Caring for your property ?'s

[Brianlocal3]

Ok Gang,

Across the U.S.A. there is an epidemic of invasive species on land and water, plant and animal.  I have noticed in the big woods that I hunt with little to no agricultural lands around I can walk thru the forest with big open Oak flats and a run in with some pine thickets.  I love it.  In winter months it seems that I can see for miles (exaggeration).  But in the small tracks of land that I hunt close to home, the little parcels left between fields and such, they are chocked with Honeysuckly, autumn olives, multi-floral rose bush etc.....

Yesterday while still-hunting/ just going for a stroll with my bow I came across yet another entire section of these woods that were literally impenetrable.  Tall oaks and hickories about, but the forest floor just choked up with Japenese honeysuckle and the like.  Now, I understand right now I'm fine and the deer/turkeys are loving it, I kill in this spot frequently, but it seems to be getting worse, not to mention its impossible for new growth of the hard mast trees due to the choke out.  

Also on this property there is a stand of about 10 acres that is nothing but hundred of osage orange trees and black locust, all very mature, along with the choke out plants.  Forgot to mention tons of black walnut.

So to get to the question, ( I have permission to cut, remove, and maintain this property any way that meets state codes)  Would you go thru and try to clear out the invasives that are taking over?  should I go on a man hunt and cut down the invasives that are choking the land?  

From a hunting stand point they serve a great purpose, it gives the game great refuge, I can pattern the animals very well from feeding to bedding, plenty of ground places to hide etc... but, in the long haul they can permanently damage the land.  So for the land owners and those of you who steward your lands, what do or would you do?  

Thanks.

[Brianlocal3]

Also, to the mods. I understand that this is not 100% traditional bowhunting related, but I do think that it is relevant to what we do and ensuring hunting land for our future generations.  Also, I feel this topic could be of use to the TradGang community as a whole. There are individuals from all walks of life here and a lot of very skilled and knowledgable folks to help us all out.  Thank you

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Light er up!  Burning is very beneficial.

[Brianlocal3]

vanilla,

thank you for the suggestion, but do you have experience with the burns?  how do you go about it and does it affect the other trees in the location?  does it not ruin the mature ones that I am wanting to help prosper?

[wooddamon1]

Great question to ponder, Brian. This should be a great thread, I know I'll learn a  lot from it.  

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Yeah, we burn off the 1400 acres I hunt every few years.  

Our local VFD will also come out if we ask.  They'll set the fires and manage them. We will smoke a hog and at the end of the day we host dinner at the bunkhouse for em.  

Old growth is not affected.  These aren't huge wild fires like you see on the news. They take care of the small stuff, the underbrush.  

About the only manual managing we do is for reds cedars.  We deal with them with chainsaw or a dozer, then stack em to be burned.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Also, state forestry crews will come and assist if you contact them.

[briarjumper12]

I work in the Forestry industry and am a wildland firefighter as well. If it were me, I would highly consider burning. If done right you can open up the understory and do virtually no damage to the timber. Moniter weather conditions, burn during evening hours when the Relative Humidity can help you keep the fire low and in control. Don't light your fire where it can run uphill. Have well cleaned out firelines. I could on how to do it but a good burn plan is site specific.
If you contact your state's Division of Forestry or possibly Fish and Wildlife department they will probably help you create a burn plan for your property. The burn plan would be part of the management plan for your property. I know here in Kentucky, Fish and Wildlife will help you do a plan for free. Sometimes they do controlled burns too. If they can't actually help you do the burn you can make a donation to a local VFD and they will often come help.
Just make sure have a burn plan drawn up by someone who knows what they are doing and that you have some experienced personnel on site during the burn.
John

[Stumpkiller]

I spend weeks in the spring & summer attacking Amur Honeysuckle, thornapple and miliflori rose.  Haven't wiped it out on my 20 acres but I've made a dent and it is paying off.

I carry a pair of ratcheting pruning snips while roving and stump-shooting.

[Brianlocal3]

Vanilla/briar,

Thanks for that info.  Very helpful, and I'll call my DNR to ask some questions.

Stump,

You say that it has helped( pruning and chopping). How has it helped?  Just thinning the heard or more wildlife viewings, healthier trees.  Could you please elaborate.  I am very interested in this??

[meathead]

The issue you run into with fire and autumn olive and bush honeysucke is having enough fuel to have effective fires.  It often has shaded out the fuel that is needed to carry fire through growths of these species.  In thick stands that don't have the fuel I use herbicides.  There are several that are effective for brush control.  Most will have trichlopyr in them.  

Control of these species is needed more  and more.  If you look at some of the more heavily invaded woodlands regeneration of hardwoods is greatly deminished.  Without control how long will it take to have nothing but a invasive nightmare with no hardwoods left.  

You and the landowner should talk with district consevationist at your local NRCS office and ask about invasive species control assistance.  There is quite a bit of financial assistance through a couple of their programs.

[Brianlocal3]

Meathead,

I fear that this property is at the point you mention. It is almost impossible to move thru there now in some spots, and it just keeps getting worse.  I will google NRCS.

[emt137]

Dont burn the osage orange. Chop it down and I bet youd have a flood of selfbowers willing to help take it off your hands.

[meathead]

NRCS is the natural resources conservation service.  They often work together with the local wildlife biologist.  That may be a good first contact.

[Brianlocal3]

I will be contacting the landowner tomorow about getting ahold of them to see if he wants to partner up.

I will be going in a hacking and spraying tour this winter I believe.  Is roundup good to use or is there something else better?

[statedriller]

We have the same problem and have been fighting the war.  I know it's one we'll never win, but still worth the battle to keep the stuff at bay.

We cut and poison the olive and wild cucumber with Pathway herbicide.  Seems to work well.  It is not as effective on honeysuckle.  I find that cutting and painting with straight Roundup works well on the honeysuckle.  It is also pretty easy to pull out honeysuckle, especially in the spring after the frost is out.  Even the large plants are very shallow rooted.  I pull a ton of that stuff every year.  When you get a bare area and you see it start to green up with young invasives, they can be sprayed with brush killer.  I find Crossbow herbicide to be effective in this manner.

Most of all, good luck and thank you for recognizing the problem.  Most just sit back and ignore it.

[meathead]

Hack and spraying I would use either Tordon or Garlon 4.

[Brianlocal3]

Thank y'all or the tips.  Rural king here I come, they have all the goodies.  So I'll start sharpening the machete and Eastwing!!!

I have been hunting here for 4 years now and it's really getting noticably bad so I will take the reigns on this project.

[briarjumper12]

X2 on Garlon 4

[SELFBOW19953]

Contact your local Game & Fish or Forestry people.  They are usually up on the latest and greatest for controlling invasives.  They may be able to help-cost share programs, manpower, literature, etc.  You may need permits for a controlled burn