Are the glory days of deer hunting coming to a close?

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I don’t know what buckthorn is, when I turkey hunted Iowa I was shocked how thick the woods were. But not in a good way. It looked the understory was all made up of what we call buck brush or coral berry. It was hard to find a place to hunt the woods because of it. Is that an invasive?i don’t think coral berry is non native but it can get invasive by me.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I don’t think they log the park. It’s a recreation area first. With all the cover it was a nice sanctuary. Now it’s really open and with all the walking in and out, the deer moved.

I’m not saying buckthorn should be left … I think it will come back eventually. It’s tough to eradicate!

The best hunting properties I know in SE MN are filled with buckthorn. I have no doubt that you could have equally good or better hunting with an understory of native shrubs, but spots like that are rare. I try to control buckthorn in areas adjacent to beneficial shrubs hoping that the good stuff will eventually take over, but I'm not convinced the juice is worth the squeeze.

I logged my place 4 years ago and some pockets are filling in with mostly buckthorn and bush honeysuckle. Those areas are holding so many deer it is almost unbelievable, so the invasives can stay!

I should note that in our area, the limiting factor is cover once the neighboring corn fields are harvested. When gun season hits in the peak of the rut, the thickest cover holds the most deer and 90% of the time that is buckthorn filled woodlots.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

It all depends on the soil and location. It might end up as all grassland, or oak savanna, or if there is a local seed source, more buckthorn.

Or as you say, nice hardwood regrowth.

A park near my house has had some buckthorn removal projects take place over the past decade and those are nice fawning properties with open understory with grasses, but they are nearly worthless for deer in fall and winter as they offer no cover.

 

[BenA]

As I understood it, the problem with buckthorn was that it was very poor from a nutritional standpoint. I think it acts as a laxative that just pushes itself right through animals and is part of the reason for it spreading so rapidly. I've never dealt with it, but I've dealt with other invasive species like tallow trees that were very poor quality food. If managed right, they can be displaced with better native substitutes that can offer food or cover or both. I don't know if you made a list of the wildlife species that benefited from buckthorn vs other native plants that buckthorn would win out from a wildlife standpoint.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I logged my place 4 years ago and some pockets are filling in with mostly buckthorn and bush honeysuckle. Those areas are holding so many deer it is almost unbelievable, so the invasives can stay!

In SE Pa., honeysuckle is rampant in many woodlots. Deer seem to eat it to a degree, but the cover it provides is like a jungle. Deer trails are more like tunnels in some places. You have to crawl through it in some woodlots. Being in a tree stand wouldn't allow you to see the ground. Crazy-thick, but deer are in there.

 

[sandbur]

The best hunting properties I know in SE MN are filled with buckthorn. I have no doubt that you could have equally good or better hunting with an understory of native shrubs, but spots like that are rare. I try to control buckthorn in areas adjacent to beneficial shrubs hoping that the good stuff will eventually take over, but I'm not convinced the juice is worth the squeeze.

I logged my place 4 years ago and some pockets are filling in with mostly buckthorn and bush honeysuckle. Those areas are holding so many deer it is almost unbelievable, so the invasives can stay!

I should note that in our area, the limiting factor is cover once the neighboring corn fields are harvested. When gun season hits in the peak of the rut, the thickest cover holds the most deer and 90% of the time that is buckthorn filled woodlots.

That description fits my place. I have irrigated ag fields on three sides. I do minor amounts of buckthorn control around the house.

I can drop some trees in certain areas, like decent popple stands and get popple growth.

If I drop red cedar in the sandy areas, I get buckthorn. If I controlled the buckthorn, I would have 10 inch high grass.

Maybe after years of battle, I could get some big blue stem during very wet years.

At my age, the buckthorn battle just isn’t worth it. I would never win anyway.

I would rather fish and shoot deer during the fall.

 

[Baker]

If the question is.." Are the glory days of hunting coming to an end " Ask this little buddy what he thinks. Louisiana---Sportsmans Paradise!

 

[sandbur]

I have one more comment on the buckthorn thickets in the red cedar woods. I really don’t like coyote hunters with dogs in there but by state law, I must give them permission to retrieve their dogs.

One guy asked permission and went in to retrieve his dog. He came back after a period and said, “It is so damn thick that there is no way I can catch my dog.”

That’s why deer are there when there is intense hunting pressure.