Hack and squirt?

Football Hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
25,522
Location
Wilson Co/Perry Co
When is the best time,or when is it not worth doing?

How deep to cut? Complete circle?

Garlon or Arsenal seems to be whats reccomended?Co op? Or where?

There are a few Im not gonna try,TO BIG!
 

TS_13

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
1,212
Location
Hendersonville TN
I have always done it in the late/mid summer when the sap is not running up.

I used tsc big and tuff. One good whack with the old axe.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
Late summer and early fall, when water is going down the trunk into the roots.

I use a mixture of Garlon and Arsenal, hacks all the way around the trunk, 3-4 inches apart.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
In spring, your best bet is girlding. You can make a single girdle into which you squirt herbicide, or a double girdle without herbicide.
 

String Music

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
3,233
Location
Knoxville
What BSK said. The worst times are March and April with the best times being during the winter.

I like a 50:50 mix of Garlon 3-A with water. Cuts every 3-4 inches should do the trick. As BSK said, larger trees can be killed with a single chainsaw girdle with herbicide.
 

String Music

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
3,233
Location
Knoxville
Hunter 257W said:
How do you guys make the girdle cut? Just scuff the bark off with a chainsaw?

You need to penetrate the cambium layer. A good 3/4 to 1 inch deep cut all the way around will be sufficient.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
String Music said:
Hunter 257W said:
How do you guys make the girdle cut? Just scuff the bark off with a chainsaw?

You need to penetrate the cambium layer. A good 3/4 to 1 inch deep cut all the way around will be sufficient.

Yup. As long as you can see the "core" wood of the tree, you've cut deep enough (through the water carrying cambium layer). One cut all the way around if you plan to spray herbicide in the cut. Two cuts all the way around (one above the other) without herbicide.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
For me, it's easy (for what I'm trying to accomplish). If it's not a true white, post, red or black oak, it dies!
 

Hunter 257W

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
10,548
Location
Franklin County
Football Hunter said:
BSK said:
For me, it's easy (for what I'm trying to accomplish). If it's not a true white, post, red or black oak, it dies!
Wow,Hickorys and Cherries bring good money,poplars too,but dont feed deer.

Whacking down anything other than an oak does simplify things, don't it? And I can't argue too much against it either for deer management purposes. Although one buck I shot years ago had a stomach packed full of hickory nuts and I do mean packed full.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
Football Hunter said:
BSK said:
For me, it's easy (for what I'm trying to accomplish). If it's not a true white, post, red or black oak, it dies!
Wow,Hickorys and Cherries bring good money,poplars too,but dont feed deer.

Let me clarify "what I'm trying to accomplish." I'm only killing standing trees in areas that have already been logged. I'm trying to remove even more of the canopy than the loggers did, to increase sunlight on the ground and produce more early-stage regrowth. The trees I'm killing are trees that the loggers deemed of low marketable value and left standing. I'm protecting high habitat value oaks for their reseeding value (oak regeneration), while killing most everything else. In addition, 75% of the property is still mature timber that includes beeches, poplars, cherry, hickory, etc.

If I were attempting to improve 100% of the timber, I would be using a different system.
 

Football Hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
25,522
Location
Wilson Co/Perry Co
BSK said:
Football Hunter said:
BSK said:
For me, it's easy (for what I'm trying to accomplish). If it's not a true white, post, red or black oak, it dies!
Wow,Hickorys and Cherries bring good money,poplars too,but dont feed deer.

Let me clarify "what I'm trying to accomplish." I'm only killing standing trees in areas that have already been logged. I'm trying to remove even more of the canopy than the loggers did, to increase sunlight on the ground and produce more early-stage regrowth. The trees I'm killing are trees that the loggers deemed of low marketable value and left standing. I'm protecting high habitat value oaks for their reseeding value (oak regeneration), while killing most everything else. In addition, 75% of the property is still mature timber that includes beeches, poplars, cherry, hickory, etc.

If I were attempting to improve 100% of the timber, I would be using a different system.
Thats makes sense,when I get rid of all my Beeches,if ever,WOW,trees will release,and browse will grow,going at it again tomorrow.
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
Wow, after a day of cutting beeches to improve hunting visibility, and then double-girdling trees in timber thinned areas, I've come to the conclusion that girdling is NOT the way to kill hundreds of trees. Dozens, yes; hundreds, no. Way too physically demanding (and dangerous) on steep terrain.

I don't think I'll be able to lift my left arm for a few days! That chainsaw gets heavy after a full day of cutting, especially holding it at the height and angle necessary for girdling.
 

Football Hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
25,522
Location
Wilson Co/Perry Co
BSK said:
Wow, after a day of cutting beeches to improve hunting visibility, and then double-girdling trees in timber thinned areas, I've come to the conclusion that girdling is NOT the way to kill hundreds of trees. Dozens, yes; hundreds, no. Way too physically demanding (and dangerous) on steep terrain.

I don't think I'll be able to lift my left arm for a few days! That chainsaw gets heavy after a full day of cutting, especially holding it at the height and angle necessary for girdling.
You aint kidding,decided this one was too big,but it wasnt easy just doing this.
0406131523_zps0c84aa74.jpg
 

BSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
80,893
Location
Nashville, TN
Obsession said:
Check out this weeks www.growingdeer.tv show. Grant Woods talks most of the episode about the very topic.

I have not used Roundup as a hack and squirt chemical. I wish Grant had mentioned what concentration he is using.

And the other downside is hack and squirt doesn't work well in spring or early summer.
 

Latest posts

Top