Bedding Area Advice

[Travis Bahrt]

I purchased 28 acres in NW PA last fall and with remodeling the house the first year, I’m just starting to get to the habitat now. The property is overall very thick due to a heavy logging done 6 or 7 years ago. On the north end of the property is where I would like to make my primary bedding area/sanctuary.

This area is filled with tree tops and Multiflora rose some 6-8 ft tall. Deer are using it to bed right now but I feel like the MFR and tops are hindering how many deer use this are. Should I try to clean up some of the tops and eradicated the MFR? What would be the best way to go about eradicating the MFR? Would a prescribed fire be a good idea later this winter?

Thank you all for any help

 

[Native Hunter]

The thickness and nastiness of the cover is likely one of the primary reasons that you already have deer bedding there. You want it to be a sanctuary, and as a general rule, a sanctuary will be thick cover.

I know that MFR is a non native and invasive species, but unless it is just absolutely taking over, I wouldn't get overly concerned with it. Deer will browse it like candy (thorns and all). But, if it is forming an impassible, solid thicket - then yes, you should try to do something with the MFR.

As for the tree tops - no need to touch them. They make good cover and will continue to for a few years until they eventually rot.

PS: If you have tall trees growing back in that area they will eventually shade out the MFR except at the edges of the woods. MFR can't take shade like bush honeysuckle can.

 

[Travis Bahrt]

There is definitely areas where it is impassable. Would just cutting it back and letting it re-sprout be a good option? I guess my actual question is MFR more palatable or attractive to deer when younger and re-sprouting?

 

[Native Hunter]

There is definitely areas where it is impassable. Would just cutting it back and letting it re-sprout be a good option? I guess my actual question is MFR more palatable or attractive to deer when younger and re-sprouting?

Yes it would be. You could also stump treat just part of it with straight gly if you just wanted to thin it somewhat at places.

 

[Travis Bahrt]

Should I wait till spring to stump treat or will a winter application work?

 

[Native Hunter]

Winter works if you do it immediately after cutting.

 

[Travis Bahrt]

Thank you for all of the help

 

[H20fwler]

I agree with Native, tops are super bedding cover the deer use them for that here too.
Down the road as the tops rot away you can hinge smaller stuff that you don't want in that same area and keep it going.

 

[Bill]

personally I’m not an anti MFR guy either. In a field situation it could get out of hand but in the timber it’s not a bad thing IMO. I have it in old hinge cuts I did years ago.

Doesn’t seem to bother the deer and some places are walls of it.

I’ve got a stand in that bedding area that I sit in about once every 4 years during the rut. But I clear trails through the MFR past the stand and they use them.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I like the tops on the ground as well like Native and H20 do. We've done several loggings and the deer will eat the top twigs if fresh cut, and will use them for bedding and shelter until they decay down. We have no MFR to deal with - no help there.

If you want to establish wind-blocking shelter for bedding, consider Norway spruce if the soil isn't wet & mucky. They're the fastest-growing spruce and in about 7 years, you'll have a 6 ft. tall spruce of you plant 12" to 18" seedlings and protect them with cages. My camp has bought nice seedlings from Flickinger's Nursery near Kittanning, Pa. and from Pine Grove Nursery near Clearfield, Pa. Good prices and good seedlings. No affiliation with either - just a customer.

I plant them about 15 to 20 ft. apart randomly for bedding so deer can move around in them.

 

[bwoods11]

Hard to beat spruce and Cedar mixed in an area that has been logged.

 

[Travis Bahrt]

Spruce and cedars are on the todo list for sure.

 

[swat1018]

My MFR in the timber seems to die off on its own before it gets too thick.

 

[Tree Spud]

As stated above ... spend the next 1-2 years scouting the property. Cutting back the forestry canopy will have a dramatic effect as the deer don't care what is invasive or not. A 1 acre mistake on this small of a property could cost you for many years.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you plant any cedars, you want to plant northern white cedar because it won't give you any problems with cedar apple rust (CAR) in case you want to plant apples of any kind. Northern white cedar is also known as arborvitae. It's a good wind blocker and deer will browse on it. It grows wild around northern swamps like in Maine.

Eastern red cedar - by contrast - is actually a juniper, and will be an alternate host for CAR fungus. Not something you want around (by choice!) if you want apple trees on the property too. FWIW.