Landlord's habitat improvements (I hope)

[landlord]

Started to mow the SE end of the grassy shrub swamp last weekend till I blew the belt on my mower. I am going to build up individual spots to add fruit trees.

 

[landlord]

I also put in a scrape area at the intersection of 2 well used trails.

 

[landlord]

This weekend I will get some pics of the Norways I planted this spring. They are putting on new growth nicely.
The green ash hinge very nice. I hope they will live for years in a horizontal position.

 

[landlord]

I was able to get an access trail to one of my stands cleared, sprayed and mowed. Now I will just stay out of the woods until hunting season.

 

[bueller]

That is a nice looking trail through some THICK stuff. I bet you aren't the only one using it ;)

 

[landlord]

A few of the Norways planted this spring.

You can also see some of the millet coming up around the puddle.
And one of the apples.

 

[wiscwhip]

If you find the Norways struggle in locations like that, try black spruce. Black spruce are more tolerant of a high water table and wet soils than Norways.

 

[landlord]

That is a nice looking trail through some THICK stuff. I bet you aren't the only one using it ;)

I tried to block it on both sides, but there are some thin spots. One side is the screening around a food plot. That side nothing will get thru, the thin spots will get worked on this winter after I see the activity this season.

 

[landlord]

I tried to block it on both sides, but there are some thin spots. One side is the screening around a food plot. That side nothing will get thru, the thin spots will get worked on this winter after I see the activity this season.

Here is a view towards the plot from the stand.

This was taken before I mowed the trail. The trail comes from the top right. The area to the left is where I will need to improve.

 

[landlord]

If you find the Norways struggle in locations like that, try black spruce. Black spruce are more tolerant of a high water table and wet soils than Norways.

I will be getting some next spring. That spot never held water till I had composted cow manure put there, now it stays wet. I am thinking of having a small water hole dug there since it is on the edge of a small foodplot.
I went with the norways because they grow faster. We'll see next year how they fare. At least most of the 300 I planted are putting on some growth.

 

[landlord]

Struggling a bit to actually grasp what you have going on there, those high resolution aerials are nice, but sometimes they can be hard to decipher. Cutting the tags in sections is a solid plan. Rotating the cut areas every couple of years will keep lots of fresh new growth going while still providing areas with cover that is a bit taller and less dense. Find some of the higher spots in those tag areas and maybe spray some 30' areas to keep the competition down so you can get some black spruce clusters started in there. Good thermal cover in amongst those tag thickets will be welcomed in the heat of summer and the winter months. I would assume you don't have much variation in the elevation on the place, so posting a topo would probably be pointless.

What would you recommend to spray the tags with after they are cut to plant the black spruce in?

 

[landlord]

I hinged most of the maples from the area circled.

Here is a view from the road. You can see the lack of canopy where I did most of the cutting.

 

[wiscwhip]

What would you recommend to spray the tags with after they are cut to plant the black spruce in?

I would normally recommend that someone come along behind you cutting and apply Tordon to the cut stumps with a brush in that situation. The problem is Tordon is highly residual and the extensive interconnected root systems of alder may spread the Tordon into areas you want to plant the spruce. 6 month minimum recommended wait to plant conifers into a Tordon treated area. Otherwise you could do the same thing with a mixture of full strength gly and a bit of diesel fuel, that might do the trick without any residual damage.

 

[PassThrew]

I'm not sure how good this will turn out but here is the pic from web soil survey. The darkest spots are alder, grayer areas are hardwood and brown is grass and willow.View attachment 9047

From my experience in the area (I am most likely within 10 miles of you) IMO your property's strong point is already bedding with all the points sticking into the tags and the amount of edge transition. you can see the trails going through swamp grass between points which is a good sign. The hinge cutting is awesome to give the resident deer native browse as you most likely read in Dr. Brauker's book. But I did get some good advice from Steve B. at seminar a couple years ago about finding the limiting factor on the property, and improving on it. Natural secure bedding that is already on your property can't be created, but it looks like you are using it to your advantage with hinge cuts and travel corridors. Now, IMO some little kill plots with some clover or other perennial to make them waste some time and you should be good. Keep up the good work!

 

[landlord]

From my experience in the area (I am most likely within 10 miles of you) IMO your property's strong point is already bedding with all the points sticking into the tags and the amount of edge transition. you can see the trails going through swamp grass between points which is a good sign. The hinge cutting is awesome to give the resident deer native browse as you most likely read in Dr. Brauker's book. But I did get some good advice from Steve B. at seminar a couple years ago about finding the limiting factor on the property, and improving on it. Natural secure bedding that is already on your property can't be created, but it looks like you are using it to your advantage with hinge cuts and travel corridors. Now, IMO some little kill plots with some clover or other perennial to make them waste some time and you should be good. Keep up the good work!

I would love to get together later this year and pick your brain, and discuss some of these items. I am about 10 mi S of 29 between Cadott and Boyd.

 

[landlord]

Was up this past weekend, still water everywhere. Jap millet came in good, so I have a base for throw and mow.
Clover came in OK where the millet is not too thick.


Here is a view towards the plots from the roof of the cabin.
Plot starts by the dead oak. Millet is 6' tall.

 

[landlord]

I am thinking of planting red osier dogwood out in the swamp next spring. I am looking for suggestions on where to buy them. Probably pick up 300 at least.

 

[wiscwhip]

I am thinking of planting red osier dogwood out in the swamp next spring. I am looking for suggestions on where to buy them. Probably pick up 300 at least.

Keep in mind they can be propagated through cuttings similar to willow, but they are not near as easy to do this way as willow or hybrid poplar. I have had about a 40-50% success rate with ROD cuttings in moist bottomland ground. Use the proper rooting hormone if you try cuttings. Bareroot seedlings might be just as easy, if you can get them cheap enough. Plugs would be easiest, but very few places carry ROD plugs.

 

[wiscwhip]

Glad to hear that millet is doing well for you.

 

[landlord]

If you find the Norways struggle in locations like that, try black spruce. Black spruce are more tolerant of a high water table and wet soils than Norways.

Where would you suggest I get the black spruce from. crashed my computer and lost my bookmarks.