Hinging

[Hunt 365]

Made use of the snow days and went hinging yesterday and today. It is absolutely remarkable how the canopy opens ups with some elbow grease. Took out all sweet gums, maples, hickories and elms less than 12 in. So trash trees turn to food. Going to girdle and poison the rest, and put swamp white oak among 'em. Did about 3 acres bw me and a buddy. Being as this property i purchased last year is only 34 acres, I need the thick bedding area ( and added browse) to hold deer. Pics to follow, will try to do some winter and next summer

 

[BSK]

Going to girdle and poison the rest...

Good luck with that. I've had more trouble killing trees with any technique short of cutting them down than I could have imagined. Who knew killing trees was so tough?

 

[diamond hunter]

Ive been on Beech tree kill mode with a chainsaw,wedge and sledge.

 

[BSK]

Ive been on Beech tree kill mode with a chainsaw,wedge and sledge.

I truly hate young beeches and the way they hold their leaves all season. And I don't like the mature ones much either! A single mature beech can have a canopy than nearly covers a quarter acre.

 

[Mike Belt]

I guess it all depends on how much of what you have in your areas. Here in SW TN we don't have a lot of beech trees..at least not where I've hunted. We may find a few off ridges along creeks or scattered in the woods. I like them and can almost count on finding scrapes under most I see.

 

[BSK]

Because beeches are very shade tolerant, they will hang in there under the canopy until released by removing the taller more mature oaks. In areas of the Highland Rim, beech become the climax tree species. The end up dominating the forest, especially the understory.

 

[Football Hunter]

Because beeches are very shade tolerant, they will hang in there under the canopy until released by removing the taller more mature oaks. In areas of the Highland Rim, beech become the climax tree species. The end up dominating the forest, especially the understory.

They sure do,I have plenty to cut,and it seems like Ive cut thousands......

 

[BSK]

In the Highland Rim, anywhere you thin the canopy, suddenly the area fills with young beaches. Hate those things. Talk about limiting visibility...

 

[TheLBLman]

In the Highland Rim, anywhere you thin the canopy, suddenly the area fills with young beaches. Hate those things. Talk about limiting visibility...

However, in some of the more mature hardwoods, those young beeches can actually provide just enough security cover to increase daylight deer movement. Ah, and the mid-morning sound of rattling beech leaves when the air starts to stir a bit ---- nothing like it to get an older buck to get off his bed and wander around a bit.

Have you considered more a plan of shooting lanes thru them, rather than total annihilation?

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Ive been on Beech tree kill mode with a chainsaw,wedge and sledge.

I truly hate young beeches and the way they hold their leaves all season. And I don't like the mature ones much either! A single mature beech can have a canopy than nearly covers a quarter acre.

exactly.I been cutting down the beaches.

 

[BSK]

Have you considered more a plan of shooting lanes thru them, rather than total annihilation?

I have so many acres dominated by young beeches that clearing some of it is necessary. If I want cover, I'll create it in a very structured manner, exactly where I want it to be.

 

[Hunt 365]

beeches….girdling, and a little diesel/roundup mix…deader than heck in 6 months

 

[BSK]

I've had a lot of success killing young beeches with hack-and-squirt (using undiluted Roundup concentrate). But it seems nothing kills a mature beech.

 

[buckaroo]

Tordon, works for me

 

[Hunt 365]

I've had a lot of success killing young beeches with hack-and-squirt (using undiluted Roundup concentrate). But it seems nothing kills a mature beech.

You're right on the big ones....but big beeches, ones we did in January 2014 died this past spring...took 16 months but eventually died. Younger ones 6 months

I will look up Tordon too. Thanks for the tip.

 

[diamond hunter]

The thicket you can create by killing Beech trees help wildlife far more than the Beech tree itself,Im 100% percent sure of this.It is NOT an important timber tree,Turkeys may roost there but they will roost in other trees when they are gone.(I do not want on my farm bears,raccoon,foxes,porcupines or possum,another reason to sharpen my saw)

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Have you guys checked into the benefits of Beech trees? Here's what Peterson's Field Guide says about Beech trees, "An important timber species, quality of wood is fair, used for furniture, tool handles, and veneer. Fruit is eaten by ruffed grouse, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, pheasant, black bear, raccoon, red and gray foxes, whitetail deer, cottontail rabbit, all squirrels, porcupines, and opossum."

I'd not be killing them without a very good reason.

But they only have bumper crops, every few years. Cutting them down will produce more food in one season than that beech tree will in a decade or more. Timber value may be good, IF you find one that isn't hollow. I can't personally show you a mature beech that isn't hollow

 

[diamond hunter]

Yes Yes Yes x10000000