Food Plots Clearing out mature maples on river bank to create high stem bedding/cover

[348Winchester]

I'm starting on some maples pretty soon too. Focusing on red maple mostly. Hoping to create some good thickets in the otherwise wide open hardwoods.

Are you going to fell them or hinge cut them?

 

[Ski]

Are you going to fell them or hinge cut them?

Both. About half are small enough to hinge and of those I'll hinge the ones that make sense. Anything too big to hinge will get stumped and dragged away for firewood. Anything big enough and straight enough will get milled into lumber. Tops will either lay where cut or piled up to burn or strategically placed for cover. The bigger ones really go crazy with volunteer sprouts off the stumps. Stumps tool like they're growing bright red hair, and deer love them.

 

[348Winchester]

Both. About half are small enough to hinge and of those I'll hinge the ones that make sense. Anything too big to hinge will get stumped and dragged away for firewood. Anything big enough and straight enough will get milled into lumber. Tops will either lay where cut or piled up to burn or strategically placed for cover. The bigger ones really go crazy with volunteer sprouts off the stumps. Stumps tool like they're growing bright red hair, and deer love them.

Stump sprouts of maple, oak, and sourwood are gret deer foods on my place. I have a few acres that are lousy with maples of all sizes. I think I'll just fell all of them.