Patch cut areas

[Bluff Buck]

I have my 40 acre wooded parcel in the MFL program. Per the agreement, I had it logged per the cutting notice this past winter. The cutting notice identified that four one acre patches would be harvested and intended for deer habitat. The logging contract states that the property will be harvested per the logging cutting notice. After speaking with the DNR and the logger, it was verbally agreed upon that the four one acre areas would be cut leaving all trees 6”-8” in diameter. After the logging is complete, I would hinge these smaller trees to create deer bedding in these areas. The logging didn’t happen per our verbal discussions. The logger cut every tree in each one acre area leaving me no trees left to hinge for deer bedding. All the tree logs that weren’t marketable were left lying on the ground. I believe the logging definition of “harvest” is to cut and remove the cut trees. These logs along with all the slash are laying on the ground creating a tornado zone. I am looking for solutions to work with what I have in these patches to create the best deer habitat that is possible. Do I have the logger come back with a dozer and push all the slash and logs into piles in each patch leaving a wide-open area? Do I take my chainsaw and cut in 10’-20’ wide corridors throughout the tornado zone so the deer will travel into the patches? Do I have the logger, along with his dozer create corridors for deer travel? I appreciate any thoughts you may have that can create a deer bedding in these patches.

 

[Bill]

I would think if you get him to use the dozer to clear the areas they would explode with new growth.

 

[SD51555]

I would raise hell with the DNR forester. If it wasn’t done to plan, I’d make them fix it. They’d raise hell with you if you didn’t follow the plan.

And I’d want it done with a grapple and not a dozer.


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[TreeDaddy]

I would raise hell with the DNR forester. If it wasn’t done to plan, I’d make them fix it. They’d raise hell with you if you didn’t follow the plan.

And I’d want it done with a grapple and not a dozer.


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Adios topsoil,otherwise

bill

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Is the DNR involved with the timber harvest at all, or do they just write the logging plan that you are required to follow? I'd probably just talk to the DNR forester and tell him what the logger did and ask what the next step should be.

As far as the deer hunting goes, the thicker the better if you are not in wolf country. You will have an explosion in growth now that sunlight hits the ground, so your deer bedding area will be good with or without the hinge cut trees. I would leave all the tree tops where they fell to increase the likelihood of oak regeneration (assuming you cut oaks). Those downed tree tops will act as tree cages, allowing some good trees to escape browsing.

I would not take a bulldozer to the woods.

 

[Bluff Buck]

Thanks for your input Ben! the loss of all of the trees shocked me at first. I am a little worried that the slash would be too thick to entice deer to enter the area. Knowing what i have to work with i am thinking of cutting 5'+/- wide corridors through the slash and fallen logs. I will be planting cedars, spruce and maybe some green giant arborvitaes throughout the one acre bedding area in the slash to keep the deer from feasting on them for a few years.

 

[Bluff Buck]

I would think if you get him to use the dozer to clear the areas they would explode with new growth.

thanks for your input Bill!

 

[Bluff Buck]

I would raise hell with the DNR forester. If it wasn’t done to plan, I’d make them fix it. They’d raise hell with you if you didn’t follow the plan.

And I’d want it done with a grapple and not a dozer.


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Thanks for your input TreeDaddy!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Thanks for your input Ben! the loss of all of the trees shocked me at first. I am a little worried that the slash would be too thick to entice deer to enter the area. Knowing what i have to work with i am thinking of cutting 5'+/- wide corridors through the slash and fallen logs. I will be planting cedars, spruce and maybe some green giant arborvitaes throughout the one acre bedding area in the slash to keep the deer from feasting on them for a few years.

Since you mentioned MFL, I'm assuming you are in Wisconsin. What part of Wisconsin are you in?

I had my place in SE MN logged 4 years ago and it was a tangled mess of tree tops in many areas, but some areas were somewhat open. I had the logger clean up the logging roads for my future access, but he left all the tree tops where they fell. Some were huge too as I had a lot of big cottonwoods cut, but the deer still had no issue walking around or bedding near those big tree tops.

 

[Bluff Buck]

I am in south central Wisconsin, 20 miles west of Baraboo, in the Baraboo Hills.

 

[Carbonspyder]

Leaving tops is something more loggers/foresters are doing in heavy deer areas in WI for the purpose of oak regeneration. Pulpwood is also difficult to get rid of right now so it's often done to save the landowner and logger money. MFL plans are fairly flexible with DNR approval so long as its good silviculture, I actually am certified to write them myself and am fairly familiar with them.

That being said I would do what others suggest and leave the tops in most places to keep deer away from regeneration, patch cuts are done to promote oak usually and to outcompete deer browse. If you wanted you could cut some small paths through the tops to funnel deer movement, but just know it won't be long before that gets thick and regrows unless you keep after it.

I should also add, get in contact with your tax law specialist (the DNR MFL forester for your county) and politely ask him some questions about how the cutting was done and ideas for the patches/what he thinks they will look like in a couple years. They're usually very nice and helpful people, and most enjoy hunting and being in the woods as much or more than us.

 

[Brian662]

Two things I would do that you already seem on your way to doing-
1. Consult the local forester about a plan forward
2. Cut trails through the heavy stuff for deer to utilize. This is your chance to really create bedding exactly where you want it but it's going to be a time consuming project.


My MFL plan call for some patch clear cuts in a year or two, I was told by a few loggers that it is expensive work for them to complete at the same time as cutting the marketable timber. Basically, they wanted me to pay them for their time to cut everything down, my MFL forester told me to apply for EQIP grants to offset costs for this. I'm surprised your loggers did it for free. I wouldn't be too concerned about the lack of structure, I believe it'll thicken up quick in 1-2 growing seasons.

Good luck, you're in a cool area with some nice deer.