North Facing Slope Question.

[JackTerp]

My hunting in PA is over for the year. It is traditionally been only an archery adventure for me for the past 12 years as I live in SC.

During this past season, I spent more time in areas of the property that I have avoided in previous seasons because of the open nature of these locations. Both areas are steeper slopes that are mature forests with little to no undergrowth.

I began wondering if we could improve these areas with some shrubs or low growing trees to obscure views that can be over 200 yards in any direction. The two areas I am thinking about are north facing slopes with very little direct sunlight at all. There are already a couple places on both slopes where the canopy is wide open and yet almost nothing grows there. Any suggestions?

Both areas have numerous deer trails through them. Camera work has shown they are only used late at night. The ferns and other low growing ground cover type plants offer no food value and very little in the way of bedding cover. Any hunter could easily watch this entire area from one vantage point, but the deer just are not there during daylight hours.

Both of these areas are about 10 acres each with mature oaks, shagbark hickory and some beech.

 

[shawnv]

You might have better luck clear cutting some strips along those north slopes opposed to planting anything.

 

[John-W-WI]

I would agree with shawn - planting probably won't work very well.

Mother nature will grow stuff anywhere she can. If those areas don't have something growing in them now, I doubt you will get anything to grow there either.

Beyond cutting/hinging MAYBE a small seed mix of some kind, wildflowers or something? Just a guess.

I bet lime would help a lot as well.

-John

 

[Rally1148]

How dry is this place? I'd say clear cut some pockets, and see what shows up. By pockets I'm saying like a 100 foot x 100 foot square/oval. Wait a few years and see what pop up. Whatever grows there will give you an idea of what other plants might be able to hang in there based on the soil/water/light requirements of the plants that regen naturally. Maybe not even pockets that large, just enough to let in a few hours of light.

 

[sandbur]

Try some conifers in there?

Red cedar?

 

[JackTerp]

Try some conifers in there?

Red cedar?

Funny you should mention red cedar. We do not have a single conifer of any kind on the property. We have tried to plant white pine and the deer follow behind us and eat them.I have a lot of red cedar here at my home property and was thinking of trying to transplant some of them. Or maybe collect the seeds and see if I can start some seedlings myself. Even if they don't grow well, they could provide some line of sight disruption.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

What part of Pa. if I can ask ?? I am a lifelong Pa. resident and have lots of experience planting on north slopes.

I'd suggest some fairly heavy logging to let as much light as possible in. I've had good luck planting Norway spruce on north slopes to provide road screening and security/bedding cover on our north slopes. Hemlock and any of the birch family are good candidates for a north slope. When we logged a section of a north slope, we got natural regeneration of black, white, and yellow birch, as well as hemlock. Blowing seeds, birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and mice will all spread seeds. White pine don't get bothered by deer at my camp - too many other things to eat. We planted Norway and white spruce to add to the natural regeneration and supply thicker, lower branching that stays close to the ground. Pines and hemlock will lose their lower branches as they age and grow - spruce won't. Spruce make excellent visual and wind breaks. That area became our best deer-holding area. Thick - calm - quiet.

 

[Rally1148]

What part of Pa. if I can ask ?? I am a lifelong Pa. resident and have lots of experience planting on north slopes.

I'd suggest some fairly heavy logging to let as much light as possible in. I've had good luck planting Norway spruce on north slopes to provide road screening and security/bedding cover on our north slopes. Hemlock and any of the birch family are good candidates for a north slope. When we logged a section of a north slope, we got natural regeneration of black, white, and yellow birch, as well as hemlock. Blowing seeds, birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and mice will all spread seeds. White pine don't get bothered by deer at my camp - too many other things to eat. We planted Norway and white spruce to add to the natural regeneration and supply thicker, lower branching that stays close to the ground. Pines and hemlock will lose their lower branches as they age and grow - spruce won't. Spruce make excellent visual and wind breaks. That area became our best deer-holding area. Thick - calm - quiet.

I can say that happens in our spruce patches as well. Pines give you that "vacant understory" that you'd get with an old oak/hickory/beech forest. just much younger trees.

 

[JackTerp]

What part of Pa. if I can ask ?? I am a lifelong Pa. resident and have lots of experience planting on north slopes.

I'd suggest some fairly heavy logging to let as much light as possible in. I've had good luck planting Norway spruce on north slopes to provide road screening and security/bedding cover on our north slopes. Hemlock and any of the birch family are good candidates for a north slope. When we logged a section of a north slope, we got natural regeneration of black, white, and yellow birch, as well as hemlock. Blowing seeds, birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and mice will all spread seeds. White pine don't get bothered by deer at my camp - too many other things to eat. We planted Norway and white spruce to add to the natural regeneration and supply thicker, lower branching that stays close to the ground. Pines and hemlock will lose their lower branches as they age and grow - spruce won't. Spruce make excellent visual and wind breaks. That area became our best deer-holding area. Thick - calm - quiet.

Our property is in the Washington County, Claysville area. Although their is some value in the timber, we have been advised that it needs at least another ten years to be worth a loggers time. I don't see us clear cutting anything. We have dropped a few trees that were very badly deformed, but even in areas with a more open canopy, these areas get almost no direct sunlight to the forest floor.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Jack -It's OK to not have direct sunlight on the ground. Light from the sky is important, too. The section I mentioned at my camp doesn't get direct sunlight either, but opening the canopy will make a difference for sure. Taking out deformed trees, damaged or diseased trees is the way to go for now. Opening and thinning will get your marketable timber growing quicker from less competition and more light. The north slope at camp is shady and damp. It gets filtered sunlight in June & July when the sun is highest in the sky - other than that it's shade city.

I think you'll get spruce to grow there if you do some opening / thinning. Spruce will tolerate some shade - they just grow quicker the more open it is. Other trees are bound to sprout too. Maybe some blackberries, raspberries, etc. ??