Post Timber Harvest Tips

[jonezzy026]

My property, roughly 140 acres is under going a select cut timber harvest right now and I'm not sure what I can do post harvest to take full advantage. The property has a couple established stands with one main food plot at the north of the property. Almost the entirety of the property is a bowl shape which makes it quite hard to predict deer movement. Our main issue last couple years has been food and cover on the property but I'm assuming with the timber harvest it solves the cover issue. I've heard a lot about planting logging roads and micro food plots in newly opened up areas but I have minimal equipment and not a huge budget. I'm trying to get more serious about hunting but want to make sure I'm taking full advantage of this timber harvest. What would be some tips and things I NEED to do come this spring and summer to really help me out the next few years. Below i will attach some ariel images to help visualize what I'm working with. Very open to all suggestions, any help is appreciated.

 

[Ikeman]

Establish a fire break around the exterior and start a burn rotation.

If they are leaving tops, I would do a dormant season burn first. After the extra fuel load of the tops have been burned, I would rotate between growing season and dormant season burns based on how thick or thin the lower level growth is.

How much are they thinning? Do you have a specified target crown density, or basal area? The amount of sunlight hitting the forest floor after the burn will determine the overall potential of the habitat quality improvement.


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[jonezzy026]

Establish a fire break around the exterior and start a burn rotation.

If they are leaving tops, I would do a dormant season burn first. After the extra fuel load of the tops have been burned, I would rotate between growing season and dormant season burns based on how thick or thin the lower level growth is.

How much are they thinning? Do you have a specified target crown density, or basal area? The amount of sunlight hitting the forest floor after the burn will determine the overall potential of the habitat quality improvement.


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Ikeman-

How big of an area would you burn at a particular time? They are taking out 850+/- trees across roughly 80 acres.

 

[bigboreblr]

What equipment do you have? Tractors, trailers, atv's etc. Can you rent something locally?

IS the logging near the water? Perhaps encourage shrub growth alongside the edge.

I hunt foodplot trails at my camp up north. It doesn't have to be perfect. A few spots should be about 20 yards wide. Stumps can be resprouted into shrubs, or you can plant your own shrubs or small trees, like apples. You didn't mention what kind of trees, what kind of soil, what area you're in.

Even if you o nothing, the regrowth will be good habitat. I'd still clear a trail and maintain it. Incase you need to drag a deer out from there, guests can walk back to the house and ot get lost at night.

Where you do not want a tree to grow back, put some diesel on the stump. Even better with 25% triclopyr.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Monitor the cut areas for invasive species and spray any asap, especially in or near the new openings.

 

[SwampCat]

Ikeman-

How big of an area would you burn at a particular time? They are taking out 850+/- trees across roughly 80 acres.

So ten trees per acre - truthfully, I would not even call that a thinning. Ten trees per acre is nothing. I would expect no increase in cover with a removal of ten trees per acre - at least in my area

 

[Buckly]

Tops make good bedding cover for a few years but on a select cut of just a few trees per acre I would try and push a few together to make some bigger piles if you have equipment. Also, being a select cut I’m assuming mostly mature higher quality trees? This is a good opportunity to go in on your own and take out a lot of trash or cull trees to open the canopy. Just pick out some good areas where you want high stem counts and good cover. On 80 acres I’d do at least 3. 1-2 acre almost clearcuts. Then hunt travel ways that connect them. It should be really good 3-7 years post cut.

 

[jonezzy026]

What equipment do you have? Tractors, trailers, atv's etc. Can you rent something locally?

IS the logging near the water? Perhaps encourage shrub growth alongside the edge.

I hunt foodplot trails at my camp up north. It doesn't have to be perfect. A few spots should be about 20 yards wide. Stumps can be resprouted into shrubs, or you can plant your own shrubs or small trees, like apples. You didn't mention what kind of trees, what kind of soil, what area you're in.

Even if you o nothing, the regrowth will be good habitat. I'd still clear a trail and maintain it. Incase you need to drag a deer out from there, guests can walk back to the house and ot get lost at night.

Where you do not want a tree to grow back, put some diesel on the stump. Even better with 25% triclopyr.

About all I have is two older four wheelers and just recently purchased a side by side and a pretty nice disc. The logging isn't near the water because of the worry of erosion. When your hunting the trails are you hunting over the food plot or trails leading to it? Is there anything besides clover you would recommend to plant? I have pretty poor soil in most areas.

 

[jonezzy026]

So ten trees per acre - truthfully, I would not even call that a thinning. Ten trees per acre is nothing. I would expect no increase in cover with a removal of ten trees per acre - at least in my area

This is a property that hasn't had little or no habitat work in 20+ years. Walking through the property made it feel like a park, very little understory and little sunlight was getting through all over the property. So essentially ten trees an acre is a huge difference at my spot.

