Early successional habitat
- Thread starter weekender21
- Start date
E_308
Well-Known Member
I like to light stuff on fire. Very good tool if you take the time to put in the breaks to control it and know the proper conditions to start stringing fire. Even then it can get away from you pretty quick. Flames will run up those steep hills very quick, regardless of wind direction. As Native proved in his post it can be done without fire if you can get the proper equipment to it. I use fire mostly to setback autumn olive and fescue and kill cedars. It will certainly flush the forbs, both good and bad. I will be spraying Sercia later this summer that the fire promoted.
David
Active Member
For those attempting ESH. What are the greatest real world benefits.
Mine are spring/summer browse and fawning area.
After august I tend to wonder why I have 30 acres set aside for it. Sure cover is provided, but I never see deer bed in my ESH acerage past leaf drop.
Just wondering what yall are getting.
Mine are spring/summer browse and fawning area.
After august I tend to wonder why I have 30 acres set aside for it. Sure cover is provided, but I never see deer bed in my ESH acerage past leaf drop.
Just wondering what yall are getting.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Travel cover during the rut and hunting season. They use it for cover to move around without being seen. My farm is 60% fields, so very valuable to me. Plus, it is preferred in fall and winter for two reasons: (1) higher stem count and better cover than any woods around, and (2) easier for deer to move through and reduces the likelihood of an injury in thick cover. You should see the chases I see in NWSGs.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Four is just not enough. Six will be okay in most instances, but more is better. The shortest grass I grow is Little Bluestem. It will get almost 6 feet when it heads out late in the fall. It makes pretty good cover by that time, and works well mixed in with the taller grasses.
However, Switch, Big Blue and Indian are better. I really like Switch because of how it takes off so quickly once the growing season starts. It also stands the winter very well. A mix of all 4 of those grasses is nice and what I have in most fields. I do have one field that is pretty much dominated by Switch.
Below is a picture of my switch field taken today (6-22-18). I would say that it is already 6 feet or more in some places, and will get much taller as the season progresses. I'm just beginning to see a few Switch plants make a head.
PS: This field butts up to the neighbors new 70 acres of soybeans. You think this grass might see a little action?
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