Dr. Grant - As I have watched hundreds of GDTV episodes, I have learned something from every single one of them. You are an amazing teacher. On a funny note, you should be tax exempt for providing education on making the Earth healthier and cleaner for Man and Beast. Thank you so much for your leadership and support. ✝️🇺🇸🦌
It's very interesting to see a handful of habitat specialist comment on a particular subject. I assume they all work to some extent or they wouldn't be successful in their careers. Having recently completed a timber harvest a couple thoughts. The pie theory sounds fine but most loggers will not waste their time on such small areas. Inevitably the areas I clear cut left a bunch of stumps and small non profitable trees. A dozer could make quick work of that, but likely hurt the topsoil. Prescribed burns make me nervous. There is no doubt they help with the successional growth but will also damage trees that may be profitable in the future. I like the idea of clear cutting and just letting it grow, potentially killing some non beneficial species as needed and potentially doing some selective hinge cuts or such if the canopy starts to redevelop over time. I do believe in multiple layers of mature timber, TSI and clearcuts with food plots within. That generalized pattern gives tons of edge, food and cover for deer. There are always things that I think we could do different to make our hunting properties better in the end. What I am most anxious to see is if we can truly change deer travel and generalized patterns doing these land modifications. Thanks for the videos!
Almost my entire property is mature hardwoods and we've been pouring in blood, sweat and tears to change that. Not easy, but the proof is in the bucks take after the work is done!
Gavin - There are many variables including the habitat on the neighboring properties! I look for which resource is limited in the neighborhood where I hunt. - grant
Hello Dr. Grant, and the Growing Deer Team! Is this concept specific to large acreage, or can a condensed approach be taken for smaller sized properties? Also, does the approach change, or is it influenced by, the proximity to ag fields?
That’s what is wrong with my property, it got logged back in 2015 and now it’s nothing but thousands of saplings every where ,some are getting pretty big now , loggers took all valuable timber so there are only a handful of oaks on the property now which sucks lol
Grant I use a liquid spray on inoculate on my food plots in the spring when I plant my forage soybeans. I don't have a drill I just broadcast mine and pack them in..then spray them before a light rain.. any suggestions if that's even the way to do that?
@@josephbennett4442 my food plot in the field I spray it to kill everything first.. you can get soil test for free during certain times of the year.. where I live at the soil is really acidic..so I put the lime down heavy and let it soak in good before I plant anything..I waited for a good week of rain and find a good break in the rain to spread the seed and pack it in then spray them with inoculate..then wait once Germinates and is about 3 inches tall then I fertilize.. but if you got many deer around they will wipe it out fast so if you can fence it in until your ready to hunt.. I plant the beans now for my soil health so I don't have to fertilize as much and helps keep the deer coming to my property but my beans don't make it to produce pods.. but the forage soybeans keep putting out leaves that's packed full of good stuff.. Grant has plenty of great videos packed full of information.. the no till method had helped my soil a lot was just looking yesterday at how far the penetration of the roots was in my plots.. hope this helps
Hi Grant. We just acquired a property in Iowa that includes 170ac of timber at various stages of maturity. We have marked 100 mature bur oak trees on about 30 acres for timber harvest. My question: What do you recommend we do with the tops? Thanks for your advise. -Chad
Chad - Why are you harvesting the burr oaks? Be sure not to high grade - cut the best and leave the rest. The tops are slow release fertilizer. Years or decades of nutrients are in the tops. Don't use a dozer to pile them. That only compacts the soil and scars residual trees while moving nutrients off site. - grant
GrowingDeer.tv Thanks for the reply. Help me understand the negative impact of high grading. Seems like a good way to open the canopy in a relatively mature timber. But am new to this and willing to learn. Thanks!
Dr. Grant - As I have watched hundreds of GDTV episodes, I have learned something from every single one of them. You are an amazing teacher. On a funny note, you should be tax exempt for providing education on making the Earth healthier and cleaner for Man and Beast. Thank you so much for your leadership and support. ✝️🇺🇸🦌
Phil - Thanks for sharing the encouraging words! May God bless you and your family!
