A few habitat pics I thought you might enjoy

[Bowsnbucks]

That patch of briars is intimidating! That'd make a good property-line planting if you had a bad neighbor!
White pines rarely get rubbed around here, for whatever reason. The favored rub trees here are maple, aspen, hemlock, pitch pine, spruce, sumac, young birch.
The area around the pic with the pink ribbon persimmon looks good & brushy for deer. Ought to hold some rabbits as well ??!! Nice looking country you have there, Native.

 

[scott44]

Great pics ! Wish I could get out in a sweatshirt and do some work, we're getting hit pretty good right now with snow 6"+

 

[Jordan Selsor]

My turnips were hardly touched this yr but devowered last yr. Only difference was last winter was much more harsh. I don't think I will plant as many next yr

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Nice pics. Enjoyed the tour.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks everyone. I should have some more pictures in a few weeks. I'm going to be planting and caging some conifers at a spot where it didn't work without protection. I should have done the caging the first time. But, I only turn 60 this year, so when I'm deer hunting at 100, those trees will be 40 years old and should be screening good...LOL..take care until the next time.

 

[sandbur]

Thanks everyone. I should have some more pictures in a few weeks. I'm going to be planting and caging some conifers at a spot where it didn't work without protection. I should have done the caging the first time. But, I only turn 60 this year, so when I'm deer hunting at 100, those trees will be 40 years old and should be screening good...LOL..take care until the next time.

I was 60 last year and I am still planting trees.

 

[Native Hunter]

I was 60 last year and I am still planting trees.

Good for you. I think our doctors would recommend it. We get - strength building, cardiovascular, fresh air, hand-eye coordination, stretching, and the list goes on. Sounds like the perfect past time to keep a guy young.:D

 

[Native Hunter]

I was away from home working all last week so didn't get a chance to do much habitat work. Yesterday I did get out and walk some and took a few pics:

This is a spot I have been establishing a row of cedars in an internal fence row to add a little structure between two grass fields. All I do is whack back other trees from time to time that might compete with the cedars. I'm going to be doing more of this at other places.



This is one of my white pine road screens that I planted about 11 years ago. It was a wide open field when I started:





My luck in the back side of the place wasn't so good. I really want pine screens here too, but it isn't going to happen without cages. That's a project I have planned for this year:





This one has survived.... Why? Because it has a bunch of briers around the bottom of the tree - nature's cage.



This is a spot where we logged 2 years ago. Look at the oak regeneration. At some spots it isn't nearly as good, and its more sweetgums than oaks. I will be working on those places to try and give the oaks a head start.



Let's have a fat coyote contest....LOL. Or could we just call it a southern wolf!!!

 

[Freeborn]

I like the combination of evergreens and NWSG. I think the evergreens will add some good edge and cover in the NWSG.

That yote looks very healthy.

 

[Native Hunter]

I like the combination of evergreens and NWSG. I think the evergreens will add some good edge and cover in the NWSG.

That yote looks very healthy.

Thanks, and I agree on the evergreens. I pass by a place in Western KY from time to time where a guy has young cedars randomly spaced out in a field of NWSGs, and I love the looks of that spot. When they mature it will be awesome, because his trees are spaced far enough apart that sun will always get to the bottom limbs, so they won't die.

I've thought about it a lot, and don't see how anyone can go wrong with something like that.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

That's a porky of a coyote, Native. That cedar patch looks like a good place for a cagey buck to hole up and lay in the sun while everything else passes by. I agree with Freeborn ^^^^^ - evergreens, tall grass and goldenrod. Good combo. Super oak regen. where you logged !! That'll be a nice area.

 

[sandbur]

Are you too far south for spruce, maybe Norway spruce in your area?

I have given up on white pines. Maybe they would work with current low deer numbers. Balsam fir for me get rubbed, but not spruce.

 

[Native Hunter]

Are you too far south for spruce, maybe Norway spruce in your area?

I have given up on white pines. Maybe they would work with current low deer numbers. Balsam fir for me get rubbed, but not spruce.

Colorado Blue Spruce grows really well here, and Norway Spruce does okay. Last year I planted just a few small Norways in a row without any protection or ground mat. A few days ago I went to that place and they were very green and healthy but didn't look any bigger than when they were set last year. One of my projects this year will be to go back to them and put down ground mats and cages. If they work as well as I think they will, I can see doing more in the future.

 

[sandbur]

The spruce will stand still for about three years after being moved. Then they take off.

 

[scott44]

Always look forward to your pics, thx.

 

[dipper]

What-your ground doesn't freeze! That's easy street having all that time to transplant trees.

 

[shawnv]

Looks like some nice progress. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I see the same thing as Sandbur - first 3 yrs. not much growth on spruce. But then they take off. I sprinkle a little 10-10-10 around my spruce from year 2 thru 7 and that seems to get 'em going sooner, FWIW. They'll eventually make good windbreak / screen / cover. Thanks for the pix of your slice !!

 

[Native Hunter]

What-your ground doesn't freeze! That's easy street having all that time to transplant trees.

LOL...it freezes, but we generally have occasional warm spells all winter and thaw out for short intervals. But, in the bad winters here you had better have your water lines plenty deep.:D

 

[Native Hunter]

You guys have convinced me I need to plant more Norway Spruce. Today I took a walk through my tree planting and was surprised at how many white pines are still living and avoided rubbing, but when I fill in holes this spring, I will fill them with spruce.

If it wasn't for the slow growth, I think that native holly would be a good screening plant to have. I've actually transplanted a few of these. Below is one of the biggest ones growing on my place, and it's at a good spot - on a property line with some cedars providing good screening.



These pines are some I set a few years ago near the road for screening that made it. They were set 13 feet apart and almost closed in now. I'm standing behind the trees looking at the road here. You can see the power line out at the road in the picture.



This was one planted at the same time that got whacked by a buck. I tried trimming it back and it looks like it will live. It's out by my gate and I'm going to cage it.



I found this today, and two years ago I wouldn't have known what it was. Looks like something from the Blair Witch Project...LOL. Actually it's what they call a "Chinese Lantern." The wind must have carried it to my farm.



This is a small water hole in my woods. I have a stand near this that I've never hunted. This woods was logged last year and should really thicken up soon. 70% of the trees you see left are oak species - mostly white oak.



Some of my cedar pockets in NWSG fields.



Cedars grow big here...LOL.



Working some on warm days, but not next week - we will be in the deep freeze.



Our deer still holding antlers. No signs of dropping:







Nice being out and about today. Hope you enjoyed the pics....