Old Field Management - To spray or not to spray

[Matt from OH]

I'm debating the best plan for dealing with about 8 acres of old field (abandoned pasture) on my property. It's immediately adjacent to 90 acres of timber, but it's the most exposed area of the property - sitting on a bend in the road, directly behind the house. It's been six or more years since anything was done with this area - at that time, it was being mowed for hay. Currently, there's a lot of multiflora rose growing throughout the field, with a few early succession trees (hawthornes and such).

Ultimately, I think I'd like this area to become a very dense thicket of small trees and bushes, with a few food plots scattered here and there. Since this area is exposed to the road (although traffic on the road is very, very light) and it's located directly between the house and the rest of the hunting land, I think it would be beneficial to encourage the thickest, densest growth possible to attract and hold deer. Currently, when I come to the farm (we don't live there - I head down every few weekends to tend to things), it's clear deer have been bedding in that field, but it looks like my presence spooks them off immediately. So, I think having a lot of structure to isolate the bedding areas from the house makes a lot of sense.

So, my first question is does the reward of spraying the cool season grasses that occupy all the ground between the multiflora rose outweigh the risks of setting back the successional growth? I've considered just driving the sprayer in a random pattern between all the multiflora rose to kill off as much of the grass as possible without damaging the rose and trees. I think I'd use clethodim or a similar grass-selective herbicide, rather than gly.

The second question is whether it's even wise to try to save the multiflora rose. Once upon a time, I thought multiflora was the bane of my existence, but then I discovered Japanese honeysuckle . I've kind of made my peace with multiflora since then - I don't like it, but it does seem to have it's role in providing habitat in our area. If I sprayed everything with glyphosate, I'm sure the seed bank will provide wonderful forbs and such for food, but then I'm setting back the clock on that thicket development...and it's pretty likely, if not certain, the multiflora rose will be the first thing to pop it's head up.

 

[George]

Nuke the fescue and roses, forbs and desirable natives will then have a chance.

G

 

[Native Hunter]

Clethodim will kill fescue well and not hurt non-grass species. If you really want to keep the roses, that seems like a good plan. However, I would also recommend picking out a small spot and killing the roses as well. Do this and see what else comes out of the seedbank at that spot. Like George said, you might possibly see some species more desirable pop up. If not, it won't take long for the roses to come back. Good luck.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I think eliminating your grasses sounds like a good place to start. More importantly, you mention pushing the deer out of this overgrown front field everytime you go there, which is a big detriment to holding bigger bucks. I'd look at building a new low impact access trail as close the edge as possible, and totally stay clear of that are unless working in it.
Also, multiflora rose is one of the hardest plants to get rid of, and if you do get rid of it, make sure that you have a good next plan in place first, because that will leave the field even more open, which is your biggest problem already. Maybe you could consider leaving a row of multiflora along the perimeter, and maybe even transplanting some, to create a fencerow to block off the road, then do the rest in native species like @Native Hunter has at his place?
Also, you mention that controversial Japanese honeysuckle, it is invasive, but it's actually good if deer habitat is priority over all else.
https://www.realtree.com/food-plots...at-deer-hunters-should-know-about-honeysuckle

 

[George]

I don't see many roses in Native's pictures.

G

 

[Mennoniteman]

I don't see many roses in Native's pictures.

G

Native has such a golden touch he could dump a manure pile on his fields and it would probably turn into roses

 

[dogghr]

Only Native, who hails from the state that invented the devils fescue, would say you could kill it with Cleth.
Fescue has roots to China and a root mass from Hades. In addition it has an ability to inhibit germination of any competitors.
And I've played this game converting my cattle fields, so my advice is nuke it hard with Gly, and it will probably take more than one application. Mow every few years if you want to keep from a successional. Sit back, and be patient as the field will become that fallow mixture of a multitude of woody and flowering flora you wish for. The other option is fire which works well and faster. Good luck.

 

[Native Hunter]

Native has such a golden touch he could dump a manure pile on his fields and it would probably turn into roses

Those dried cow manure piles are something I miss. They were the perfect draw for the turkey - flipping them over to catch the bugs underneath.

 

[Native Hunter]

Only Native, who hails from the state that invented the devils fescue, would say you could kill it with Cleth.
Fescue has roots to China and a root mass from Hades. In addition it has an ability to inhibit germination of any competitors.
And I've played this game converting my cattle fields, so my advice is nuke it hard with Gly, and it will probably take more than one application. Mow every few years if you want to keep from a successional. Sit back, and be patient as the field will become that fallow mixture of a multitude of woody and flowering flora you wish for. The other option is fire which works well and faster. Good luck.

You've been too quiet here lately. Here is something to get you fired up:

 

[dogghr]

Lol Native. You are so predictable if you were a deer you would be taken on opening day. Glad you don't disappoint. You should be proud as I've got a fescue mix trying to grow grass in this new desert of a yard I own. I'm much more patient at the farm.

 

[bowhunt160bucks]

Matt,
Here is my recommendation. Find as many podcasts as you can with Dr Craig Harper and listen to them. Habitat podcast HuntR, MSU to name a few have some great ones about ESM. While you are listening... figure out how you are not going to step foot in that area ever again! It'll be your sanctuary in a few years.

But seriously spring spray will only cause a brown out and IMO is a waste of really expensive spray. Spray it in the fall after the second hard frost. As far as the rose. I haven't been around it since I was a kid but I think I'd keep some just for diversity and ground nesting bird protection. But for the most part nuke it and get something more beneficial like partidge pea or common ragweed going.