Red Cedar Carnage

[Mortenson]

I've got a field like that. Every year I say I'm going to thin them out a bit so they aren't close enough to self prune. I really need to do that soon.

Oleo's look like they may be a deer desert.

Like cutting a mulberry from a fenceline. Every time, I say why didn't I take this one out last year. Heck, I could probably still drag the bush hog over half those cedars in that pic.

 

[West_Fork]

There is always tebuthiuron for when you want to put off the inevitable.

 

[Bill]

There is always tebuthiuron for when you want to put off the inevitable.

Spray it and forget or do you have to scar the bark like tordon?

 

[scatterlands]

Better to push up and burn . Cedars that thick mulched will take years for something else to push thru . Been there done that . I have paid the stupid tax way to many times . Good thing I have finally started getting it right after 20 years in habitat improvements.

 

[buckdeer1]

I would cut out trails and have them go by different big cedars that will hold a stand for different winds. Cedars are like any other kind of cover and a deer will walk right through places a human wouldn't crawl through.Go ahead and thin and like mentioned dig a hole and when you get a rain or snow burn them.We are lucky that in Kansas about all we have to do to burn is call dispatch and get a permit or call the local control burn number. Seems funny you are cutting them down and I got an insurance check for neighbor burning mine up. I will try find a pic of some deer in cedars.

 

[West_Fork]

Spray it and forget or do you have to scar the bark like tordon?

It's soil and species dependent, but just a few pellets at the base of the tree. Spike 20p is the one I am familiar with.

 

[Catscratch]

Another tool that might be a good option is a tree shear for the skid steer. It'll cut flush to the ground (no stumps or root balls to mess with), leaves a smooth surface that doesn't need gone back over to make a trail, and can carry your tree to the burn pile. Would be great if you wanted to cut trails.

 

[buckdeer1]

Thats one thing about cedars,you cut them below lowest limb and they don't resprout

 

[bigboreblr]

Ever took soil samples. Red cedar grow is quite barren areas. Thicket trumps bare land.

Forestry mulchers on skid steers are not that fast, especially in mature stuff. IT may take several hours to do one acre. $1000/acre isn't that bad. You can have him do a few acres. MAke fire breaks and a foodplot or two. Then burn in between the firebreaks.

If renting, make sure you can locally source new mulcher blades if needed. MAke sure you got plenty of extra diesel around. Those bigger skid steers are thristy.

Consider saving some, to keep a sannctuary if you don't have anything like that nearby. Easy to make deer come, harder to make them stay. MAking wide trails that you can use fod foodplots through thick stuff is an awesome way to hunt. On stand and sneaking around the corners on foot. Those trail plots can be used as fire breaks later if desired.

 

[sandbur]

Felled Cedars can also be used as windrows/ obstacles to direct deer flow.

I have used them for that purpose

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Burn baby burn

 

[Catscratch]

I'm a huge advocate for burning for habitat, but please be careful if you do decide to strike a match. Things can go sideways quickly and cedars are prone to get hot, very hot. Make your firebreaks extra wide and be sure to notify the proper authorities ahead of time. I like you possibilities!

 

[buckdeer1]

Another thing is theres usually a reason cedars are growing there.I have most of my cedars in the sandiest areas of my farm.Alot of you see them wheres there is alot of acidic soil and not much else will grow there

 

[Tree Spud]

Before I do a significant cut or clearing, I want to make what I want to grow next, will actually grow there. Start small, test, and then evaluate. I know to some cedars are invasive or a nuisance. I would love to have more on my property as they provide great cover. Cutting a tree down can take 1 minutes. Growing a tree to a useful stage can take years.

 

[Kdog]

Another tool that might be a good option is a tree shear for the skid steer. It'll cut flush to the ground (no stumps or root balls to mess with), leaves a smooth surface that doesn't need gone back over to make a trail, and can carry your tree to the burn pile. Would be great if you wanted to cut trails.

This looks like a great option if you move forward. I think the mulcher will leave too much debris and prevent future growth.

 

[cbw]

We had 10 acres of ERC similar to yours. We ended up getting EQIP money to cut and burn. We used a tree sheer on a skid steer last summer to drop them all where they lay. We will be doing the burn this spring. We left the edges for screening by your entry/exits. Plus left a few scattered for thermal cover.


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

We had 10 acres of ERC similar to yours. We ended up getting EQIP money to cut and burn. We used a tree sheer on a skid steer last summer to drop them all where they lay. We will be doing the burn this spring. We left the edges for screening by your entry/exits. Plus left a few scattered for thermal cover.


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Any pics? I have about the same area in cedars and I’m afraid to mess with it too much. I know it’s a “desert” but the dang deer love to bed in it.

 

[cbw]

Any pics? I have about the same area in cedars and I’m afraid to mess with it too much. I know it’s a “desert” but the dang deer love to bed in it.

Here’s what I posted in the land tours thread in Sept. https://habitat-talk.com/threads/williams-creek-farm-of-sw-iowa.16734/post-354147


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[hillrunner]

Here’s what I posted in the land tours thread in Sept. https://habitat-talk.com/threads/williams-creek-farm-of-sw-iowa.16734/post-354147


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I like how far out in front of the loader that shear sits. I haven't been able to find one like that online. Do you know the brand name or is that fabricated to be that way?

 

[buckdeer1]

I planted my cedars in E-W direction so if we ever get real cold again they can bed out of wind.I just move the new ones with tree spade when I have a new plan