Revolutionary bedding area?

[Sam16]

As a student at University of Illinois, i ran across something in my environmental science class that immiediately struck me as helping my deer hunting. We are talking about renewable sources of energy, and in recent years, farmers began farming a plant called minscathus? It is a japanese hybrid of a type of switchgrass. Normal switchgrass will grow to about 4-6 feet, this stuff grows 10-12 feet and looks much much thicker. Also it is a perennial that lasts up to 30 years. Anyways, farmers and scientists figured out you can farm this for fuel of some sort. It looks like PERFECT deer cover. It's thicker and taller than standing corn. I was just wondering if anyone would consider actually planting bedding areas? Normally we talk about food plots, but what about bedding plots? Seems logical enough. I'm not sure how the market is for it or how to grow it, but maybe worth looking into it for you farmers.

[Ravin R10 man]

as a farmer, Im very cautious of planting anything that may "take over"..its hard enough to eradicate unwanted weeds and native plants..would have to know more about it first, think Id plant a food plot before I was concerned about a bedding area, guess it depends on your location and cover type where you are at.

[Sam16]

It claims to be "non-invasive" which i thought meant it wouldnt spread like wild flower. However, i am very green when it comes to farming since im a city slicker. Just something to think about

[Tominator]

There are tons of kinds of miscanthus. It is a very common ornamental grass. I have two or three varieties in my gardens ranging from 3' up to about 14'.

http://www.bluestem.ca/miscanthus.htm

[rad_112176]

If i am right this kind of grass has to be cut on a yearly basis to allow growth for the next year and also so that it does not rot out the base of the plant. My concern would be taking away the deers bedding area for a period of time every year. Not saying some deer wouldn't use it, but i would think you could just take a section and with minimul work let it grow into a good bedding area. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Sam16]

i suppose you are right rad, there are probably easier ways to do it. Just curious if any farmers heard about it since it doubles as a crop used for fuel.

[Tominator]

i suppose you are right rad, there are probably easier ways to do it. Just curious if any farmers heard about it since it doubles as a crop used for fuel.

Ohiobucks and I saw this one nursery that had acres of switchgrass. We surmised that he was growing it for use in ethanol development, but we weren't really sure. I don't know why else you would have a field of grass, anyway, later in the fall we notice it was plowed under.

[Guest realtrhunter]

I wouldn't plant anything that is not native, except food plots. I just graduated as with a degree in Forestry and we are pounded not to plant anythign that could possibly take over and become aproblem. I would make thick wooded areas and grass areas.