# Fighting cheat grass?



## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

With all the talk of why our deer herds are struggling I think one of the biggest threats habitat wise to them, is cheat grass. It is invading everywhere and taking over all around the state. After about 4 years I've noticed of it moving into an area heavily the sage brush begins to die, and I think I remember reading something that said cheat grass does something to the soil so that nothing else can really grow or compete with it. So I just have the question what is being done to stop this invasive and habitat destructive plant? Its hard to watch huge stands of sage brush dying away because of this weed. And also what can be done to stop it?


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

dept of natural resources has what they call the "war on cheat grass". pretty much like the war on "anything", its expensive, limited results and the best that can be done is try to slow down/limit the expansion. bottom line, cheat grass is ideally suited to our climate and thrives here outcompeting native species. it loves fire cause the stem burns first allowing the seeds to drop and many are not consumed by the fire. animals dont eat it and nutritionally its crap. it is one tuff noxious weed that is here to stay.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

You could burn it. :O•-:


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

ridgetop said:


> You could burn it. :O•-:


Which tends to promote more cheat grass.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Fishrmn said:


> ridgetop said:
> 
> 
> > You could burn it. :O•-:
> ...


I thought the whistling man ment sarcasm.

We could always use Roundup. :O•-:


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> With all the talk of why our deer herds are struggling I think one of the biggest threats habitat wise to them, is cheat grass. It is invading everywhere and taking over all around the state. After about 4 years I've noticed of it moving into an area heavily the sage brush begins to die, and I think I remember reading something that said cheat grass does something to the soil so that nothing else can really grow or compete with it. So I just have the question what is being done to stop this invasive and habitat destructive plant? Its hard to watch huge stands of sage brush dying away because of this weed. And also what can be done to stop it?


On our range ride/tour yesterday on the Parowan Front, I learned an amazing amount of information regarding the depletion of the mule deer habitat quality as well as quantity. And one of the things I learned from the BLM guys is that sagebrush seeds need to germinate from the surface of the soil (not above nor below) and when cheat grass moves in, it can actually grow two crops per year and it mats up enough that the light sage seeds (and some moisture) never reach the ground. Thus there aren't many new sagebrush plants replacing the old/dying ones. And the ones that do, don't have much of a chance of maturing because the cheat grass also takes all the moisture. And not only from the young sagebrush, but also the forbes, native grasses and bitterbrush, They didn't say anything about cheat grass actually changing the soil, but that may also be true. Additionally, when cheat grass burns, it burns faster and hotter than native plants and kills more of the sagebrush, bitterbrush, forbes, native grasses, etc.(and their seeds). It's nasty stuff!


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

elkfromabove said:


> #1DEER 1-I said:
> 
> 
> > With all the talk of why our deer herds are struggling I think one of the biggest threats habitat wise to them, is cheat grass. It is invading everywhere and taking over all around the state. After about 4 years I've noticed of it moving into an area heavily the sage brush begins to die, and I think I remember reading something that said cheat grass does something to the soil so that nothing else can really grow or compete with it. So I just have the question what is being done to stop this invasive and habitat destructive plant? Its hard to watch huge stands of sage brush dying away because of this weed. And also what can be done to stop it?
> ...


FANTASTIC post! That was really informative and educational for me


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> With all the talk of why our deer herds are struggling I think one of the biggest threats habitat wise to them, is cheat grass. It is invading everywhere and taking over all around the state. After about 4 years I've noticed of it moving into an area heavily the sage brush begins to die, and I think I remember reading something that said cheat grass does something to the soil so that nothing else can really grow or compete with it. So I just have the question what is being done to stop this invasive and habitat destructive plant? Its hard to watch huge stands of sage brush dying away because of this weed. And also what can be done to stop it?


Per the BLM guys, there are 4 known things we can do/are doing to stop it.

1) Heavy grazing. Cheatgrass is actually grazable (if there is such a word), especially by sheep, but it's only for a short period of time, when it's green (not purple or brown) and it's during the "wrong" time of year, winter/early spring (It "cheats" in it's growing cycle.), so much of it won't be grazed, especially if it's on public land. Wildlife don't eat it much because they don't have to.

2) Physically disturb the land (plow, scrape, cat-track) before it seeds and plant native grasses, brush, forbes, etc. in mass amounts and pray for a quick rain. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't depending on the amount of dormant cheatgrass seeds which may choke out the other seeds, or not. The other problem with this method is that you disturb the desirable plants as well.

3) Spray with herbicide, but that's tough because it has to be very species specific and is expensive. And it requires an environmental study on public land.

4) There is a study by a BYU student (Heather Finch) on the effects of a fungus (Black Fingers of Death) on the plants and seeds of cheatgrass that seems to be promising, but the BLM guys didn't know how that is going.

Like I said, the stuff is nasty, except for some birds (chukars).


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Plateau Herbicide.


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

But I thought Upland bird hunting in Utah is so good because of all the Cheat Grass. :O•-:


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

Fall burn, fall application of Plateau herbicide, and replant with good mix of perennial grasses, forbes and shrubs suitable for the area.


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## ZEKESMAN (Sep 14, 2007)

blackdog said:


> But I thought Upland bird hunting in Utah is so good because of all the Cheat Grass. :O•-:


It is. Maybe you should come to the dark side and hunt Chuckar. You can't hunt deer with a dog.


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