CRP Grasses

R

Roosterslayer

Member
We are getting ready to sign the documents outlining our plans for the 60 acres of CRP. We are thinking of using the following four grasses: Indian, Little Bluestem, Side Oats Gramma and Switchgrass. Any others or deletions and reasons why? We also have 6-8 forbs/herbs. Thanks for the input.
 
Sounds good to me. I assume your planting is primarily for quail in the Houston area. Don't want density, bare ground with clumps is what you want, and sounds like from your assortment is what you'll get. Congratulations on doing some real positive habitat work! Good news is hard to find these days. I'm sure others will have more definitive answers. Your planting is similar to mine.
 
Old, my land is actually in IA. Sorry about not mentioning that. We are looking at pheasants more than quail as we are just north of I80.
 
In most cases, it is best to not be too concerned with immediate grass cover. It will take care of itself and you will probably be talking about management to open up the stand far too soon. Getting a good mixture of grasses and forbs is important. I'm sure you talked to the NRCS about the mix, but it might be wise to also touch base with your wildlife biologist and see if he/she has a seed mix more tailored for your management goals. Do make sure you've tailored it to your soil as well. As always, I like to look over the fence at what is available for habitat on the neighbors to make sure that I'm actually adding something that might be missing. More of the same is not always beneficial to the overall habitat carrying capacity. Making the existing birds spread out isn't the goal, making more birds is the goal. You're also trying to get the birds to where you can access them. Good luck on the project!
 
Thanks guys. The forbs/herbs we are looking at are: black eyed susan, grayheaded coneflower, smooth blue aster, partidge pea, purple prairie clover and foxglove penstemon. We are working with the NRCS with the mix (lbs/acre). The rest of the 85 acres on the property are currently woods/draws along with a nice patch of big blue stem. We will have about 6.5acres of food plots. Currently it is a mecca for deer (and I mean mecca, not uncommon to see 75-125 deer feeding in those 65 acres at night) and turkey along with a few pheasants. We would like to get more pheasants obviously. The neighboring land is the interstate on the south, railroad tracks on the north, corn/beans along with woods on the west and the east has CRP and some crops.
 
Not sure what part of the state your land is in (Iowa) along 80, used to do well pheasant hunting west of Iowa City to Des Moines. That all changed drastically since 2008.
Also replanting 60+ acres of crp, in s e Iowa. Another deer mecca...found dead 13 pointer 12/2/11, no visible wounds. Got call 2 weeks later, trapper found dead gut shot 9 pointer.
I am planting short prairie mix (journey ready) , 6.5 acres pollinator, 5 acres of 30 ft. wide firebreaks, 7 - 400' x 100' c i r switchgrass plots with 40' wide foodplots running length of switchgrass. Trying to set up for birds.
First time hunting it was '02, seen 1 bird...28" tailfeathers, next year saw over 20. Area not really known for pheasant, had trips with nice quail harvest. Haven't reaaly hunted it last 4 seasons.
Good luck on your planting, lets hope for a much drier spring to allow for planting, and, new hatches. May the force be with you!
 
Roosterslayer said:
Thanks guys. The forbs/herbs we are looking at are: black eyed susan, grayheaded coneflower, smooth blue aster, partidge pea, purple prairie clover and foxglove penstemon. We are working with the NRCS with the mix (lbs/acre). The rest of the 85 acres on the property are currently woods/draws along with a nice patch of big blue stem. We will have about 6.5acres of food plots. Currently it is a mecca for deer (and I mean mecca, not uncommon to see 75-125 deer feeding in those 65 acres at night) and turkey along with a few pheasants. We would like to get more pheasants obviously. The neighboring land is the interstate on the south, railroad tracks on the north, corn/beans along with woods on the west and the east has CRP and some crops.
Click to expand...

I like the mix of forbes and warm seasons and agree with PD's comments about the value of early successional habitat to wildlife.
 
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