Cheat Grass...

[ELKCHSR]

Well Buzz, you were right about it being pretty much every where. The only thing that would have helped last year is if you would have told me that the areas that this stuff is in shows up better this time of year because of the color difference, compared to in the summer and fall when it matches in at a distance with every thing else that is tan or brown...
On my trip back up from Ut. after meeting up with Tyler, I could see where the hills in the distance were pink with the stuff...

 

[Ithaca 37]

Amazing how it's taken over, isn't it? And most people have no idea it's there. Ya gotta be able to evaluate habitat to know where the game will be.

 

[Bambistew]

Does cheat grass grow mostly in areas that are over grazed? And isn't easily killed out by native grasses when they recover?

Just wondering

Ivan

 

[Oak]

Cheat grass grows in disturbed areas, whether it's from overgrazing, fire, excessive OHV use, etc. It actually keeps native grasses from recovering in these areas and has almost no nutritional value for cows or wildlife.

Others here could go into more detail for you.

Oh yeah, it's a real pain in the ass to get out of your socks.

Oak

 

[Ten Bears]

Cheatgrass is most every where, and it takes a modified grazing cycle or herbicide to change.

 

[1_pointer]

Cheatgrass is a GREAT forage for the 4-6 weeks that it is green. It dries earlier in the summer, causing areas to be more fire prone. More frequent fires (caused by the cheatgrass) reduce the amount of native shrubs and perennial grasses. There are a few areas, mostly those that are wetter, where the native grasses can reinvade. Modifying grazing and herbicide use can help in some areas, but in others it occasionally works or not at all because of available water. The biggest problem in UT with cheatgrass is that it is deteriorating large areas of winter range.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Good info!!!

 

[Ten Bears]

My point was, a range manager told me that intense grazing early, with extremely light to no grazing late, should result in impacting the cheat grass, but allowing the native bunch grass to recover.

Herbicides are effective in areas were the rainfall will not wash it away right away.

1-P, sounds like a good case for fire suppression.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I believe in fire suppression!!!

 

[1_pointer]

Ten- That grazing regime can help re-habilitate an area, but it usually requires that it recieves 14+" of precip. A new herbicide is out that looks VERY promising, Plateau.