Timber/tag alder cost share programs

[ruskbucks]

I talked to my forester yesterday. He said he wants to go over some programs that I might be interested in. One was a mature tag alder cutting. He said that they would pay $480 acre to cut mature tags to promote regrowth for woodcock,grouse,etc. Has anyone done a program like this. I figure I would have to rent the equipment.

 

[Jason]

never heard of it. but, how would you cut it? I've thought about cutting mine but it's so think i'm not even sure how i'd cut it. best thing i have is a stihl bicycle handle brush cutter. that would take forever.

 

[younggun1849]

Boy that sounds like a good deal! I love cutting tag alders for free as they grow back and provide awesome cover and browse! I was pheasant hunting my place last week and walked into a small area I cut tag alders and some other trees last year and I was very impressed with the regrowth! Mother Nature is a crazy thing, how you can cut a tree and have this grow in 9 months blows my mind.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That's interesting, I've never heard of those types of programs. Is this part of a MFL program or is this something else?

I have several acres of alders as well as a bunch of other swampy brush and forest types and I always wondered if there was a way to make it better. Let us know what you come up with.

 

[bwoods11]

So if you bought a tag alder swamp for $500 an acre, you could pay for your property in one year (close to it)??

 

[ruskbucks]

I didn't really get any details, after he marks my woods we will get together and go over options. I used a forestry mower to clear tags and brush where my food plots are now. It worked awesome. I'm sure I would have to rent one of those at my cost. It mowed them down with ease. It will most likely be like some of the other programs, strict guide lines, rules, etc. I don't think it has anything to do with mfl, since tag alder/ upland brush doesn't qualify for the program. I wonder where the money would come from? It could possibly be from the ruffed grouse society, I know the forester is a member.

 

[NWWI]

That is very interesting. Please keep us posted. It sure would be a mess when done!

 

[biglakeba$$]

Is it a WHIP program through the NRCS?

I am signed up for buckthorn removal at $100 per acre for 6 acres. Once completed, I can sign up and keep on going.

I was cautioned to not sign up for too much, because if I dont finish the work within 3 years, then I would be penalized. So 6 acres should be a breeze, get that done and sign up again.

 

[West Branch]

Nice, I have close to 10 acres of tag alders. I have messed around in it a bit with a skid steer brush chopper and mature tag alders go down easy. The bases always seemed a bit soft. I really need to look into some of these programs. I have got two letters in the last year from the NRCS about sharptail grouse but I didn't look at them that closely.

 

[NWWI]

Those forestry mowers look pretty cool. It would be fun to watch them in action. My stand of tag alders might be a little too wet to get much for heavy equipment through. I hope I could achieve the same with a chainsaw.

 

[ELH]

I think technical assistance and possible funding is part of the Upper Great lakes Young Forest Initiative.
Information in this link.
http://www.timberdoodle.org/greatLakes

 

[nwmn]

This is great, let's say you have 10 acres of alder to cut. THey'll pay you $4800 to cut it, or pay up to $480/acre? I know a guy with a hydro ax that could mow all of our swamp in a breeze so that would be cool if there was monetary incentive to do so.

 

[wiscwhip]

I think technical assistance and possible funding is part of the Upper Great lakes Young Forest Initiative.
Information in this link.
http://www.timberdoodle.org/greatLakes

Thanks for posting this ELH! It explained something I have been curious about since my youth. Now I know why the woodcock flocked into the old farmstead field next to our old place when I was a kid. I found it out one evening while walking back from jump hunting wood ducks in our creek bottoms. It was the perfect setup there. Tag alder bottoms for daytime feeding and the old field for roosting backed up to within 50 yards of the bottoms. For about 2-3 weeks each fall they would pile out of the bottoms into that field about 10 minutes before closing time. Fun to watch and great shooting the few times I actually took something other than 3" mag #2's with me on my walks. Now it has new owners and is completely grown over with 30' jackpine.:(