Built for landowners, agencies, and conservation partners working in moist meadow benches, north-slope openings, and mixed conifer edges, this mix establishes a durable structure that supports elk and deer bedding cover, wild turkey brood habitat, and provides a base layer to later interseed wildflowers if desired.
Expect a blend of Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and prairie Junegrass that remains upright through winter, improves soil function, and creates herbaceous structure required for several NRCS wildlife and rangeland standards.
Includes (#s/ac): Wheatgrass, Slender (1.25), Fescue, Idaho (0.8), Junegrass, Prairie (0.4), Big Bluegrass (VNS) (0.6), Wheatgrass, Bluebunch (1), Bluestem, Little (VNS) (0.45). Created January 2026.
Benefits
- Long-lived native perennial grasses for decades-long stand life
- Upright winter cover that improves bedding structure for elk, deer, and upland birds
- Supports brood cover when paired with adjacent pollinator habitat
- Reduced risk of weed or forb-dominance failures in wet, productive soils
- Ideal base for future interseeding of forbs using frost-seeding or no-till drills
Recommended Uses
- Northern Rockies foothills (Bonner, Boundary, Shoshone, Clearwater)
- Cool-moist mixed conifer ecotones & meadow openings
NRCS-style plantings under:
- 327 – Conservation Cover
- 528 – Prescribed Grazing
- 645 – Upland Wildlife Habitat
- 550 – Range Planting (context dependent)
Installer Notes
Timing:
- Best: Late-fall dormant seeding (Oct–Nov) or early spring (as soon as soils allow)
- Avoid late May–August starts due to weed pressure & moisture loss
Seedbed Prep:
- Pack + firm—bootprint should leave <¼" depression
- Control invasive competition (cheatgrass, reed canarygrass) before seeding
Planting Depth:
- Drill ⅛–¼" (grass box) — do NOT exceed ¼" depth
- If broadcasting, roll/press seed and increase seeding rate 25–30%
