Sage Grass vs other wild grasses

[Hunter 257W]

I read a lot about the various Switch grasses for wildlife but typically don't see much mention of our more common Sage grass. Why wouldn't Sage be just as good Switch grass if the goal is to provide deer bedding/cover while leaving open dirt areas on the ground for game birds?

The reason I ask is because I'm seeing a positive change in my honey locust "infected" area with a sudden growth of Sage grass coming on. Besides giving cover, the grass should shade the ground and discourage any more wild tree from sprouting - I hope.

 

[woodsman87]

Sage grass grows in real acidic soils, and usually the bare spots around it are from the soil being to acidic rather than actually shading others out.

I don't know if sage grass is beneficial to wildlife or not. But I do not like it my self.

 

[BSK]

The problem I've seen from pure stands of broom sage is it often doesn't grow tall enough or thick enough for hiding deer. I prefer a mixture of several different native warm-season grasses. Although one problem I've run into with the tall-grasses is their tendency to fall over during the winter, reducing their value as deer cover.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Totally by accident, I found that deer will absolutely use sage grass for bedding...and in some otherwise fairly open areas too.

There's a spot back in some 10yr old planted pines I wanted to convert to clover but needed to keep a path for ATV/tractor to go through while the clover was getting established. I left a disk-width to travel over with the thought that I'd come back and convert that strip once everything else came up.

The camera that's on that patch has snapped hundreds of photos of fawns, does, bucks big and little feeding in the clover and then bedding in that broomstraw at all times of the day or night. For the sake of comparison, I only recall 1 or 2 pics of them laying down in the clover itself...they always go back to that sage.

Years later...somehow I just never got around to planting that strip.

 

[Hunter 257W]

The grass I have is about waist high right now and still green. We'll see how well it holds up this Winter. I've never had a solid sage grass stand before to compare to. It's in the center of an bunch of trees so the height of the grass itself is not so critical as it would be if the grass itself were the only cover. Also in favor of deer using it as a bedding area, this 8 acres is practically "unhuntable" except for trying to intercept deer coming/going to it. I'm hoping that over time it will become a sanctuary of sorts.

I know that Sage grass is an indicator of acidic soil and the farmer in me feels like I need to lime. However, I've already committed this part of the farm to be converted to wildlife cover and that is drastically different from farming so I'm going to suppress the "farmer" urge.

 

[Hunter 257W]

Totally by accident, I found that deer will absolutely use sage grass for bedding...and in some otherwise fairly open areas too.

There's a spot back in some 10yr old planted pines I wanted to convert to clover but needed to keep a path for ATV/tractor to go through while the clover was getting established. I left a disk-width to travel over with the thought that I'd come back and convert that strip once everything else came up.

The camera that's on that patch has snapped hundreds of photos of fawns, does, bucks big and little feeding in the clover and then bedding in that broomstraw at all times of the day or night. For the sake of comparison, I only recall 1 or 2 pics of them laying down in the clover itself...they always go back to that sage.

Years later...somehow I just never got around to planting that strip.

I don't blame you. When you stumble on something that works, don't change a thing! I hope to have the same luck with this spot of mine.

 

[BSK]

The one major advantage of broom sage (also called broomsedge) is that it's usually free! Let a pasture go, and with acidic soils, you'll have all the broom sage you want!

 

[TheLBLman]

I've also heard that broomsedge provides the most successful nesting locations for bobwhite quail.

I don't want too much of it, but think it's wise to be biodiverse and purposefully have some scattered around.

 

[treefarmer]

Last Saturday I was walking in a 1/2 acre patch of broom sage and blackberry that I planted crabapple trees in and jumped a bedded fawn. I jumped a fawn in a similar meadow a few years ago so it seems does feel safe leaving fawns in the tall grass. The grass has no food value that I know of. To maintain the meadows, every year or two I'll cut down 1/2 of it with a clearing saw (weedeater with saw blade).

 

[MickThompson]

If you will periodically burn or disk the broomsedge fields (every 3 years or in thirds) instead of mowing, you can increase the amount of high-quality native browse in the stand. Pokeweed and ragweed love fall disking. Burning can increase the vigor of broomsedge fields too so you get thicker cover. Spraying the fescue out first will help thicken it up tremendously.

 

[treefarmer]

Mick,

I like your idea of discing, I'll try it with my 4-wheeler with pull behind disc. I'd like to burn but it is tough without a lot of help and real equipment. Discing would also be easier than cutting with a clearing saw.

 

[Mike Belt]

Where I hunt at Ames we have 100's of acres of native grass fields. The deer love them traveling and bedding in them all the time. When the grass is tall they're hard to hunt. Strategically cut you a few strips through them and I guarantee the deer will use them.