It's very interesting to see a handful of habitat specialist comment on a particular subject. I assume they all work to some extent or they wouldn't be successful in their careers. Having recently completed a timber harvest a couple thoughts. The pie theory sounds fine but most loggers will not waste their time on such small areas. Inevitably the areas I clear cut left a bunch of stumps and small non profitable trees. A dozer could make quick work of that, but likely hurt the topsoil. Prescribed burns make me nervous. There is no doubt they help with the successional growth but will also damage trees that may be profitable in the future. I like the idea of clear cutting and just letting it grow, potentially killing some non beneficial species as needed and potentially doing some selective hinge cuts or such if the canopy starts to redevelop over time. I do believe in multiple layers of mature timber, TSI and clearcuts with food plots within. That generalized pattern gives tons of edge, food and cover for deer. There are always things that I think we could do different to make our hunting properties better in the end. What I am most anxious to see is if we can truly change deer travel and generalized patterns doing these land modifications. Thanks for the videos!
Brandon - Thanks for watching! - grant
Excellent ruffed grouse plan as well!
Yes it is!
Almost my entire property is mature hardwoods and we've been pouring in blood, sweat and tears to change that. Not easy, but the proof is in the bucks take after the work is done!
Sounds like a very successful project! - grant
Hi Grant I was wondering how many acres of mature hardwood forest is needed in a area before you start making young succession areas .
Gavin - There are many variables including the habitat on the neighboring properties! I look for which resource is limited in the neighborhood where I hunt. - grant
Hello Dr. Grant, and the Growing Deer Team! Is this concept specific to large acreage, or can a condensed approach be taken for smaller sized properties? Also, does the approach change, or is it influenced by, the proximity to ag fields?
The concept certainly applies! However, each property and neighborhood is site-specific and should have a site-specific plan!
That’s what is wrong with my property, it got logged back in 2015 and now it’s nothing but thousands of saplings every where ,some are getting pretty big now , loggers took all valuable timber so there are only a handful of oaks on the property now which sucks lol
Joseph - I see the results of that type of logging throughout the whitetail's range. Create some openings if you can and develop some plots!
Thanks bud I appreciate the info
We live in SW Missouri
Cool! I'll be assisting a landowner near
Alton, MO tomorrow! - grant
Grant I use a liquid spray on inoculate on my food plots in the spring when I plant my forage soybeans. I don't have a drill I just broadcast mine and pack them in..then spray them before a light rain.. any suggestions if that's even the way to do that?
Jesse R do they grow by just packing em in with not breaking the ground up , because I have nothing to break my ground up in my feild
@@josephbennett4442 my food plot in the field I spray it to kill everything first.. you can get soil test for free during certain times of the year.. where I live at the soil is really acidic..so I put the lime down heavy and let it soak in good before I plant anything..I waited for a good week of rain and find a good break in the rain to spread the seed and pack it in then spray them with inoculate..then wait once Germinates and is about 3 inches tall then I fertilize.. but if you got many deer around they will wipe it out fast so if you can fence it in until your ready to hunt.. I plant the beans now for my soil health so I don't have to fertilize as much and helps keep the deer coming to my property but my beans don't make it to produce pods.. but the forage soybeans keep putting out leaves that's packed full of good stuff.. Grant has plenty of great videos packed full of information.. the no till method had helped my soil a lot was just looking yesterday at how far the penetration of the roots was in my plots.. hope this helps
Jesse - Thanks for sharing! - grant
Hi Grant. We just acquired a property in Iowa that includes 170ac of timber at various stages of maturity. We have marked 100 mature bur oak trees on about 30 acres for timber harvest. My question: What do you recommend we do with the tops? Thanks for your advise. -Chad
Chad - Why are you harvesting the burr oaks? Be sure not to high grade - cut the best and leave the rest. The tops are slow release fertilizer. Years or decades of nutrients are in the tops. Don't use a dozer to pile them. That only compacts the soil and scars residual trees while moving nutrients off site. - grant
GrowingDeer.tv Thanks for the reply. Help me understand the negative impact of high grading. Seems like a good way to open the canopy in a relatively mature timber. But am new to this and willing to learn. Thanks!
And thanks for advice on leaving the tops lie and not bulldozering them. Won’t be pushing them into piles. Appreciate your shows!
How do you fill about clearing under brush and small trees with a forestry mulcher?
Robert - mulchers are great tools and whether to clear depends on your mission! = grant
How can I find out when the timber is high or low in a year?
Phil - If you are asking about timber prices it's best to check with a local forester? Some state agencies can provide timber pricing sources. - grant