What's with all the witch hazel?
- Thread starter ruskbucks
- Start date
John-W-WI
Administrator
Ya got me.... I have it all over my property, and haven't noticed anything useful from it (might be, I just haven't observed anything).
The seeds shoot out of the plant in the fall, that's pretty cool. Other than that, I don't know why anyone would want more of it? Tag alders seem to do the same thing (create cover), at least the deer like to rub the alders.
-John
The seeds shoot out of the plant in the fall, that's pretty cool. Other than that, I don't know why anyone would want more of it? Tag alders seem to do the same thing (create cover), at least the deer like to rub the alders.
-John
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
It grows wild here in Pa. in various places. It may be browsed when it's young, but I've noticed that on some state land I hunt - where it grows in numbers, there's a lot of buck sign. Rubs, scrapes under the overhanging limbs which seem to droop naturally, and more rubs & rubs & rubs !! ( in it's mature form, it looks kind of like lilac bushes with trunks about 2" in dia. and the tops droop over and hang down somewhat ). I don't know what the deer find so attractive about the witch hazel - it may be a local thing. All I know is that where it grows in patches, there seems to be a concentration of buck sign. On the state land I mentioned, if I want to find buck sign, I head for the patches of witch hazel. If I don't find much sign in there, I don't find much anywhere else in that area. And if I find a ton of sign in the W.H. - there'll be lots of sign all around the area. There's plenty of other cover all around the whole area - so it's not for cover.
I wish I knew the answer to it's attraction. But that's what I observe HERE. That's why I plant it on our camp property. Not a meat & potatoes answer is it ??:oops:
I wish I knew the answer to it's attraction. But that's what I observe HERE. That's why I plant it on our camp property. Not a meat & potatoes answer is it ??:oops:
Funny to hear how different it is just down the road. Last year I started cutting it all down because i found it to be fairly useless for deer; it throws a lot of shade and they do not seem to browse or rub it at all on our property. I did find a spot today where there was a bed under a group of hinged witch hazel, but other than some cover if hinged, it is in the "junk" category at my place and I'm surprised to hear that anyone would plant it.
Having said all of that, it seems like there are probably some significant differences in each micro-climate, i.e. at each camp.
Having said all of that, it seems like there are probably some significant differences in each micro-climate, i.e. at each camp.
chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
Yeah, rubs and scrapes on us. Plenty of it in the understory and edges. I've read of some use by deer and grouse. If I had none, I'd probably plant a little for diversity.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Chicken L. - That's where I'm at - plant a little for diversity. My camp has none now, but in other areas very close to my camp it grows naturally. It doesn't seem to get browsed - at least in it's more mature stages - but there always seems to be concentrated traffic in the spots where it occurs. Rubs and scrapes are common in the witch hazel and I have NO IDEA why. Maybe when bucks rub the trunks, they like the smell (?) from the bark ?? Maybe it's a combination of it's trait of limbs bending over and " hanging " to make an ideal overhanging limb for a scrape ....... and the moist soil they seem to grow in favoring longer, lingering scent traces at a scrape ?? Definitely an understory / edge shrub - tree.
Whatever the reason, bucks just seem to travel thru it with some regularity, at least in October and November. And it may just be a local / regional thing with the deer. Every area has it's own deer " favorites " when it comes to browse, cover, scraping locations, etc.
Steve B. - any ideas on this one ?? Any other guys from Pa. N.Y., Va., or Ohio notice the same attraction in witch hazel patches ?? ( I don't know how far W. H. occurs across the country ).
Whatever the reason, bucks just seem to travel thru it with some regularity, at least in October and November. And it may just be a local / regional thing with the deer. Every area has it's own deer " favorites " when it comes to browse, cover, scraping locations, etc.
Steve B. - any ideas on this one ?? Any other guys from Pa. N.Y., Va., or Ohio notice the same attraction in witch hazel patches ?? ( I don't know how far W. H. occurs across the country ).
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chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
I would not say it gets rubbed by preference, I'd say more just that it is there. For a scrape, it tends to be the right height for a licking stick. It grows in clumps that lean out from each other. That puts branches at the right height, especially on the edge of the woods. Despite having lots of it, it is not good for cover. Not thick enough and see through when leaves drop.
chummer
5 year old buck +
I see what you did there.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Totally agree with Rally and Chickenlittle's observations. I've noticed that the clumps it grows in give a good indication of rack size / spread when they're rubbed. The outer tines and longest tines hit the trunks to the side and rear of the main one being rubbed. A gauge of sorts, so it's handy in that respect if you find a good clump that's been rubbed.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
I bought what was supposed to be hazelnut bushes once and they turned out to be witch hazel. They grow great here and pretty fast. I've never seen a deer rub or browse one. Pick the nuts and put them in a plastic bag. As they ripen the shells will open up and the edible nuts pop out.
First time I did this I just laid a bunch on a table in the basement without a bag - not knowing how they shot out. I had little nuts on the floor everywhere.
First time I did this I just laid a bunch on a table in the basement without a bag - not knowing how they shot out. I had little nuts on the floor everywhere.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Native - Do the witch hazel at your place get big - say, 10 to 12 ft. tall ?? Ours here get that tall and get trunks that are anywhere from 1 1/2" to 2 1/2 " in dia. They seem to be a favorite rubbing tree up here in Pa. - at least in some areas. Not so much for browsing.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Yes, I would say about 12 feet tall and have been planted over 11 years. I don't recall ever seeing one rubbed or browsed. But, they are a good general wildlife bush and I'm happy to have a few in the tree planting.
NorthPotter
5 year old buck +
I do see deer rubs and bedding activity in our WH. Remember there are two types,...virginiana is the fall bloomer we have in PA and I think vernalis blooms spring and its native to Ozarks,...I think..? We have some wild WH and I planted some years ago. I like to see the grouse & woodcock. They like the microclimate under the WH and I know the grouse relish the little black WH seeds.
