2009 Habitat Projects...recommendations needed

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petrey10

New member
Well I will be graduating from college this may and will have time to do some habitat projects.

1) We have a 1 acre triangle patch that is inaccessible for farming so I am wanting to improve the habitat. The patch in in the fork of a Y in a deep drainage ditch with 40 yards of grass on each side. Bordering that are corn, soybean, and wheat fields. I am thinking about planting sorghum back there as I could prolly get the tiller, and 4 wheeler back there to broadcast the seeds. ANybody have anything else that I could plant? Maybe a food plot that is a perennial(cane?)?

2) Next is 20 yard wide strips next to the railroad tracks that holds some water but never anything deeper than a few inches. I was going to try and put in some Cattails. ANybody have any experience with planting them? Easy or hard? Will broadcasting work? Should I roundup the stuff there now? Fertilizer needed? I know they are kinda of invasive so I figured they should be easy to establish.

3) Finally for my favorite project. I am trying to convince a friend that has ground behind his house that is not being used. It is about 10-12 acres and currently has very thinly spaced weeds and some brush. If I can convince him I am goign to try and get it enrolled in CRP and hopefully put in a 2 acre patch of Sorghum or corn (maybe alternating each year).


Well these projects should suffice me for the year and maybe find some stuff to add next year but I would really appreciate some comments. I can add ariel photos if that would help.
 
You might try contacting some of the people on the ground there in Illinois that would have good information on plant species that would do well there and any programs such as CRP or possible programs through your state wildlife agency(WHIP in Kansas- Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program).

The Pheasant Forever Representative would be a good start. Illinois is divided in half, so you would have to call or email to see which one handles your area. Also, the PF may have seed available in your area at no cost to you.

http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/RegionalReps.jsp

Other sources: County extension agent, state wildlife agency, land-grant university, NRCS/FSA.

One planting to consider is shrubs. I don't know what would work in your area, but here in SW Kansas sand hill plums, American plums, choke cherry, fragrant sumac are some that come to mind.

Another group of plants that are beneficial is forbs and legumes. Grasses can provide some good nesting cover, but can also in time be determental in the fact that thatch buildup will prevent ground travel by birds. Upland birds function best with plants with an overstory and open underneath. A mix of grasses, forbs and legumes is better. Also, grasses produce few insects, whereas, forbs, legumes, broadleaf weeds all have many insects which are needed by chicks for survival.

There are some plants that do well in wet areas. I am thinking of Japanese millet. If there was a dry time that it could be planted and established, then the ground flooded you would have some attraction for waterfowl.

One should always check with people like the county extension agent to make sure a plant planned for your habitat is not an invasive species that will cause you and your neighbors grief.

Good luck with your endeavor.
 
Petrey,

MRB has it right. In areas that don't have high bird pops you need to produce insects and you get those from forbes and other flowering plants. Ground moisture helps too. You want birds you need a lot of bugs. That's what SD has is a lot of bugs.

Good heavy sorghum food plotsa are good for attracting mature birds and getting hens through winter healthy and fat.

Try a bunch of stuff and consider it all a big research project.
I can tell you're a habitat guy. Good luck!!
 
You probably didn't provide enough information for us to make reasonable recommendations. An aerial photo of the section showing the plot and what crops/cover types surround the site would make any recommendations better. Remember, you have to manage for the entire year in order to make any management a success. Further, you have to address the limiting factor for the area you are managing. For instance, if you provide food in a sea of food, you probably aren't making the best use of your site. If you need nesting cover, plant it. If you need brood rearing cover, plant that. If you need heavy escape cover, provide it. Sounds like you need to take inventory of what's there as your starting point.
 
ditch.jpg


This picture is of the Triangle patch I was talking about. The yellow triangle is the area I have and is 1 acre in size. The hedge line has been removed by the landlord's determination. The gray lines that border the ditch are in the soil protection program, it is a clover mix with grass and has weeds and wild sunflower in it in the summer. The dark blue line is the DEEP ditch we are talking 20foot banks here on about a 45 degree angle. The skinny blue line is the small branch of the creek. Both have constant water in it and when the heavy rains come it gets about 5-7 foot deep and when it floods it it high flowing and will be 20 foot deep. The triangle patch hardly ever floods as it is on the high side of the ditches. The green fields are corn soybean or wheat every year no matter what. The green circle is cut down trees that we have piled up. The pheasants seem to use it as I see many tracks there when I hunt. Should I add another one of these piles? There are about 4 trees at random points on the ditch that provide very little cover. The ditch banks are hot spots when snow comes in and has torns and thristles at the base to give them some cover (also the grass and other weeds).
 
railroadtracks-1.jpg


This picture is of the railroad track I talked about. The trees have been cleared to allow motorists to be able to see better. The Red area is where I want to put in cattails and the field bordering it is wheat. The red box area serves as kind of a ditch for the tracks as they tend to hold some water from time to time but never really over a foot or maybe two when its real wet. But the most of the area that is higher doesn't hold puddles. The road there is a highly traveled highway. The railroad track is about 12 foot above ground level. Past both red boxes is tall trees that hold many deer. I thought this place would be perfect for cattails and may help hold birds but I'll see what you think. Also since this is railroad ground do you think they would freak out if I planted cattails? I am not worried about the farmers because its my family.
 
hohulins.jpg


Finally my big project that could really produce a great place to hunt. This is about a 10 acre field that is idle. It currently has very thin weeds in it that do absolutely nothing when winter comes around. This place I am really wanting to put in some nesting cover, brooding areas, and a nice little sorghum plot (triangle shaped and about 1 acre). What should I plant to maximize bugs and maximize nesting habitat. The fields around it are corn and soybean with one square being basically someones backyard and there is a tree hedge line about 1/4mile straight across field. Some take this pic into "Paint" and lay me out how they would do it. There isn't really a water source near by. But this spot holds a lot of birds for being very thin cover wise early season and then dies out by the end of season due to snow covering the ground and knocking it down.