 

[jonezzy026]

Tops make good bedding cover for a few years but on a select cut of just a few trees per acre I would try and push a few together to make some bigger piles if you have equipment. Also, being a select cut I’m assuming mostly mature higher quality trees? This is a good opportunity to go in on your own and take out a lot of trash or cull trees to open the canopy. Just pick out some good areas where you want high stem counts and good cover. On 80 acres I’d do at least 3. 1-2 acre almost clearcuts. Then hunt travel ways that connect them. It should be really good 3-7 years post cut.

Would you priotortize bedding areas or food plots in these newly opened up areas. We are in a huge block of timber with very little food almost a mile in every direction?

 

[H20fwler]

If there is any way possible it would be great to hire a dozer for a couple days to help open a couple areas up for plotting. Even if all you plant is clover mixes and brassicas.
With everything sounding like open wood lot “park looking” having good browse would be a draw.

Also I like leaving a lot of tops lay, the deer here bed right up next to them and with the select harvest young new trees should sprout once canopy opens up providing more low cover for the next ten to fifteen years.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Where are you located? In our area, the thickest woods tends to hold the most deer, so I wouldn't recommend burning anything. Our local park burns a large portion of the woods every few years and it killed off a lot of the shrubs that were the best deer cover and it is a deer desert during most of the year now. burning seems to be a decent way to get some oak regeneration, but it doesn't leave any thick cover the deer like when the pressure is on.

I would leave the tree tops where they fall since they will improve your bedding immediately and offer a natural tree cage to prevent browsing on seedlings growing up through the downed tops. I would probably hunt the property for a year after logging before making any major changes. The logging should improve your hunting, but the deer bedding and movements will be different than they were in the past.

 

[Ikeman]

Where are you located? In our area, the thickest woods tends to hold the most deer, so I wouldn't recommend burning anything. Our local park burns a large portion of the woods every few years and it killed off a lot of the shrubs that were the best deer cover and it is a deer desert during most of the year now. burning seems to be a decent way to get some oak regeneration, but it doesn't leave any thick cover the deer like when the pressure is on.

I would leave the tree tops where they fall since they will improve your bedding immediately and offer a natural tree cage to prevent browsing on seedlings growing up through the downed tops. I would probably hunt the property for a year after logging before making any major changes. The logging should improve your hunting, but the deer bedding and movements will be different than they were in the past.

This is only true if your tree density is too thick to allow a savannah type understory. If you are still almost completely closed canopy, burning helps very little. The overall problem is the density, not the burning.


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[jsasker007]

I would probably just let the open areas regrow naturally. It should come in with thicker brush if it gets enough sunlight. Really not enough timber removed to do much for a food plot I wouldn't think. Maybe if they took out huge trees that were in a spot to give more sunlight into the woods you could try to plant some food for deer.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

This is only true if your tree density is too thick to allow a savannah type understory. If you are still almost completely closed canopy, burning helps very little. The overall problem is the density, not the burning.


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Our local park burns oak woods that are very open and also some that have a closed canopy. In both of those burn areas all the short, wildlife holding shrubs are killed, and you can see hundreds of yards in the woods. Once the snow flies, they turn into deer deserts since there is no ground cover.

I have no doubt that fire is beneficial in some areas, but in our area deer prefer thick cover and they don't spend as much time in open areas whether pastured or burned out.

 

[Buckly]

Would you priotortize bedding areas or food plots in these newly opened up areas. We are in a huge block of timber with very little food almost a mile in every direction?

Absolutely. In your situation with very limited equipment and budget it gives the most bang for the buck. Think about how hard it is to hunt when deer have a clear view in a park like woods. Creating openings and letting sun in while just using a chainsaw can not only provide cover but, will create literally tons of browse. As you start working the property and maybe gain more equipment you can put in some nice candy plots in to go with your cover. On 140 acres you can create unbelievable amount of cover and browse with just your time and some gas. I would think in terms of a 10 year plan for improvement. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your property will evolve over time if you stick with it. I’m sure not anti food plots but, I see time and time again people just starting out on a property think that just throwing in some plots will give them results they desire but in my opinion you should start with a base of cover before food.

 

[omicron1792]

Ikeman-

How big of an area would you burn at a particular time? They are taking out 850+/- trees across roughly 80 acres.

Depends on who is doing the burn.

I like 20 acre burn units. Alway get a professional to come in first burn and help them do it.

Wirh that small acreage I would just always pay someone.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Cover & food go hand-in-hand, IMO. If thicker cover is your biggest need - work on that as the priority - but you can also start some mini-plots for food attraction too. Rye grain & clover will grow most places, so I'd start with those for any mini-plots. They're pretty cheap as seed goes, too. Dozers and chainsaws are your friend. Good luck with your project!

 

[westonwhitetail]

My property will have its first timber harvest this year. I am planning to have them cut some areas harder than others to help promote brush/cover growth. If they are still working on your property maybe you could see if they are willing to harvest some additional trees in strategic areas to open up the canopy more and encourage bedding or travel where you want. Or you couple do this yourself after the fact.