Timber and Habitat Plans for 2 Properties: One Hardwoods, One Pines (614)

Properties that are timbered can be managed for both timber value and wildlife! First, a plan for improving the hunting and habitat on 90 acres filled with hardwoods. The second plan is for a property that has mature pines of about 35 years old.
Topics covered: hack and squirt, double girdling, controlling invasive like sweet gum and trifoliate orange, food plot locations, browse monitoring, thinning pines, and more!
The hardwoods on David’s property had been high graded during the past.
David recently purchased the property with the goal of improving habitat for deer and turkey populations. David also wishes to restore quality timber as part of his work but his goals are certainly far to the wildlife side of the timber management continuum.
An issue that can decrease timber stand quality is invasive and/or exotic species. At David’s place the invasive and exotic species Trifoliate orange was thick in the hardwood bottoms.
Today there are many exotic and invasive species that landowners need to watch for. It’s always easier to control these invasive species when they first appear versus when their well established and wide spread. Such invasive species can complete choke out beneficial native species.
A typical pine management plan calls for multiple thinnings until the landowner wishes to harvest all trees as a cash crop and replant more pines. The thinnings, if managed appropriately, generates revenue for the landowner by removing the lowest quality trees and allows the best trees to continue to grow.
#TeamOutdoors

[@sonsofthunder3100]

Another great video! I've really enjoyed learning from you all over the years and continue to enjoy it now. It helps me stay motivated to get out and work in the outdoors even after being at the office all day. Teaching my, now teenage, kids about food plots and timber and wildlife have given me some of my best memories as a father. These same type of experiences with my father and grandfather are part of what helped developer my love of the outdoors! And my love for the Lord and his creation! No questions today, just keep the info flooring so I can learn! Have a safe and blessed week!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@NeilHaugerLandSpecialist]

PPP p pop lol

[@dougbarber3400]

Always enjoy your videos' and your approach. Thank you Sir for being so willing to share your knowledge.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Doug!

[@nhmountains5683]

Here in NH, fresh cut poplar and beech stumps will root sprout and take over open woods if they're not terminated.

[@catchyoulateroutdoors8401]

Wow great job, makes total sense!

[@jerryhill7065]

I have a bunch of pines so I will have to do some management on them

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jerry - Yes - manage toward allowing at least 50% of the sun's light to reach the soil.

[@jerryhill7065]

GrowingDeer.tv will do thx

[@Sam89365]

So generally speaking the forest is supposed to be a combination of hardwoods and grasses down below? All these forests that have a solid blanket of dead leaves on the ground aren't supposed to be that way?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Sam - it depends on the location, but many forests had an open canopy and grasses and forbs growing below. This is why there were buffalo and elk - both grass eaters - all along the east coast. I enjoy reading notes of the early explorers and most of them frequently talk about open canopy stands of timber. Such timber stands are way more productive for wildlife!

[@Sam89365]

@@GrowingDeerTV thank you for the reply. I'm definitely new to this world. I need to dive into some more research about what's appropriate for my area which is the highland rim of Tennessee. I grew up with hardwoods, pines, and zero vegetation on the ground; never saw a whole lot of wildlife and it's kind of all making sense as to why now. You're videos are super helpful!!

[@wonderfulworldofwhitetails9763]

Off topic question. You had a video explaining why and how antlers are shed. Do you have one that tells us why the antlers remain on the skull for years after the deer has been harvested?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

When a buck's testosterone level drops during the winter a special process causes the layer of cells between the pedicle and antler to die. If a buck is harvested while his testosterone level is still elevated that extremely specialized layer of cells remains - and it's like the world's best glue!

[@wonderfulworldofwhitetails9763]

@@GrowingDeerTV Interesting Thank you.

[@Paddy2277]

Always love these videos. How do I get you to come walk my property in central Oklahoma near Tulsa?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

We have assisted several landowners near Tulsa (talked to one today). Email us the town your property is near and how many acres it is and we'll return a proposal for our assistance!

[@krekelly74]

Paddy2277 not too far from ya. About an hour east of tulsa! Love seeing what Dr. Woods does with his property and how it benefits wildlife.

[@Paddy2277]

@@GrowingDeerTV Thanks! North of Welty, Oklahoma. Nearest larger town is Bristow, Ok. 141.62 acres of wooded wonder!

