Jump-starting succession in a field with brush piles?

[Derek Reese 29]

So this one is a bit of a stretch but hear me out…want better cover in a 1.5 acre former hayfield…right now it has some decently tall (call it 4’) standing hay with some small trees and briar patches beginning..I want this to be a thicket of sorts, with briars and shrubs and great bedding cover, as it lies on a South facing slope and abuts an acre of food plot to the east and about a half acre 5 row cover screen of mixed conifers, poplar and hawthorn. All that to say, would adding a few brush piles here and there to kind of jump start more succession be a decent idea? My thought is little birds would perch on them then whatever seeds they crapped out would start growing in and around the piles(thinking raspberries, black berries, even Russian olive maybe), thus giving them a bump. Also, I have the brush handy and could control where it goes so as not to be in sight of my stand..I know this is a hare-brained idea but was just looking for some more input..thanks!

 

[SD51555]

Go for it. They're magnets for birds doing their banking. I like the brushpiles for heavily browsed regen species, to give some protection. If it's things that don't get browsed, you might just plant some perches (dead trees stuck in the ground) out there for the birds to land and drop.

My best regen is inside of giant snags that deer cannot reach into. That brought back dogwood and jewelweed for me.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Check any neglected fence line

The regeneration there makes for great travel corridors

bill

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

You could try spraying some herbicide on field as well to jump start woody browse growth. Maybe something grass-specific like Cleth

 

[Hoytvectrix]

You could try spraying some herbicide on field as well to jump start woody browse growth. Maybe something grass-specific like Cleth

Or just time the application with a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate for when the cool season grasses are greening up but the warm season grasses are still dormant.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

You could try spraying some herbicide on field as well to jump start woody browse growth. Maybe something grass-specific like Cleth

Would the cleth whack most of the established hay if I used it at a high enough concentration? I usually dump a 32 oz jug into my 25 gallon sprayer and it has worked on most grass in my plots but that was usually smaller grasses

 

[BenAllgood]

Should work. Put them in a pattern leading to an ambush spot for when deer are browsing from one to another. I'd lightly disk the whole area. Not enough to erode, but enough to expose cool season grass roots to air.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Should work. Put them in a pattern leading to an ambush spot for when deer are browsing from one to another. I'd lightly disk the whole area. Not enough to erode, but enough to expose cool season grass roots to air.

Was thinking of putting 2 up towards the top so it can catch the warm sun on cold days then putting two in the middle and two down lower..see diagram..and thanks!

 

[BenAllgood]

I'd string them in a corridor going towards the foodplot and put the stand to take advantage of the corridor. I have a corridor along a field like that, and it works great.

 

[Brian662]

I would do something like this to funnel them toward the near end of the plot to your stand. Also would kill off the cool season grasses like has been mentioned.

 

[Telemark]

I would also spray it with gly before dragging the tops in.

Also, feel free to plant some high value shrubs here and there to give the birds desired species to poopagate propagate.

 

[jsasker007]

Brush piles will bring in critters for sure. Maybe put a few spruce seedlings in the open spots of the piles for a little protection and create a line of spruce for creating a deer trail where you want. jmo

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Brush piles will bring in critters for sure. Maybe put a few spruce seedlings in the open spots of the piles for a little protection and create a line of spruce for creating a deer trail where you want. jmo

Have the spruce in the screen to the left (west) like the ideas mentioned here thinking of making a corridor like this

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I would also spray it with gly before dragging the tops in.

Also, feel free to plant some high value shrubs here and there to give the birds desired species to poopagate propagate.

Well theres almost 4 dozen crabs/apples/pears in the food plot to the east do they count? Would like to get some more hawthorns and maybe some bushier shrubs any suggestions?

 

[fishin coyote]

Ninebarks, Plums etc. you can get them from the PGC

 

[Brian662]

Many consider red osier dogwood to be the best shrub for deer preference. It's often cited that it likes wet feet (and it does) but I've had luck planting and propagating the plant in dry ground, rainfall dependent on the propagation.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Many consider red osier dogwood to be the best shrub for deer preference. It's often cited that it likes wet feet (and it does) but I've had luck planting and propagating the plant in dry ground, rainfall dependent on the propagation.

That field is pretty dry (it’s the top of a kinda steep side bank) but if the deer like them they might be worth a try anyway…

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Ninebarks, Plums etc. you can get them from the PGC

Have tried Chickasaw plum without much success..would that be American plum?

 

[fishin coyote]

American plums are a different species I believe.

 

[Telemark]

Well theres almost 4 dozen crabs/apples/pears in the food plot to the east do they count? Would like to get some more hawthorns and maybe some bushier shrubs any suggestions?

A bird can't generally eat a fruit that big. I'm thinking more dogwoods, ninebark, blackberries, beauty berries, elderberry, shadbush, etc.

And a low dose of switchgrass into that prepped field would probably give you an incredible staging area.