REMEMBER ICE IS A COMMON THING IN MY AREA so sturdy stalks and cover is needed.
 
I used brush piles to increase my quail and pheasant numbers from almost zero, to good and steady populations. If a person just throws brush out on the ground in time all the small side limbs will rot and the bigger trunks will form just a stack of wood on the ground, perfect for rodents and snakes. On the other hand if you build a brush tipi, you will have habitat for years to come and you can continue to add to it. To construct, build a tripod from some large limbs or use old fence post. Lash the top together, then start piling limbs around, putting the butt up and the twig end down. This allows the top to the limb that is on the ground to rot off and settle, but all the time keep the brush pile open to allow quail and pheasant to move freely and escape capture, if called upon.

Here is one at my place-

brushtipi00002.jpg
 
Options

I won't say I know what is native or functional in your exact area, but, I would never "plant" cattails. There are many similar plants in form and function that are much more manageable. Kanlow switch grass would be my first recommendation as a substitute. It has stiff stems, grows to 6-8 feet tall, and tolerates moist conditions. Another option would be Blackwell switch grass. It is shorter, still stiff, thicker, and has a wide adaption range. Another way to make the brush piles is to half cut or acordian cut a tree 4-5 feet off of the ground and pile the butt ends of other cut trees/brush up on the folded over tree. In the first picture I would guess that you are dominated by 80%+ crops. That could make brood rearing and heavy winter cover a premium. 1 acre isn't going to change the world, but a mixture of switchgrass and some strips of yellow or red clover would provide both cover types. Both are easily managed, burn the switch every 3 years and disk the clover late summer or fall every 2-3 years. In your big plot, a switch grass or native mix strip with some kind of legume strip and a final strip planted to somthing like Egyptian Wheat or tall forage sorghum each year would draw and hold birds all winter long. I would lean toward planting cover that will hold birds year round. I would also try to use plants that the pheasants won't be able to run like banshees in. You've got a good start. Check on the cultivar's I've mentioned at the NRCS or Extension office. They should be able to tell you the adaptability for your area. Just remember that the winter food may well be taken car of by the cropland adjoining your area. If the crop residue is being grazed, more may be beneficial. However, if you don't have the thermal cover in the form of some kind of grass/weedy cover, you won't hold them through the winter. Just disking a patch each year so the weed growth is new and strong will provide good cover. Try to do it in Oct/Nov for the best results.
 
Ok well I guess I will look at the other plants instead of cattails. I guess I should ask if there is a plant that will grow well in moist to slightly standing water and if one of those produces food and great cover.


As for the triangle patch wouldn't the grass clover mixture that borders the ditch be great brooding area?

I think I need to make that triangle patch the best winter escape that I can make. Is there better winter cover than sorghum? I figured it was the best because it stands up to the windy, snowy, icy condition that Illinois encounters and it produces a food source in the cover.

I am definitely going to do those teepees. We got about 10 semi trailers full of brush from our last ice storm.
 
One thing I like to do with the tipi is to put them on the rim of a south facing slope. This south facing slope is pretty much perpendicular to the low winter sun and naturally protected from the north winter winds and any snow or ice will be melted first. If you have this situation, you will find the birds love to use the tipi, then come out and sun themselves. The thing you do need is some type of snow trip to the north of the tipi, so if there is a blowing snow, the snow will get piled before it gets to the tipi.

I have tried to cut partially through a tree like Prairie Drifter mentioned, unfortunately, most of the trees I have here are elm and they are brittle and won't bend over before they snap off. Here are a couple of tipi that were made from two elms. I wanted to eliminate them as raptor perchs, so I cut all the limbs off, then cut the trunk about six foot above the ground and began piling the brush around it. I eliminated two raptor perchs and got two brush tipi in their place.

Ranch7Jul200600000-1.jpg
 
The clover mix is excellent brood rearing habitat. Take a look at the two swith grass varieties I've mentioned previously. They will stand well in the ice and snow and be available to the birds in the worst of weather. I had a patch of blackwell switch on Norton Wildlife Area when I managaed it that I called the $15 patch. It was a half mile long and 60 yards wide bordered by a road on one side and mile on the other. I could frequently hunt it after a snow and limit out before finishing the full length. Not only will the switch hold the birds when things get bitter, you'll be able to get up on some of them in it.
 
How tall are those Tipis. So I need to make sure that the birds can enter and exit? How do I keep varmits out? I can see coyotes are going to love this too
 
The taller you make them, the more they facilitate predation beneath the canopy. The goal is to have a dense perimeter and a more open center with gound vegetation growing up through it. The more it resembles a pile, the more predators will live in it.
 
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