Select cut?

[bluff blind]

Apologies if this has been discussed in depth here before...maybe this is unique.

The land adjacent to mine is beginning a select cut of his 450 acres. I have about 100 acres adjacent (the rest of mine is on other side of large hollow). While the loggers are in there I can get them to sweep through my land at the same time.

With his large tract of 450+ acres getting select cut, will having him select cut 100 of my acres at the same time increase my hunting? Be good for my woods? Shoule I see if he'll do clear cutting on my land? My land in question is ridge top oaks (white and red), and two large stands of mature white and yellow pines. Thanks!

 

[treefarmer]

I suggest you consult with a forester before making a decision. If you leave it to the logger to select trees for cutting he will take the large white and red oaks and leave you with the smaller understory trees which are just as old as the trees cut, but they lost the height battle. The remaining trees don't start growing because they were overtopped for so long. Also the understory trees are frequently undesireable trees - sweetgum, elm, hickory, etc. so your next forest won't be a quality oak forest. I am in your shoes at my farm so I deadened the understory undesireables and am waiting to see if new oaks start growing. If they do, I will clear cut a couple 12 acre areas which will be great for wildlife, make the most money, and attract loggers. Loggers arent' bad people but when you ask for a "select" or "diameter limit" cut you are setting yourself up for disappointment unless you or your forester select the trees to be cut. A consulting forester probably charges 10% to mark and sell your trees but they know who is paying top dollar and the logger wants to get a future cut from the forester so they have an incentive not to cut poorly and run. You will also have a contract to cover things like restoration and insurance and will require the loggers be "Master Logger" trained. Your TN dept. of Forestry Area Forester can visit your site and give you free unbiased advice, which is a good starting point. You may even want to consider replanting loblolly pines on any dry ridge tops for wildlife cover and future income. Talk to a number of people before you decide what is best for your property.

 

[BSK]

bluff blind,

As treefarmer pointed out, to keep from getting ripped off or having timber cut the wrong way for the long-term health of the forest, consult a forester. That is what they do for a living and most are quite good at it.

The problem is, 1) what timber harvests are economically viable; 2) what timber harvests are best for wildlife; and 3) what timber harvest will produce the best hunting are often diametrically opposed. Cutting for maximum economic return can lead to very, very difficult hunting over the next 15 years. Cutting for the best hunting results may not be economically viable.

It gets complicated, and often you have to weight one of the factors above the others so that conficts between practices are tipped towards your top priority.

 

[bluff blind]

Thanks to all....great stuff. I've learned a lot on here.

BSK, I'm not primarily concerned with making the most $$. I'm primarily concerned with improving my wildlife / hunting experience. And wondering, since the logger is gonna be tearing it up next door on the 450 acres, could I benefit from him swiping through some of my place as well, either continuing his "select cut" (14" and up), or getting him to do a couple clear cuts on my place while he's there.

OR, since this guys 450 is ALL getting "select cut", does it make a difference what I do on my acres since so much habitat will get "worked on" right next door? (Thanks man....btw, you've walked my land with me! Had a great time!)

 

[bluff blind]

..and I will consult a forester....great advice!

 

[BDS05]

Bluffblind, you're not in pinewood are you?

 

[BSK]

bluff blind,

For hunting, one thing you absolutely do not want to do is select cut all of your property. That would produce maximum economic return, and would produce the food and cover wildlife seek, but in 3-4 years your entire property would be so thick as to be virtually unhuntable for the following 10 years. In addition, the timber harvest practices that can make hunting better involve creating maximum habitat diversity (the number of different habitat tpyes in a given area). Select-cutting all of the propery would just create another single habitat everywhere, reducing diversity. For better hunting, you want to create a patchwork quilt of as many duifferent habitat types as possible in close proximity. This produces lots of diversity, and maximizes the amount of huntable habitat edge.

 

[bluff blind]

BDS05, I'm just down the road from Pinewood a bit... (Hickman county).

 

[Football Hunter]

"select" the areas,for money,and for deer,IMO

 

[Chaneylake]

select cut in my area is 20" on all oaks and 18" on all mixed woods and damaged trees, your area may be different