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

Any tips for small properties such as 3 to 5 acres, that is only used as a "pass through" for whitetails? My neighboring properties won't allow hunting. So my property is only a travel corridor.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I always start by studying the neighboring properties and determining what's the lowest quality/least available of food, cover, and water during hunting season when creating a plan for smaller properties. By providing the best source of either, food, cover, or water, deer are very likely to visit the area daily.

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

@@GrowingDeerTV I have a small pond, a few apple trees, and tall grass for cover. So, I got that part covered. But only see small bucks and does on camera. Only big bucks are at night time, and once or twice all year. Just passing through.

[@theamericanforester]

Great video man been learning a lot from you! The Master Gardener program any good for what you do?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I'm sure the Master Gardener program teaches some good principles!

[@kennyhollingsworth7451]

Why would someone want to hack and squirt or girdle trees? Seems to me it just sets up a situation of a bunch of dead trees that can randomly fall. Why not just hinge cut or go ahead and cut them down right away? Much faster to get desired result. And it seems much safer as well. Dont have to worry about dead trees crashing down at unknown times.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Kenny - I'm sure you've seen a tree that died years ago and you push it over? The limbs fell years before and you don't even see them - they've become soil. I've never heard of an issue with a hack and squirt tree falling on someone. However, folks are killed annually by trying to hinge cut a tree. In addition, the limbs on a hinge cut tree grow out of reach of deer within a few years and leave a mess. No food and cover is shaded out. If you have a productive area that's been hinge cut please send pictures to [e-mail]. Thanks!

[@kennyhollingsworth7451]

@@GrowingDeerTV I understand, however, it seems to me that killing that many trees would increase the risk of an issue in the woods. Out west, beetle kill is everywhere. Several cases of dead trees falling on tents, vehicles and campers that i have read about over the years. Why not hinge cut or just cut them down immediately instead?

[@nathaniellarson8]

@@kennyhollingsworth7451 his reasoning is that killing them where they stand won't damage other trees around like when you fell trees and they crash into the ones you don't want to kill. Personally, I am with you and will fell and hinge cut as needed. I have enough standing and fallen dead timber already. I might do this kind of thing in the future though, you never know.

[@wwgolf9567]

Hey this is ray Weston. I have 500 acres and would love some tips with a lot of pines and fields. Would love if you would notice me!!!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Weston - I hope you have implemented a great plan!

[@rodprice4871]

Other than cost. Would forestry mulching instead of hack and squirt/ Girdle technique achieve the same effect?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Rod - The hack and squirt/double girdle techniques are used to allow more sunlight to reach the soil. Mulching results in covering the soil with much - like used to prevent stuff from growing. In addition, mulching rarely kills hardwoods - and they become a problem again.

[@BlackEagleFeather]

So Grant can you load Imazapyr into a backpack or atv sprayer and treat large acreage??? I have a 100 acre mainly timber stand in Central GA with sweet gum issues

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Imazapyr is ground active. That is to say if you sprayed a sweetgum and the over spray landed on the ground it could kill oaks, etc., through their roots. The only time I'm comfortable overspraying imazapyr is when treating hardwoods in a pine stand. Pines are not harmed by Imazapyr. This is a common treatment in pine production areas. However, if there are hardwoods in the area that you wish to protect, the herbicide should be applied directly to the cambium layer of the tree with the hack and squirt or girdle method.

[@BlackEagleFeather]

@@GrowingDeerTV thanks for the info Grant. Yeah this a pure pine plantation stand with sweet gum under it. I do have a few concerns as there is a small creek nearby and some hardwoods that border the stand.

[@Jay-hu1pc]

Yea. Try to get them while there passing through

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Ronny - or improve the property and encourage deer to spend more time there.

[@Robert-em3fv]

Is Garlon used in hack and squirt???….. I tried tordon in February of 2022 and the tree happened to leave out

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Robert - Many folks use 50% Garlon3A (not Garlon4), 40% water, and 10% Arsenal.

[@keithporter9692]

What if I have two really good white oaks next to each other 4 ft what would you do in this case

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I'd leave both of them and have an hour-glassed shaped area.

[@MultiMicah12]

What do you use (herbicide wise) for the cut and squirt method on pines.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

It's often easier to fell small pines as they won't sprout if cut below the lowest limb.

[@juangarcia904]

What do you guys charge to come and do this?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Juan - that depends on the location (travel costs), acreage, etc. Feel free to send us the location, acreage, etc., to [e-mail]