Normally, bneeches take over an area. I work so hard to kill them out, I can't imagine promoting them. They will dominate a hardwood understory and greatly reduce visibility.

man I don't know what your properties look like but anywhere in the woods I've been, I only see a few beech trees. Much more common in the understory is pawpaw, honeysuckle, privet, etc. from my personal experience. Never paid attention to the beech nuts though.

The difference is probably forest age. Beeches tend to dominate the understory in more mature hardwood stands.

The problem with beeches is they are extremely shade tolerant. They can grow in complete shade, unlike most other tree saplings. Hence, even in a complete canopy forest (no sunlight reaching the ground under the canopy), beeches can germinate and grow quite well, thus they end up growing into an entire forest underneath the much taller canopy of the tall hardwood trees. And worse yet, beeches don't lose their leaves in fall. They hold their dead leaves almost all winter. What you get is so many shorter beeches underneath the tall hardwoods that you have nearly zero visibility even from a treestand. Trust me, you don't want beeches. They are the scourge of deer hunters in more mature hardwood stands, and they aren't that important to wildlife.

They are beautiful trees IMO and a hunter can use them for a great cover when tree stand hunting.

As far as them taking over an area- I don't know about that since they are a native species and all.

I have only about six mature beech on 140 acres.

Yup, thin the canopy and the beeches take over, shading out new oak sprouts.

I wish there was a market for the wood. The problem is, once the trees get to sawable size, they are often hollow. But if you find a good tree, beech is beautiful wood. I made a gun-rack out of beech when I was a kid in woodshop.

so,Im guessing when the timber company comes in to select cut the lease,the Beechs will really take off?Any use for them besides aging Budweiser?

so,Im guessing when the timber company comes in to select cut the lease,the Beechs will really take off?Any use for them besides aging Budweiser?

BSK? Does your Garlon 3A mixture work on beeches this time of the year? I figure sept/oct would be best but wasn't able to get out to do much work then.

Trust me, you don't want beeches. They are the scourge of deer hunters in more mature hardwood stands, and they aren't that important to wildlife.

By BSK: I have places on my property, even underneath 80+ year-old complete canopy white oak forests, where 80+% of of the understory is small beeches. Not only will this prevent an oak forest from regenerating if I thin the oaks, but the leaves of the beech saplings block what would normally be long-distance vision in fall. Some of these big mature hardwood forests should produce 100+ yard views after leaf-fall, but the beech hold visual ranges (at treestand height) to about 15 yards.

IMO Beech trees are just eating for free and I cut every one i get a chance to.