The Ugly Side

[Trapper John]

The timber guys finished cutting just in time. Approximately 90 out of 500 acres is now ugly as sin. However, the deer and turkey are loving it. As are the rabbits and quail.

Some of the logging roads and edges where the remaining hardwoods meet the cuts are going to be hot. The only thing I hated was losing a spot I used to hunt yearly, but that's more sentimental than functional.

 

[GreyGoose]

thats a pretty clean cut.the next couple years should be awesome

 

[treefarmer]

Identify the remaining standing trees and if they aren't what you want your next forest to be cut them down or girdle them and spray herbicide on the stump or cuts. Do you have any plans for planting anything along the roads? If they are oaks - great!

 

[Trapper John]

They are oaks. The entire farm was surveyed by a consultant company and a new 30 year plan was drawn up since our last timber plan had expired. The family has always gone for veneer quality oaks and we're just starting over. I'm the young one so this is my first go around with the cycle.

The only thing we'll be planting will be fruit tree that are for wildlife and have nothing to do with the business.

 

[Mud Creek]

As a rabbit hunter I have to call that the beautiful side!! :grin:

 

[hunter drew]

This on your decatur county property. It is pretty clean

 

[Trapper John]

Yeah, that's in Decaturville. The cutters did an excellent job. Just very different than we're used to. I've seen the property cut before, but not on this scale.

 

[hunter drew]

Yeah, that's in Decaturville. The cutters did an excellent job. Just very different than we're used to. I've seen the property cut before, but not on this scale.

I gotcha. I hope ya have a great hunting season on the south end of the county

 

[BSK]

Man, that's a hard-core cut! That's going to be tough hunting in a couple of years.

 

[String Music]

Looks great! Need to come up with a prescribed fire plan while you're at it

 

[BSK]

Looks great! Need to come up with a prescribed fire plan while you're at it

Just be VERY careful with fire in a hardwood stand. Young hardwoods are easily killed and mature hardwoods are easily damaged (for wood value) by fire.

 

[Trapper John]

I'm leaving it up to the family/consultant company on the fire plan. I'm just a spectator with a little influence when it comes to the business side of the farm.

We had a similar cut done about 12 or so years ago. After the fourth year, it was solid jungle. I didn't even attempt to hunt it. However, the edges where the logging roads are and the areas connecting to the few food plots we had were excellent hunting. I suppose I'll put the same plan into action when these spots become impenetrable.

 

[southernhunter]

two of my hunting propertys have boardering propertys that where cut for logs and the tree tops left in place. it looks like a jungle across the property lines. i am hopeing it makes my hunting better.

 

[Mike Belt]

A deer paradise in the making. Are you planting back or just letting nature take it's course? Either way if it was mine I'd go into the interior and clear out a winding strip for a foodplot and/or plant a grove of fast producing oaks. The cutover growth will produce a mega feeding and bedding area for a few years and then be virtually unhuntable.
. With that much cover can you imagine what a hidden food source on the interior might produce.

 

[Kingston]

"The Ugly Side of Logging" makes a pretty INSIDE the Wallet!

 

[treefarmer]

Good job using a professional for advise. Was the reason you left standing oak trees for acorn production to insure the next forest is an oak forest? I'm planning some clearcuts in the next year and I'm concerned about the next forest being as good as the present one, and avoiding the junk trees coming in. Consider joining the tree farm program if you aren't already a member, there is no cost.