Making the Flushing Bar a Reality

UGUIDE

UGUIDE

Active member
It seems insane to have to do mechanical weed control at about the same time as [pheasant chicks are hatching but that seems to be the deal year over year. Especially in CRP establishment years 1,2,3.

When occurred to me that I was probably killing more pheasants during nesting season than I was in the fall with a gun their might be some better options.

In effort to reduce herbicides and insecticides on the farm i went to mechanical weed control (mowing) as first best practice.

After seeing many new broods flush out from underneath the tractor before being detected and slamming on the brakes I figured it was well worth it and high time to get a flushing bar out in front of the tractor and mower before the next go round with the mower.

Plan is to get that on this week and then mount a video camera to the windshield to document how effective it is at doing its intended job. This video can be used by anyone to promote the use of this tool.
 
I remember hearing years ago that hanging plastic milk jugs from the bar can be a pretty effective method for flushing the birds. Don't know if they should be full or not. I am not a farmer but thought I would throw this out there.
 
In Kansas we can't mow CRP until after July 15. It must be different state to state. I usually wait until Aug 1. Yours sure looks like good brood rearing cover.
 
fsentkilr said:
In Kansas we can't mow CRP until after July 15. It must be different state to state. I usually wait until Aug 1. Yours sure looks like good brood rearing cover.
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I think later is a better plan than the cutting bar. Up north, lot of the destruction is from alfalfa harvest on the first cut. Flushing bar is a help, in these circumstances, but a later mowing would be better. So would normal spring weather! These days I see lots of quail that were hatched and raised in August. In Oklahoma, a lot of quail are raised in soybean fields, because it's all there is! Most of those were late hatches. D.U. is promoting spring wheat as a supplement to prairie grass for ducks to nest in, stands to reason, spring wheat, would help pheasants too, we know winter wheat is the best option in Kansas. What ever we can do, will help.
 
UGUIDE said:
This is the machine to which the bar will be mounted. 20' wide and maybe 4' high. This is actually the weeds in the CRP that was planted last fall. The grass in this stuff is maybe 6" tall at time of this photo.

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Are you just cutting enough off the weeds so they can't go to seed?
 
Why do you want to mow the weeds? Your grass is growing underneath the weed cover and will keep growing despite the weeds. Leaving the weeds will attract more birds than you can imagine. In three years the grass will choke out all the weeds. Just do spot spraying for thistle.
 
UGuide,

I commend you for your efforts. I would love tosee the video and first hand accounts on successful mortality prevention.

Was curious if a wicking bar might work!

Good luck
 
oldandnew said:
I think later is a better plan than the cutting bar. Up north, lot of the destruction is from alfalfa harvest on the first cut. Flushing bar is a help, in these circumstances, but a later mowing would be better. So would normal spring weather! These days I see lots of quail that were hatched and raised in August. In Oklahoma, a lot of quail are raised in soybean fields, because it's all there is! Most of those were late hatches. D.U. is promoting spring wheat as a supplement to prairie grass for ducks to nest in, stands to reason, spring wheat, would help pheasants too, we know winter wheat is the best option in Kansas. What ever we can do, will help.
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Later is always better unless you like letting all your noxious weed go to seed. It is July 11 today and the canada and musk thistle that still exists has gone to seed along with all the other weeds.
 
Bob said:
Why do you want to mow the weeds? Your grass is growing underneath the weed cover and will keep growing despite the weeds. Leaving the weeds will attract more birds than you can imagine. In three years the grass will choke out all the weeds. Just do spot spraying for thistle.
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I don't want to mow weeds. NRCS requirement of CRP.

There are benefits to setting back the competition and managing weeds as a nurse crop.
 
If the grass is growing underneath the weeds you'll do just fine without having to invest money and time in cutting the best pheasant habitat you could have.

I've done it several times. The weeds look a little woolly but left alone they grow great cover they hold up pretty well to the snow but fall over in the spring. Some weeds will return the next two years but essentially the third year you have your grass/forbes mix looking like a picture.

Humans seem to so many times always want to do something when it is okay to let mother nature take it's course.

However you do it good luck and I enjoy hearing of your efforts.
 
