I have an area here on my property where I run dogs. The best section is approx. 10-15 acres. Most of it is timber with heavy briars with probably 2-3 acres of open pasture. Currently I run cattle on all of this but I am planning on fencing this section off this spring and letting the briars take over, build more brush piles, put out a couple feeders, tear up the open pasture and plant some cover and food.
My question is....
What would be the best things to plant in the area I tear up? I thought about planting part of it in some kind of grass for cover and some of it in something for a food source.
Anyone have and suggestions on what to plant?
Best cover and food source for wild rabbits
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Aaron Bartlett
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Best cover and food source for wild rabbits
Crane Creek Kennels
cover and food
I would use either alfalfa or clover as the food source, and you may want to put in some seresa(sp) for cover. As a matter of fact the clover and alfalfa can be sewn throughout the seresa(sp) so that it will provide cover for the rabbits while they feed. Feeding spots can be a happy hunting ground for hawks and owls if their is no cover available. Just my two cents
Big Dog
Big Dog
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BeaglerJay
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best food
The alfalfa is high in protein and will make the rabbits grow biiiig. I killed some cotton tails in Iowa that were bedded beside an alfalfa field and they were about 3 pounds or better.
Big Dog
Big Dog
Black and Tans, Blue Ticks, and a few others bringing smoke
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Brian from Mi.
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BeaglerJay
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power
power
not only is ceresia lespedezia the best cover but it makes a good winter feed when all else is done. as long as you have ceresia you rabbit wont starve. and is practically imprenitrible to birds of prey. and coyotes have a hard time geting speed up for a kill in it when it is thick.
i had a talk with a guy who has probably the best running pen ive ever seen. i have picked his brain as he is extremely intelligent and studied on this subject.
he says use the ceresia in patches to connect ot othe r plots such as small plots of clover/sorghum/alfalafa etc. use cover that is stright and high that is what rabbit like the best. such as ceresia/tame blackberry shrubs(not thornless) but the main thing is break up your cover/food into several small plots and use as many differnt covers/foods as possible. but he re-inforced that cersia is absolutely the best. also, 2 or 3 good brushpiles starting with the biggest heaviest logs etc on bottom all pointing the same direction.
ps you may need to kill off some grasses out of a cow pasture with herbicide.. grasses are horrible for raising baby rabbits
remember CERESIA LESPEDZIA(sp)
i had a talk with a guy who has probably the best running pen ive ever seen. i have picked his brain as he is extremely intelligent and studied on this subject.
he says use the ceresia in patches to connect ot othe r plots such as small plots of clover/sorghum/alfalafa etc. use cover that is stright and high that is what rabbit like the best. such as ceresia/tame blackberry shrubs(not thornless) but the main thing is break up your cover/food into several small plots and use as many differnt covers/foods as possible. but he re-inforced that cersia is absolutely the best. also, 2 or 3 good brushpiles starting with the biggest heaviest logs etc on bottom all pointing the same direction.
ps you may need to kill off some grasses out of a cow pasture with herbicide.. grasses are horrible for raising baby rabbits
remember CERESIA LESPEDZIA(sp)