any of it and in four years, the grass has overwhelmed the forbs. Now, I am going back and bush hogging some of it, lightly disking - letting it grow back a little - and spraying cleth to get rid of some of the native grass that is choking out the forbs. My pure native warm season grass stands are pretty much biological deserts.

 

[Boll Weevil]

What Swamp said...figure out what you dealing with first. You can fight grasses for years and years and years. If you know what you starting with it can help your end game.

 

[H20fwler]

Congrats on the place Zack!
As others have said find out what you are starting with first then check your soil and get it right, might see if you can find a biologist to look it over for you and give some suggestions for your area of the country. The State DNR or county Farm Bureau or local college or Pheasants Forever or DU would be a good place to check for a free biologist to maybe walk the property for you and give you some initial advice. I would think that whatever native grasses shrubs and pollinators for your neck of the woods would be what you are looking for. Lots of good threads about this exact topic and what others have done on here.

 

[Tree Spud]

As others said above, survey your current situation to asses. A soil test would also be a good thing to understand what needs to be done to address any deficiencies.

If the soil is compacted, Daikon radishes also known as tillage radishes will penetrate deep into compacted soil to allow for water infiltration. Also helps to break up and aerate the soil as they rot.

 

[Zack]

Congratulations on the new ground!

1st questions: Do you know what kind of grass the pastures are in? Fescue, Bermuda, orchard, other? Were cattle on it in the past?

Certain grasses are extremely persistent and competitive. If cattle have been pounding Alabama clay for years there's likely some compaction concerns.

Thanks everyone for the advice and recommendations so far. Appears to be several types of grasses in the pasture (fescue and bermuda) but not 100% certain at this time.

There was definitely cattle on it recently, and unsure for how long they were on site.

I am planning to get several soil tests and lime accordingly depending on result.

 

[buckdeer1]

check out pay dirt on line or it is on realtree365

 

[Boll Weevil]

Appears to be several types of grasses in the pasture (fescue and bermuda) but not 100% certain at this time.

There was definitely cattle on it recently, and unsure for how long they were on site.

Both those grasses can be persistent so whatever your eradication plan know you’ll likely need to stay on for at least a couple of years. Also might have ripped/sub soiled to break up any compaction or hard pan.

 

[Turkish]

Read and/or watch any content from Dr Craig Harper that you can find.

 

[ksgobbler]

 

[Zack]

Read and/or watch any content from Dr Craig Harper that you can find.

Thanks for this. I feel like I’ve read everything he’s written over the past two weeks! Certainly some great information from him.

 

[Zack]

View attachment 28214

Really appreciate this.