Switchgrass/Bedding question

[jjohnson]

On the N side of my property I've got 5 acres of overgrown pasture (possibly farmed years ago). I plan on putting around 2 acres of it into green plots and the remaining 3 acres I'm thinking switchgrass. Something where the deer can escape too and would really screen and make them feel safe in plots. The 1st picture is the 5 acres facing East which shows the cliff on the south side. Major funnel. The red square is the 3 acres I'm deciding what to do with. It is higher than rest of field and slopes south and east. Green squiggles will be green plots. And should funnel everything past blue X (stand).

2nd picture is just a straight serial with N being the top.
3rd picture shows part of the going to be green plot facing west.
4th pic is what it looked like last fall when I bought the place.

My question on the switch is should I do a solid switch stand in the 3 acres? Strip it with clover roads thru it? Maybe solid switch and drop some spruce here and there over time. I've watched a million videos. And hear a lot of people say your wasting your time with a small switch stand like this. What would you guys do if it was your property or what have you seen that works best?

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[Tmayer13]

I think the only correct answer for this is YES.
I understand you asked several questions. I feel anytime you can add any sort of habitat your in a win win situation. Is 3 acres going to hold 100 deer? Nope! But if it holds 5 and 1 happens to be the RIGHT deer then youve succeeded. Diversity in habitat is the spice of the deer life!
The only thing I would say is a no would be the clover strips through it, your planting a green plot for a reason, no need to have deer out feeding in the switch well out of bow range. And remember that youll need to burn your switch so the spruce trees may get burned alive and die.
Just my opinion on things!

 

[hesseu]

I would just spray with gly and see what comes up in the seed bank. I'd bet you have some good natives which will provide cover and forage...DIVERSITY

 

[jjohnson]

I think the only correct answer for this is YES.
I understand you asked several questions. I feel anytime you can add any sort of habitat your in a win win situation. Is 3 acres going to hold 100 deer? Nope! But if it holds 5 and 1 happens to be the RIGHT deer then youve succeeded. Diversity in habitat is the spice of the deer life!
The only thing I would say is a no would be the clover strips through it, your planting a green plot for a reason, no need to have deer out feeding in the switch well out of bow range. And remember that youll need to burn your switch so the spruce trees may get burned alive and die.
Just my opinion on things!

I had thought the same thing on clover trails. The beauty of owning ground is if you dont like something you can change it.


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[jjohnson]

I would just spray with gly and see what comes up in the seed bank. I'd bet you have some good natives which will provide cover and forage...DIVERSITY

This was also an option. And I may carve out a few pockets inside of it and try just that.

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[Elvis188]

This was also an option. And I may carve out a few pockets inside of it and try just that.

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You might also End up with a weed patch. Everywhere we have had pasture sprayed with Gly we have ended up fighting musk thistle and other noxious weeds. If it is good pasture just burn it next spring and let it come back with no cattle. If you already have Big Bluestem or little bluestem it will make great bedding.