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Post by buzz on Jan 7, 2015 12:26:47 GMT -5
Interesting thread. I have been what to do to improve my woods for a couple years now, and after reading this thread, along with some other articles on it, it may be just the ticket.
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Post by jonsey on Apr 13, 2015 18:36:44 GMT -5
wow Thanks guys it has been a while since I got online!!! well I cut out 1/8 acre of beech nuts and hinge cut close to a half acre or white oaks and red oaks right beside my food plot, well soon to be food plot.. lol I am trying to get everything in line but still working 60 hour weeks and putting a yard in at the house.. now if I can just find a tiller. I am probably just going to put in NO plow this year. I have heard of people using round up to kill weeds before they plant but last year I had a bad grass come up in july and I didn't spray with anything. I don't think you can spray with no plow (correct me if incorrect) what is a good week killer that will wipe out the dormant weeds but allow me to plant before may 20th?? Thanks again guys, thats a nice cut bow bum!!!!
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 13, 2015 18:43:41 GMT -5
Just what sense does killing a deers favorite food source do. Why would any one kill white oaks or even red ones to try benefiting deer? I am at a loss here.
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Post by jonsey on Apr 13, 2015 18:48:56 GMT -5
bawanajim I left 5 mature oaks standing in the middle. The hole idea is to let the mature trees drop there fruit and let the tops of the hinge cut trees supply food for the deer (leaves) and double as protection for the new saplings coming up letting the 2nd growth have a better chance of actually becoming a tree. This is my first year I know its a lot thicker even without the leaves growing in yet.
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 13, 2015 18:53:27 GMT -5
How about some pictures?
I have never seen to many oaks, but I am not in your area, but I will never cut an oak tree, there are plenty of maple ,cherry and birch to kill first.
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Post by Dutch on Apr 13, 2015 19:00:25 GMT -5
Actually, each species has its value. By cutting others, and leaving only oak, you can create a mono culture. If something comes thru and kills the oaks, what do you have left.
I like cherries. They bloom late, create a fruit that turkeys and deer both use. Maple creates a seed that turkeys key on, even deer eat them. Any seed is generally good and rich food.
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 13, 2015 19:10:14 GMT -5
Maples grow in abundance and fast, cherry's produce so little food, they don't even figure in the big picture, on the other hand "when" oaks produce it is in abundance, as this last year can attest to. Maples are like rag weed they take over and shade every thing on the ground, kill them all.
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Post by Dutch on Apr 13, 2015 19:12:58 GMT -5
Cherries are consistent producers, or more consistent than oak. Maybe more tonnage for oak, when they produce. In northcentral PA, I'm no fan of oak. Very inconsistent.
When I took my walk this weekend, browsing of red maple was evident. Helped the deer get thru the winter.
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Post by jonsey on Apr 13, 2015 19:14:11 GMT -5
I will post some pics when I get time should be back up in the woods hopefully this weekend and finish hanging stands and a cam or two. Yeah you are right Dutch I have a lot of different trees in the mountain but no cherry or apples its mainly oak red, white, and rock/black, a lot of maples and hickories also. the tops where entirely too think not letting any sun to the ground even with the select cut last year. Thats why I cut under one acre this winter till I tried it out and see how it works. If it doesn't it is 3/4 of an acre I can expand my food plot to.
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 13, 2015 19:28:01 GMT -5
I cut down 3-5 hundred maple trees per year on 150 acres, once they are over 10 feet tall they are worthless, like sassafras, once they are out of a deers reach they are nothing but shade.
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Post by jonsey on Apr 13, 2015 19:33:28 GMT -5
Thats a good point bawanajim no fruit nothing but leaves might need to adjust my strategy next year take all the beech nuts and hinge 75% of the maples I don't plan on getting another timber stand out of the property I figure if I did my home work I could do it my self.
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 13, 2015 19:43:59 GMT -5
Try different things and see what works, but oaks are slow growers, and chances are any that sprout in your life time will not produce mast that you will see, that's way cutting them should be a last resort.
Mature oaks need no care and are capable of producing literally tons of mast year after year.Be happy that you have them.
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Post by jonsey on Apr 13, 2015 19:49:32 GMT -5
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Post by fleroo on Apr 14, 2015 8:59:29 GMT -5
confused-smiley-013 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ! Don't kill ANY viable nut trees in order to make a foodplot. Viable the key word.
I watched a video of a gent, a purfessional from what I gather, wiping out some perfectly good White Oaks, in order to make "Deer Beds". Unless you are covered p in White Oak, Beech, Cherry, Hickory, don't cut them for a foodplot. You are getting rid of highly nutritional food sources in an ATTEMPT to create a foodsource.... nutrition debatable.
Are there other areas of your property to consider that doesn't include wiping out these tree species ?
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Post by dougell on Apr 14, 2015 15:51:47 GMT -5
I would wipe out the beech.It's worthless browse and quickly takes an area over.With the beech blight being prevalent,mast is spotty at best.
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Post by fleroo on Apr 15, 2015 10:06:55 GMT -5
I can't speak to Beech all across PA, and though I've lost a few, the Beech are doing fine for me for now. Beech is beneficial to more than just Deer, though the same can be said for any nut tree.
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Post by timberdoodle on Apr 15, 2015 13:01:20 GMT -5
grouse, turkey, deer, bear, squirrel all enjoy a hand full of beech nuts along with Euell Gibbons...
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Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2015 17:51:21 GMT -5
I know that on a habitat tour on the state forests in Potter, foresters reserve beech trees that are not blighted. Those are the ones that may be able to pass on that blight resistance in the future.
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Post by bawanajim on Apr 15, 2015 18:18:50 GMT -5
Our beech also survived, and I leave the largest ones alone as many are den trees and they do put down significant amounts of nut on a more frequent basis than the oaks, and our turkeys strive on them.
But like Doug I whack many of the smaller ones that just seem to take up space in the woods.
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Post by dougell on Apr 16, 2015 7:54:56 GMT -5
Our beech also survived, and I leave the largest ones alone as many are den trees and they do put down significant amounts of nut on a more frequent basis than the oaks, and our turkeys strive on them. But like Doug I whack many of the smaller ones that just seem to take up space in the woods. That would be a good plan.
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Post by fleroo on Apr 16, 2015 8:55:30 GMT -5
True Dat. Even if they don't have hands.
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Post by timberdoodle on Apr 26, 2015 9:28:57 GMT -5
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Post by Dutch on Jun 2, 2015 18:46:43 GMT -5
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