Select Cut For Wildlife.

JCS · Dec 21, 2014

Well...I never thought I would ever have my property cut. But after reading more about the benefits and contacting my local forester...I'm about to take the plunge. There is zero evidence that it's ever been cut. Not a single stump to be found and 100 ft canopy with oaks on the ridge that are 200 years old. All my food is also 100 ft high and the woods is fairly open as you can imagine. I do have some cedar thickets but they are choking out all persimmons and other mast. The most important piece of the equation is the logher in my opinion. He will cut only what I request and does not work off bids. This fine gentleman is nearly 70 and still runs a saw everyday. One of the finest and kind man I've ever met...and more importantly an avid deer hunter. I'm and 100 percent not doing this for the money. It's all about the wildlife...mostly deer focused.

I'm cutting mostly poplar ash hickory gum maple...I see very limited benefit in these trees. There are a few oaks that are going the other way. Rotten limbs and hollow bases.

I'm thinking of maintaining all of the future logging roads and letting the deer zig zag there way thru the new growth and tops. I have 22 acres of ag and 38 in timber.

I read a post from roughly 2010 I believe in which BSK posted about not select cutting the entire property. There are spots where I donr have a tree here and there..roughly acre here and there but I was going to roughly let them cut all mature non mast trees that was choking everything out.

Sorry for the long post but could you guys post some results and some further insight. The gentleman cutting will be leaving what I thought to be really big trees but he said the goal is to have timber that can be cut again in 10 years.

Again...money is not a factor...I just want more cover and food. I know I can't hold deer on 60 acres...just trying to make it more attractive.

lpo1981 · Dec 22, 2014

I did this 2 years ago except on smaller scale. I have 37 acres and let them clear cut the back 10 acres and select cut a 5 acre section. Like yourself I had mature timber and an old field that is over run 40 + year old cedars and pines. My goal was strictly for deer and to provide cover. With that being said during the summer and early part of fall I have never had as many deer on my property, bucks does and fawns.. Concerning thing as in the years past around the last week of October all my bucks have dissapeared except for the younger ones.. Wouldn't saying it's hunting pressure cause in don't hunt till is November. My clear cut section is just now getting to the the point that it's thick. Planning on doing some hinge cuts and cutting a few paths through it and hopefully next year I'll see an increase in use of it.

BSK · Dec 22, 2014

JCS,

Just make sure that the forest is cut relatively hard in patches. You want sunlight on the ground, and the only way to do that is by removing the canopy. A light thinning is OK, as long as a few patches are thinned much harder than "light." When I have patches of timber thinned, I go through after the logger is done and kill out more trees--species I don't want.

JCS · Dec 22, 2014

Brian...PM sent

stringtalker · Dec 22, 2014

I hope you know the logger well. The timber cutters around here destroy the land and leave there trash laying everywhere. The old logging roads that were in good shape are non passible, barely can walk them now. Makes me sick to see how they made a mess of things!!!

Huntaholic · Dec 22, 2014

Dang loggers! LOL better watch em or they will steal your trees, run off with your daughter AND kick your dog! FIgured I might as well beat the rest of the peanut gallery to saying it this time!

op:

JCS · Dec 22, 2014

This guy is top notch and has been cutting for 40 years. I'm not concerned at all about a mess...just want to be sure I make the right kind of mess

weatherby man · Dec 22, 2014

For the sake and future of your woods, select cut it. If money is not an issue the inside openings will thicken up in 2-3 years and allow for a lot of browse. Trash trees will be the first ones up if clear cut and will take longer to get your oaks up and running. This is what I was told by a guy who clear cut his woods. regrets doing it now. You can go in and sling fertilizer in spots you want thicker quicker. I seed some oaks with a little fertilizer and lime every year. Started with a few and now am doing it in 4 spots on that one farm.