Response to logging

[PickettSFHunter]

I had this area cut pretty heavily back in the Winter. It was a thick stand of white oak (70%) with the balance being Southern Red Oak and White pine and soft maple mostly. Most of the early succession this year is 5-6 ft high milkweed as you can you see Good cover at the moment but will thin out soon with frost. I cant wait for this area to start thickening up in the next couple of years.The chainsaw is a deers best friend.

 

[Andy S.]

 

[BSK]

smstone22,

Many of my recent cuts look just the same. In fact, due to our early and wet spring, the weed growth in my new cuts was amazing this summer.

However, I think the weeds in the picture is fireweed. In TN, it is usually the first weed to colonize a new timber cut. Fireweed can grow 10 feet tall.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

smstone22,

Many of my recent cuts look just the same. In fact, due to our early and wet spring, the weed growth in my new cuts was amazing this summer.

However, I think the weeds in the picture is fireweed. In TN, it is usually the first weed to colonize a new timber cut. Fireweed can grow 10 feet tall.

Thanks for the tip, I will definitely research that. I have always heard it called it milkweed by old timers but we know how these common names sometimes get jumbled and are actually incorrect.Hence the reason for latin names. Thanks!

 

[BSK]

smstone22,

I think what you are seeing in those timber cuts is Erechtites heracifolia, commonly called fireweed, instead of Asclepias tuberosa which is butterfly milkweed, or Asclepias variegata which is white milkweed. The milkweeds can be identified by the very large boat-shaped seed pods (8-15 cm long) that split down the sides to release the fluffy airborne seeds. Firweed seeds come from a tiny flower nutlet (looks like the fower itself), unlike the big seed pods of the milkweed plant.


Erechtites heracifolia (fireweed):

https://www.google.com/search?q=erechti ... 31&bih=758

 

[BSK]

This is one of my cuts filled with 7 to 9-foot-tall fireweed the first summer after timber removal:

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Thanks so much BSK!

 

[Kevin B.]

Our cut over is full of that weed with feathery tops!!! Foxtails??? Or something?

 

[Boone 58]

I had this area cut pretty heavily back in the Winter. It was a thick stand of white oak (70%) with the balance being Southern Red Oak and White pine and soft maple mostly. Most of the early succession this year is 5-6 ft high milkweed as you can you see Good cover at the moment but will thin out soon with frost. I cant wait for this area to start thickening up in the next couple of years.The chainsaw is a deers best friend.

They love this kind of cover!!

 

[BSK]

Our cut over is full of that weed with feathery tops!!! Foxtails??? Or something?

Fireweed. It is usually the first plant to colonize any recently created opening. Other species take over the second growing season.

Unfortunately, the fireweed produces little in the way of deer food, although it will produce some summertime fawning cover.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

will be some good hunting

 

[Football Hunter]

Yep,the select cut areas on my place really grew up this year,much better than the food plots???? Guess its mainly cause the stuff growing in the cuts are not that desireable yet.

 

[BSK]

Yep,the select cut areas on my place really grew up this year,much better than the food plots???? Guess its mainly cause the stuff growing in the cuts are not that desireable yet.

Yup, unfortantely, first year growth plants are not the top-quality plants. Top food production in a timber cut area usually occurs during the 2nd and 3rd growing season.