What to do with these white oaks???

[Jordan Selsor]

cut em down or leave em?
I have a bunch of stumps i planned to grind out in this plot. Kinda want to cut the middle oaks out an grind them as well. This make plot easier to work an maintain. Pile of white oak trees on this ridge top. Acorns rot under these trees every yr. I hate disking in circles but the thought of cutting a mature oaks down is painful.
What would you guys do?

 

[MickT]

Sounds like your woods are full of them. They will compete with the plot planting so I’d drop them.


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[yoderjac]

I too hate to cut most white oaks. There are some like chestnut oaks that are in the white oak family that produce large acorns that don't get eaten unless my deer have nothing else. I mind cutting them much less. Having said that, if you plan to use that as a food plot, I'd remove all the trees. It is not only a light issue but also a water and leaf issue. Any of my plots along the woods have about 5 yards where everything is retarded because of the roots of the trees sucking up water. Some farmers use a shank to cut the roots of trees along the edge of plots. I don't go to this length and don't mind that buffer, however, I would not leave trees in the middle of the plot. In addition to light and moisture, leaves will cover the plot. If not removed they can smother a crop and they will keep the soil more acidic.

If your acorns are not being used, it tells you that deer have sufficient acorns or have better options. My suggestion would be to remove them. When I cut a tree to remove it from a plot, I take some full strength glyphosate mixed with diesel fuel 50/50 with me and a paint brush. As soon as the tree has been felled, I paint the cambium layer of the tree with this concoction. It will get absorbed into the roots and kill the tree. Otherwise it will sucker.

To counter balance this argument, when a tree like this suckers, the new growth is highly nutritious much more so than the mature tree. Because the large root system is supporting a relatively small amount of top growth, the mineral content and nutrition is very high. The MSU deer lab refers to these as "Mineral Stumps". Sill, I would completely remove the trees and kill the stumps inside the plot. If you want to try "Mineral Stumps", I would do it with a line of trees on the south side of the plot. This will let more light into the plot. Also, since the stumps are supporting much less top growth, the draw of water from the plot will be much less.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Someday isle]

Being in the same area as you are Jordan I know the feeling. I almost feel guilty sometimes when I read threads talking about trying to grow oak trees when I’ve got a whole woods full of them. My wooded plots aren’t nearly as clean as yours but I’ve cut down a few oaks to make them easier to work in and to add more sunlight to the plots. I’ve got a similar dilemma in two plots and I’m going to be working on removing some of mine. Many people recommend adding mast trees to their food plots for extra attraction and here we are talking about taking mature producing trees out of our plots.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I would for sure at the least thin them out.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you want to keep the plot for the future - cut them down. If you're stocked with white oaks all around, I wouldn't worry. You can always gather some W.O. acorns and start them in pots or plant them in good spots to grow more for the future. Jack's idea for mineral stumping the south side of the plot is a good one to let more sun on your plot.

 

[Native Hunter]

You need to cut them down so that I will not feel like the only sinner here. I just whacked a nice white and awesome red to release a big female persimmon, but it still hurts.........

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Being in the same area as you are Jordan I know the feeling. I almost feel guilty sometimes when I read threads talking about trying to grow oak trees when I’ve got a whole woods full of them. My wooded plots aren’t nearly as clean as yours but I’ve cut down a few oaks to make them easier to work in and to add more sunlight to the plots. I’ve got a similar dilemma in two plots and I’m going to be working on removing some of mine. Many people recommend adding mast trees to their food plots for extra attraction and here we are talking about taking mature producing trees out of our plots.

Exactly. When i first started diving into habitat work i was growing oaks from acorns. It was a fun project but didn’t take me long to question what the heck i was doing. We have 200+ acres of oak forest surrounded by 10’s of thousands of more acres of continuous timber. Way i look at it a food plot can potentially feed deer for 9+ months and white oak acorns are really only good for a couple months tops. I also have a line of pears on the sunny side of this plot for diversity as well. Just tough to cut trees that rain the suposivly “preferred whitetail food”.
But the sthl saw is sharpened and ready to eat;)

 

[weekender21]

Looks like you're covered up in white oaks, I feel your pain but I'd drop them in your situation. They look like perfect firewood size logs too!

 

[Bill]

Cut them. God will make more somewhere else. Especially in MO.

 

[Reagan]

If you do cut them, cut them in the winter and make them into shiitake logs.

If you like mushrooms, you won’t be disappointed.


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[j-bird]

As much as it pains me to say this.....cut them. You seem to have plenty so to remove a few isn't going to hurt. Small sacrifice for the greater good.

 

[yoderjac]

If you do cut them, cut them in the winter and make them into shiitake logs.

If you like mushrooms, you won’t be disappointed.


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I've always wanted to find time to do that...Perhaps when I retire!

 

[nwmn]

Cut them now so the deer can utilize the mineral stumps as sinesis occurs. As yoder pointed out, MSU deer lab recommends this method. It's a fun experiment if nothing else. Your plot will get more sunlight and you don't give up much space until you grind them out.

Wish I had THAT many acres of forest around where I felt comfortable cutting down any type of oak!