Managing NWSG stand

[DRG3]

I have a some stands of NWSG and pollinators that I planted last spring with nurse crop of brown top millet. I'm not in the CRP program, but used a CRP program mix. I have read on NRSC tech sheets that I should not disturb these this first full year, but I am thinking about what the best way to manage these areas will be once I do start-

I am in an area where I don't want to burn. I'm rural, but I have enough neighbors, that I am concerned that even a safe, approved and well controlled burn may cause some issues. Yes I could burn, but at the same time, I don't know that it's the best "geopolitical" move.

I have the equipment to bushog, but I am concerned about thatch buildup. How big of an issue is this with Turkey brooding/nesting being my primary goal?

This leaves discking as an option I guess, but I haven't done this before and am not sure how effective a 900lb 7' disc is going to be.

Curious how folks here are doing this kind of management.

Thanks in advance!

 

[SwampCat]

I just planted a pollinator mix from our g&f dept last spring. It is in a five acre field where johnson grass was rampant. I had sprayed the johnson grass several times and the ground was fairly clean - and lightly disked the ground before planting the mix. The johnson grass came in thick. I couldnt tell any of the pollinator planting came in. The biologist said we needed to give it another year. He recommended to burn the dead johnson grass this winter. I said I wasnt going to, but he said he might be able to come help. He said this spring I need to get a herbicide wick for my tractor bucket and stay ahead of the johnson grass.

My plan - if the planting is successful - is to spray the nwsg out of the planting and try to maintain the forbs. I doubt I will be able to kill all the grass anyway, and I have about ten or twelve aces of nwsg that I see no benefit anyway.

Of course, the bio recommends fire every 18 months - once n feb and 18 months later in Aug. I am not burning in feb let alone during a burn ban in Aug.

 

[Native Hunter]

I think you would find the thread shown below helpful. Keep in mind as you read this that in 14 years I have never burned and never disked. I maintain the prairie by mowing and spot spraying. At the 7 year mark I was required by the CREP program to either disk or spray Plateau as mid term maintenance. I chose to do the Plateau, which did nothing as far as I could tell.

None of the things they tell you to worry about have ever been problems for me. The hardest thing is keeping briers from taking over, which is something that they never even mentioned. Being concerned about thatch is the least of my worries. Good luck and best wishes.

https://habitat-talk.com/threads/take-a-walk-with-me-through-the-prairie.12349/

Edit - just read your post again and noticed you are worried about turkeys. Turkeys will not go into tall, thick fields of NWSGs, but they will use around the edges in fence rows. They will also use wide paths that I mow in the spring. Hens will occasionally venture out into the thick stuff for nesting, but they are more prone to use the edges. I manage primarily for deer, so I want my prairie as tall and thick as possible. I usually manage to kill a turkey or two on my NWSG place, but it is not ideal for turkey. My 20 acre about 4 miles away is much better.

 

[Brian662]

What about mowing it and then lighting it on fire? Would that be tolerable to your neighbors? I think the intensity of the flames would decrease significantly.
Mowing then discing is a way that people disturb the ground to keep the forb components higher in a stand. The grasses may want to take over if given the chance.

 

[Turkey Creek]

How many acres are you talking? Haying is an option and will get you some income as well. Needs to be enough to attract a farmer within a short distance that normally puts up hay. High intensity, flash grazing at the right time of year is also a good choice depending on acreage enough to attract a farmer.

 

[DRG3]

I think you would the thread shown below helpful. Keep in mind as you read this that in 14 years I have never burned and never disked. I maintain the prairie by mowing and spot spraying. At the 7 year mark I was required by the CREP program to either disk or spray Plateau as mid term maintenance. I chose to do the Plateau, which did nothing as far as I could tell.

None of the things they tell you to worry about have ever been problems for me. The hardest thing is keeping briers from taking over, which is something that they never even mentioned. Being concerned about thatch is the least of my worries. Good luck and best wishes.

https://habitat-talk.com/threads/take-a-walk-with-me-through-the-prairie.12349/

Edit - just read your post again and noticed you are worried about turkeys. Turkeys will not go into tall, thick fields of NWSGs, but they will use around the edges in fence rows. They will also use wide paths that I mow in the spring. Hens will occasionally venture out into the thick stuff for nesting, but they are more prone to use the edges. I manage primarily for deer, so I want my prairie as tall and thick as possible. I usually manage to kill a turkey or two on my NWSG place, but it is not ideal for turkey. My 20 acre about 4 miles away is much better.

That thread is fantastic Native. I'm now following it and it's going to be a great reference. Thank you. I also see that we're relatively close geographically so I find that encouraging. It's good to know you've gotten those results without burning or disking.
I think one of my biggest challenges is going to be learning the various species- and in particular the ones that are not desirable or can overtake. I expect I'll have johnson grass and pigweed as the farmer battled these prevously and I'm sure the seed bank is full. I know what they look like, but dont know what several others look like.

One follow up, and if I missed it in the thread- I apologize- I'll be going back to re-read- but what does your mowing program look like. What year did you start it, and what is the cadence now?

 

[Native Hunter]

That thread is fantastic Native. I'm now following it and it's going to be a great reference. Thank you. I also see that we're relatively close geographically so I find that encouraging. It's good to know you've gotten those results without burning or disking.
I think one of my biggest challenges is going to be learning the various species- and in particular the ones that are not desirable or can overtake. I expect I'll have johnson grass and pigweed as the farmer battled these prevously and I'm sure the seed bank is full. I know what they look like, but dont know what several others look like.

One follow up, and if I missed it in the thread- I apologize- I'll be going back to re-read- but what does your mowing program look like. What year did you start it, and what is the cadence now?

The program requires me to alternate mowing and do 1/3 of it each year (strip mowing). However, it became evident that I needed to mow some areas more often to help knock back blackberry briers. Mowing them once a year won't kill them, but it does set them back enough to keep them from completely taking over. I discussed this problem with the folks at the farm services office, and that's what they told me to do - mow areas where briers are a problem more often than the 3 year rotation. It was also okay to spot spray briers, and I have done that some too.

Other than briers, I have a problem with an annual thistle called pasture thistle. Usually I just go out and whack any I see just before the grass starts getting too high. I can also swing the bushhog over when I mow shooting lanes if I see some from the tractor. They have to come back from seed, so if you cut them before seeding, that gets them.

A prairie is a lot of work and not for everyone. However, there are probably some places where it is much easier than in KY. But, If it wasn't for blackberry briers and pasture thistles, you could probably never mow here and it would be just fine. Good luck.

Edit - one more thing - I generally mow early to mid May. I believe it is May 15 that I can't mow after until fall. Mowing at that time is good. Briers are in bloom and you really put the hurt on them and any cool season grasses before they seed. Also, this is before fawns drop, so you don't have to worry about killing them. We have never hit a fawn or even seen one in early May. By hunting season in the fall, you have another full stand of native grasses to fill back in. When you mow in early May, you are only mowing last year's grass, because the new grasses are just beginning to grow.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have 1 field that I hay and instead of doing 1/3 to 2/3 I just charge 10.00 a bale and don't worry about burning,except my DA neighbor burnt half last year when she was burning trash

 

[Turkey Creek]

A inside source within a state wildlife program gave me a bit of advice on the CRP acres if you have enough acres, you can more than cover the cost of the penalty for haying other than mid-term of the contract on some acres. He sells the hay for more than the penalty is so makes some money on the deal and does a better job of managing the CRP by haying a 1/3 of his acres every year.