Advice to a rookie about hinge cutting or thinning

[G_Man]

Just getting into qdma and such and I'm looking for advice... Did some reading on hinge cutting and creating beds/cover and I think it's what I need to do at my pop's place. Only 20 acres but I have permission to hunt neighborhood's 20ish as well. Dad's looks mostly like this (below picture) and I want to improve it.... Any advice would be appreciated

 

[TS_13]

What kind of trees do you have there? Mature? oaks?

 

[G_Man]

Oaks, ash, walnut (I think) birch, bunch of cedars...

 

[timberjack86]

Cut the birch and cedars. I almost vomited in my mouth at the thought of someone cutting walnut. :sick: Very valuable tree!

 

[primos32]

Definitely needs some sunlight. Might want to think about getting a timber harvest if possible. If not, I agree with timberjack86 above.

 

[treefarmer]

I suggest you identify the trees you don't want (elm, hornbeam,etc.)and kill those using either a chainsaw and herbicide on the stump or an ax and herbicide in the cuts. Fall is the best time to do this but winter can work also. Avoid Spring as the sap takes the herbicide away from the roots. After that see what you have left and decide if you need to cut more perhaps using hinge cutting. You may have cut enough that there will be ample sunlight and nature will create cover.

 

[G_Man]

i'd really love to clear it out a whole bunch, but im positive that pops wouldnt want me to.....soooo i'm gonna clear out some by hand and he will never know. i wont tell if yall wont!!

thanks for the advice...really!

 

[grundsow]

I would caution that the % of trees cut will have a great impact on the SPECIES of new trees that sprout. If the cut is too light, it will favor shade tolerant species like beech, hemlock, sugar maple, etc and not things like red oak, cherry, ash, etc.

 

[G_Man]

i wont get around to it til after deer season, so im gonna get more advice and read more on it. i want to do it right so i'm trying to prepare best i can....so are you saying if i'm gonna cut, then i need to really get a good cut and not just thin out the little stuff?

 

[treefarmer]

Another option, especially if you have a lot of undesireable trees and it would be too many to cut is to perform a "crop tree release" where you identify younger healthy desirable trees that have too much competition and "release" the tree by cutting down the adjacent competition. This allows the desired tree to expand, grow faster and make more acorns - if an oak. This way you reduce your work and don't have to cut too many trees. your dad would appreciate this work, as it improves the woods and doesn't change it too much. Alternatively, cut junk trees for firewood - your dad might see that as a worthwhile endeavor.

 

[Swampster]

That's what I do treefarmer - I cut all my firewood from the junk trees in my bottoms: willow, birch, box elder, iron wood, elder? (looks like elder - gets about 6"-8" across and dies). I'll also thin, but not eradicate ash & maple. Plus I take any crowded, broken, leaning, or otherwise damaged trees regardless of species.

If you heat with wood, you cut enough that you can see a difference in your woods in just a few years. Of course, heating with these trees means you have to use more of them.

 

[G_Man]

treefarmer, that's exactly what i'm planning on doing. I'll just tell pops that i'm cutting firewood for him and me both, while the REAL reason is qdma. waahahahahah. He'll never know!! I'm planning on waiting til after the season is over to start. Gonna open some areas up enough to get a plot in. Really excited about it all.

Thanks for the advice... I'm Loving learning from yall's qdma endeavors.