Hinging beech trees?

[j-bird]

anybody had much experience hinging American beech trees? These are smaller trees, maybe as big as 12" DBH. I love the fact that they hold their leaves so well, but want to get that cover down to ground level to improve bedding cover. I have an area I am targeting and will take some before and after pics - IF hinging beech is a worthwhile effort.

 

[Jim Timber]

They don't hinge well here. Too hard and end up breaking for me.

I still knock 'em over if I want to mess up an area they're in. They'll still stump sprout and it's one less tree closing in the canopy.

 

[Bill]

Personally I'd cut them and hit the stumps with Tordon. They will send up suckers and there not much value for deer. They eventually shade out all competition.

 

[j-bird]

The only reason I like beech are for the leaves they hold. Once they get so big they get turned into firewood. I just figured the deer would like the sense of canopy that they could provide. Deer, turkey and other critters like the beech-nuts as well, but are not prime mast.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Agree w/J-bird on the beech as far as mast goes. Beech are notorious for spotty mast crops of beechnuts. About once every 3 yrs. is the norm.

 

[chummer]

I have a lot of beech and success hinging them. It is almost the only thing I hinge. I like leaving one near a stand for cover because they keep their leaves but have started hinging the rest.

 

[Jim Timber]

Jim...you have beech trees?

Either that, or I have the biggest american hornbeam in Minnesota. :)

I pinched a chain in a 14" beech last weekend. 90% positive it's american beech.

If the wet weather passes tonight, I'll try to get a good pic tomorrow. The lens on my phone is trashed, so I won't bother trying to get a pic with it.

 

[j-bird]

Chummer - you have any better luck hinging early, late or doesn't it matter?

 

[Jim Timber]

Hop hornbeam is different than american hornbeam aka: blue beech. ;)

 

[Jim Timber]

I was surprised to find it (american beech) here since we're out of their native range, but it's not the same characteristics as the blue beech - nowhere near as hard, or heavy. Much more similar to red maple or oak when cutting.

Maybe someone on the lake planted one and mine are thanks to bird chit? Who knows...

 

[Jim Timber]

Well, the one I cut last week should sucker now if it's going to.

According to the USDA, the Indians would've had to plant it based on it's size.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I hinge beech all the time. I have a ton of smaller sized beech 1"-10" dbh. The colder the weather when hinging beech the more prone they are to snapping off in my opinion....which isnt a huge deal any way...that stump wiill sprout and look like a Christmas tree over the next few years. If i really want them to stay hinged I'd cut them earlier or later. I've done both with success. If you are looking for a screen or blocking barrier beech will do great...that is the primary reason why i hinge beech. If you have a dense stand of young beech (which if you have beech you probably have this....we call it "beech brush".) you can form an impenatrable wall that deer wont go through...however you wont get much other regen coming up through it because of how thick it is. It will also serve as a fine visual barrier through most of the year....as said before they hold their leaves so long. As far as mast goes, they can be attractive to deer...especially in areas with out oaks...which is what i have. However, i do find that that squirrels, turkeys, and the bears like them more than the deer...so i don't rely on them as a draw or food source for deer in and of themselves. They are definitely cyclical in production...i have seen it more like 6-7 years between mast years. Last big crop i saw in my area was 2012.

I would think if you were looking more for bedding cover and you had "beech brush" you could go in and cut most flush to the ground and treat the stumps while hinging a few....hopefully that will give the area a chance at regen other than beech while giving you some beech hinges.

 

[j-bird]

Thanks Phil. I had some large beech and they produced more regularly - I'll cut a few and see ho they go and if they snap, I'll just wait until I get some sap flowing again. You are spot on about them not helping he understory,but thesreening affects they create are awesome forme as we have virtually zero conifers except for an occasional red cedar. I amhopin to create that overhead cover and perimiter screein coverby hinging som of thesmallerbeech I hve. Th largerones - getturned intofirewood (which t is reelgood for).

J Timber is correct in that american beech is much softer and ligher than ironwood/bluebeech. I don't think the ironwood/bluebeech holds it's leaves like the ammerican beech does either. American beech also get much,much larger - at least in my area than the ironwood/bluebeech. Ironwood/bluebeech in my area are essentially a large tree like shrub and that is about it. Largest one I have ever seen first hand was about as big around as your calf. They also play hell on your chainsaw! America beech getseveral feetinDBH - tend tohollwo out asthe age and make great cavity trees as well. They thrive against competition and will absolutely shut down an understory if allowed. I have yet tomeet a logger or timber man that has anything posative to say about american beech other than it's firewood qualities.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

yep...great firewood and habitat for cavity nesters. they are also pretty shade tolerant. I would say that almost all beech i have hinged have survived. Some are on year 5 now. I always hinge them in waves over successive years leaving some standing in each section so that if/when they start to die and the screening effect diminishes i can come back through and drop a few more to bolster the screens.

 

[Steve Bartylla]

I hinge beech all the time. I have a ton of smaller sized beech 1"-10" dbh. The colder the weather when hinging beech the more prone they are to snapping off in my opinion.

My exact experience, as well. In fact, when it's REALLY cold (single digits and lower), I've noticed that with hinging darn near every type of tree. Many still hinge acceptably, but just not as well as when it's closer to or over freezing. I'd need to really think this through to be 100% accurate, but all the tree species I can think of off the top of my head that are at all challenging to hinge to begin with are even worse when it's really cold.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

My exact experience, as well. In fact, when it's REALLY cold (single digits and lower), I've noticed that with hinging darn near every type of tree. Many still hinge acceptably, but just not as well as when it's closer to or over freezing. I'd need to really think this through to be 100% accurate, but all the tree species I can think of off the top of my head that are at all challenging to hinge to begin with are even worse when it's really cold.

yeah...i hear ya on that steve. Since i don't have a lot of acreage, i can usually get my hinging done all in one shot on one day in most years. So lately i have been hinging later in the winter so i don't have to deal with as many snapping off because of the colder temps. Beech are certainly prone to snap when hinging anytime...but in the cold it is much worse for sure.

 

[Jim Timber]

It was raining when I woke up til when I left today. I'll have to get some pics another time.

 

[j-bird]

Spent the day hinging some American beech trees. Turning vertical cover into horizontal cover. Hopefully the tops will live. I cut these with a folding hand saw. Some will need to be visited with a chainsaw, but these seem ideal for hinging and getting cutting some cover at ground level.

 

[j-bird]

In some cases I hinged some beech to try to make some beds as well. You can see the before (upper left), after (upper right), and a close up of the bed I made at the bottom. I have never made beds like this before so it will be interesting to see if the deer take to them or not. I made several in an area about an acre or so - I figured I would give them some options.

 

[j-bird]

Here is another one - again we will see how these turn out. Some I made where small some where much larger. I always tried to have some sort of solid back structure and then drop the branches over the top to give some canopy affect. I also cleared the leaves from them as well. Bucks or does - if I get deer to use them I will be thrilled.