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Bob said:
If the grass is growing underneath the weeds you'll do just fine without having to invest money and time in cutting the best pheasant habitat you could have.

I've done it several times. The weeds look a little woolly but left alone they grow great cover they hold up pretty well to the snow but fall over in the spring. Some weeds will return the next two years but essentially the third year you have your grass/forbes mix looking like a picture.

Humans seem to so many times always want to do something when it is okay to let mother nature take it's course.

However you do it good luck and I enjoy hearing of your efforts.
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Bob, you might be on to something here...
 
New concept tonight when dropping the tractor off. Pheasants see color right? And what color do they associate with danger? Blaze Orange! So we will paint the flushing bar blaze orange! :D

We got extra chains dangling and cowbells dangling. Go the window video cam mount ready to go. Should be interesting. Start clipping and filming 2 weeks from today.....
 
Hate to tell You this.:(

Mowing weeds does little or nothing to keep weeds from going to seed.

You cut the main stem and you will get a half dozen suckers all producing seed.

I'd let the weeds grow, excellent pheasant cover.:thumbsup:
 
Our County requires control of noxious weeds (thistles and a few others). If I don't control them the County will send out a crew to control them and send me a bill for the work (I have native forbs and they might use herbicide to do the controlling). Another problem on a new seeding is that the broadleaf weeds sometimes sprout before the forbs and they shade out the forbs--I have this happening now on a piece that had to be reseeded following road construction last year--the forbs and grasses haven't germinated, but the ragweed, pigweed, thistle, and quite a few others are about 2 feet high and dense, natives probably didn't come up because of the cold weather that lasted through mid-June. I cut the thistle patches a week ago and will probably go after the others soon. I agree that the "weeds" are great brood cover, but some of us have no option because of local ordinance. I cut 9 inches high, the weeds will grow back enough to provide cover for the August and September broods, so far (2009-12) I've never had to cut the thistles more than once (July), they grow back, but not enough to produce seed. The good news is that the thistles are now much dimished after 4 seasons of spot clipping--in places they have just disappeared and the forbs are dominating.
 
Our County requires control of noxious weeds (thistles and a few others). If I don't control them the County will send out a crew to control them and send me a bill for the work (I have native forbs and they might use herbicide to do the controlling). Another problem on a new seeding is that the broadleaf weeds sometimes sprout before the forbs and they shade out the forbs--I have this happening now on a piece that had to be reseeded following road construction last year--the forbs and grasses haven't germinated, but the ragweed, pigweed, thistle, and quite a few others are about 2 feet high and dense, natives probably didn't come up because of the cold weather that lasted through mid-June. I cut the thistle patches a week ago and will probably go after the others soon. I agree that the "weeds" are great brood cover, but some of us have no option because of local ordinance. I cut 9 inches high, the weeds will grow back enough to provide cover for the August and September broods, so far (2009-12) I've never had to cut the thistles more than once (July), they grow back, but not enough to produce seed. The good news is that the thistles are now much dimished after 4 seasons of spot clipping--in places they have just disappeared and the forbs are dominating.
 
Grey Fox said:
Our County requires control of noxious weeds (thistles and a few others). If I don't control them the County will send out a crew to control them and send me a bill for the work (I have native forbs and they might use herbicide to do the controlling). Another problem on a new seeding is that the broadleaf weeds sometimes sprout before the forbs and they shade out the forbs--I have this happening now on a piece that had to be reseeded following road construction last year--the forbs and grasses haven't germinated, but the ragweed, pigweed, thistle, and quite a few others are about 2 feet high and dense, natives probably didn't come up because of the cold weather that lasted through mid-June. I cut the thistle patches a week ago and will probably go after the others soon. I agree that the "weeds" are great brood cover, but some of us have no option because of local ordinance. I cut 9 inches high, the weeds will grow back enough to provide cover for the August and September broods, so far (2009-12) I've never had to cut the thistles more than once (July), they grow back, but not enough to produce seed. The good news is that the thistles are now much dimished after 4 seasons of spot clipping--in places they have just disappeared and the forbs are dominating.
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Excellent post GreyFox. This is exactly the same situation I am in. PLan is to set back competition (weeds) until desireables can establish themselves (3 years?).
 
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