#3162351 - 02/13/13 11:20 AM
Cleaning out my clear cuts
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buckaroo
6 Point
Registered: 06/18/09
Posts: 916
Loc: easttennessee
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I have been trying to cut up and brushpile my trees i've cut down over the years. I think it looks better and allows more sunlight to the forest floor, but man it's alot of work am I the only one doing this?
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#3162404 - 02/13/13 12:17 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: buckaroo]
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Hollar Hunter
8 Point
Registered: 11/05/10
Posts: 1692
Loc: TN
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If its a clearcut I would just push it all up in a pile and burn it... When I go around cutting beech trees I leave them to make the forest floor thicker. They will break down in a couple years except for the trunks...
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Spend your time where you get the most return on it...
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#3162420 - 02/13/13 12:38 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: Hollar Hunter]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
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Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59668
Loc: Nashville, TN
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I don't "clean up" timber cut or thinned areas, for several reasons. First, those downed treetops make excellent bedding spots. This speeds up the use of the area for bedding activity. With those treetops in place, deer will begin using the area for bedding immediately after the timbering is finished, instead of having to wait 2 or 3 years for the regrowth the reach the "bedding cover" growth stage.
Second, all of those limbs, branches and treetops produce de facto "exclusion cages" that protect highly desirable browse plants. In essence, without those branches and treetops protecting these highly desirable plants from deer browse pressure, deer would eat them out of existence.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3162472 - 02/13/13 01:19 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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lpo1981
6 Point
Registered: 01/20/12
Posts: 599
Loc: Dickson, TN
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What about if you are thinning a hilltop that is predominantly cedar trees and pines. Would you also cut and let them lay on the ground w/o clearing them?
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#3162479 - 02/13/13 01:28 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: lpo1981]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
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What about if you are thinning a hilltop that is predominantly cedar trees and pines. Would you also cut and let them lay on the ground w/o clearing them?
Unless I was going to sell the cut trees, I would leave them lay. However, if they completely cover the ground to the point no sunlight is getting down to the soil, then I would pull the downed trees into piles.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3162482 - 02/13/13 01:31 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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lpo1981
6 Point
Registered: 01/20/12
Posts: 599
Loc: Dickson, TN
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Well I plan on selling them if I can find somebody to buy them. Was going to cut them and delimb them and pull the logs out but leave the branches. That's what I was worried about was no sunlight getting to the ground with the branches left
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#3162503 - 02/13/13 01:50 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: lpo1981]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
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That's what I was worried about was no sunlight getting to the ground with the branches left
I would want around 70% of the soil surface exposed.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3162510 - 02/13/13 01:53 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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Football Hunter
18 Point
Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 24708
Loc: Wilson Co/Perry Co
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Nope,I just drop em,and let em lay.
_________________________
The best day to plant a tree,IS TODAY!
You wont know,if you dont go!
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#3162581 - 02/13/13 02:42 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: Football Hunter]
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buckaroo
6 Point
Registered: 06/18/09
Posts: 916
Loc: easttennessee
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I guess I should just cut the trunk parts and get them out?
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#3162679 - 02/13/13 03:34 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: buckaroo]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
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Registered: 03/11/99
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Not necessarily. Just depends on how much of the ground is being covered by tree parts.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3162791 - 02/13/13 05:24 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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buckaroo
6 Point
Registered: 06/18/09
Posts: 916
Loc: easttennessee
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These areas are on hilly terrain, before I started cleaning it up deer were not using it because it required alot energy to get through the maze of limbs
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#3162797 - 02/13/13 05:32 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: buckaroo]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
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These areas are on hilly terrain, before I started cleaning it up deer were not using it because it required alot energy to get through the maze of limbs
Just wait until regrowth starts and those limbs start to rot away. They will use it! When it comes to hardwood timber cuts, I want them as nasty as possible. I've seen deer run full-tilt through jungles of downed trees I can't crawl through.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3162805 - 02/13/13 05:37 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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buckaroo
6 Point
Registered: 06/18/09
Posts: 916
Loc: easttennessee
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Ok, I'll let go!
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#3162847 - 02/13/13 06:09 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: buckaroo]
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jar
4 Point
Registered: 08/06/12
Posts: 140
Loc: tn, rutherford county
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Would fertilizing the new growth in a clear cut be worth the effort to jump start the new growth.
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#3162914 - 02/13/13 06:43 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: jar]
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buckaroo
6 Point
Registered: 06/18/09
Posts: 916
Loc: easttennessee
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I'm thinking yes, high on nitrogen
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#3163771 - 02/14/13 10:56 AM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: BSK]
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Football Hunter
18 Point
Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 24708
Loc: Wilson Co/Perry Co
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These areas are on hilly terrain, before I started cleaning it up deer were not using it because it required alot energy to get through the maze of limbs Just wait until regrowth starts and those limbs start to rot away. They will use it! When it comes to hardwood timber cuts, I want them as nasty as possible. I've seen deer run full-tilt through jungles of downed trees I can't crawl through.
_________________________
The best day to plant a tree,IS TODAY!
You wont know,if you dont go!
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#3164076 - 02/14/13 03:33 PM
Re: Cleaning out my clear cuts
[Re: jar]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59668
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Would fertilizing the new growth in a clear cut be worth the effort to jump start the new growth.
Honestly, in most locations, throwing out all the pelletized lime you can would do far more than adding fertilizer.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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