UT Extension News: “Using Native Warm Season Grasses for Wildlife”

July 7, 2020

by Chris Hicks, County Director – UT Extension Smith County

Last week we discussed how native warm season grasses (NWSG) can be used in a cattle forage system. Their ability to provide another source of food during the summer slump makes NWSG a great choice in Tennessee pastures. However, there are also wildlife benefits associated with establishing NWSG. Establishing NWSG can enhance habitat conditions for those species that need early successional habitats to meet various life requirements.

Fields of NWSG are attractive to wildlife such as quail, rabbits, and grassland songbirds because of the cover they provide. The availability and quality of cover on a property often limits the number of species, as well as the number of individuals within a species. It is important that the cover allow animals to travel, nest, and feed throughout the field, not just around the edges. NWSG grow in bunches and when sown and managed correctly, contain open ground between bunches that allows mobility, nesting, and brood rearing opportunities for small wildlife such as quail, rabbits, sparrows, and young turkeys.

Adequate bedding and escape cover can be a limiting factor for white-tailed deer on some properties. NWSG provide quality cover during the winter if the grasses are not previously bushhogged or otherwise destroyed. Fields of NWSG are often magnets for rabbits, over-wintering songbirds and deer. NWSG can be particularly useful for small wildlife at a time when quality cover is at a premium. Tall NWSG, such as big bluestem, indiangrass and switchgrass, are especially valuable as their stems remain somewhat upright, and leaning against each other, continuing to provide cover even after winter rains, snow and wind. Deer seek out NWSG fields on cold, clear days because they can remain hidden in the tall grasses, yet are still able to absorb the sun’s warm rays.

Depending on the situation and your objectives, you may choose to manage your field of NWSG strictly for wildlife, or for a combination of wildlife and farming. If you are managing exclusively for wildlife and not to produce cattle forage, it is important to realize the presence of forbs is critical in making a field of NWSG most attractive to wildlife. Buried in the seedbank are plants such as ragweed, blackberry, partridge pea, beggar’s-lice, pokeweed, native lespedezas and annual sunflowers.

These plants provide an excellent canopy of brood rearing cover for quail and wild turkeys; quality forage for deer, rabbits and groundhogs; and later produce seed and soft mast that is an important source of energy through summer and into fall and winter for many wildlife species. Scattered brush and small trees also can make a field of NWSG and associated forbs more attractive to wildlife, particularly bobwhites and several species of songbirds.

Fields of NWSG must be managed properly if they are to continually provide cover for wildlife. If not managed correctly, NWSG can become rank and unattractive to many species over time. Prescribed fire, disking and grazing are recommended for managing NWSG and associated old-field habitats. This is necessary to maintain an open structure at ground level for wildlife movement.This is best done on a rotational basis with part of the field being burned or disked each year.

The University of Tennessee Extension office in Smith County has several publications related to wildlife management. If you are interested in these, please call me at (615) 735-2900.

[wdca_ad id=”11484″ ]

[wdca_ad id=”11404″ ]