Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Would like to hear everyone's opinions and experience with sawtooths. Seems like at one time they were as big a craze as the chestnuts are today! If anyone has good pics please post especially if its of deer under them! I have read as much literature as I can find on sawtooths and here is what I have learned.
Clearly their are pros and cons to sawtooths in land management. Lets review them. Im no expert like many on this site Im just a simple forum junkie and research fanatic!
Cons
Low timber value
Branches snap under ice, snow, and wind. May bother me if I planted it in my front yard for an ornamental tree but not for a wildlife tree.
Non native invasive-ecologically what harm would sawtooths cause if they made their way into our forests. Simple answer if you don't want it hack an squirt.
Non producing sawtooths- I would think this is a risk you take with ANY tree. Many factors come into play. But to put it simple some trees flat out produce more than others whether its apples, oaks or chesnuts! The tree may not be to blame.
Trees drop to early. My goal is a yr around diverse food source. I want to fill gaps and sawtooth sounds like a perfect answer! Our late Aug early Sep in Mo can come with hot weather and much of the native browse is dried up. This is also when I am planting fall food plots. This could lesson the browse pressure on freshly planted food plots=good thing!!! Our bow season in MO opens Sep 15, my research shows many sawtooths drop around that time; now that puts a smile on my face.
Trees that grow fast dont live as long? Is this ture?
Cant think of an other negative findings associated with sawtooths. Please post a response if I missed something.
Pros
Easy to grow
Generally fast growing early producing oak
Great yr to yr consistent crops once producing
Great cover
Perfect drop time for early bow season in many states
Preferred acorn by wildlife due to less tannin (don't know for sure haven't tasted them
but that's the word on the street) This true?
Gobbler version great for turkeys
Good looking trees!
To me this oak is undoubtedly a useful tool in creating diverse wildlife habitat but defiantly not a staple end all answer "food plot tree". I currently have about 30 newly planted sawtooths and look forward to watching them grow and hope they start producing about to time my 1 an 2 yr old sons start bow hunting! I like the fact that it typically drops early very much and if Im lucky enough to get a few that hold their acorns a lil later GREAT! I imagine this could have some variation from yr to yr. If someone asked me if they should include them in their long term wildlife management strategy. My response would be absolutely but you also want to include: dunstan/Chinese chestnuts, various hybrid oaks, and some soft mast life persimmon, crab apple, apple, pear, mulberry, etc....
Just my 2cents
Jordan
Clearly their are pros and cons to sawtooths in land management. Lets review them. Im no expert like many on this site Im just a simple forum junkie and research fanatic!
Cons
Low timber value
Branches snap under ice, snow, and wind. May bother me if I planted it in my front yard for an ornamental tree but not for a wildlife tree.
Non native invasive-ecologically what harm would sawtooths cause if they made their way into our forests. Simple answer if you don't want it hack an squirt.
Non producing sawtooths- I would think this is a risk you take with ANY tree. Many factors come into play. But to put it simple some trees flat out produce more than others whether its apples, oaks or chesnuts! The tree may not be to blame.
Trees drop to early. My goal is a yr around diverse food source. I want to fill gaps and sawtooth sounds like a perfect answer! Our late Aug early Sep in Mo can come with hot weather and much of the native browse is dried up. This is also when I am planting fall food plots. This could lesson the browse pressure on freshly planted food plots=good thing!!! Our bow season in MO opens Sep 15, my research shows many sawtooths drop around that time; now that puts a smile on my face.
Trees that grow fast dont live as long? Is this ture?
Cant think of an other negative findings associated with sawtooths. Please post a response if I missed something.
Pros
Easy to grow
Generally fast growing early producing oak
Great yr to yr consistent crops once producing
Great cover
Perfect drop time for early bow season in many states
Preferred acorn by wildlife due to less tannin (don't know for sure haven't tasted them
Gobbler version great for turkeys
Good looking trees!
To me this oak is undoubtedly a useful tool in creating diverse wildlife habitat but defiantly not a staple end all answer "food plot tree". I currently have about 30 newly planted sawtooths and look forward to watching them grow and hope they start producing about to time my 1 an 2 yr old sons start bow hunting! I like the fact that it typically drops early very much and if Im lucky enough to get a few that hold their acorns a lil later GREAT! I imagine this could have some variation from yr to yr. If someone asked me if they should include them in their long term wildlife management strategy. My response would be absolutely but you also want to include: dunstan/Chinese chestnuts, various hybrid oaks, and some soft mast life persimmon, crab apple, apple, pear, mulberry, etc....
Just my 2cents
Jordan