Removal of trees to create light

[Darron]

When I head down Saturday to fertilize and seed my plots, I plan on cutting back a few "scrub" trees that are blocking sun light from reaching the gas line plot, especially on the edges. I have several dead trees that are hanging over (that will fall soon anyways) as well as a bunch of small maples that could be removed from the edges. I'm not cutting anything big, only the small stuff. Is it ok to leave these laying on the edge to create cover? Or should they be removed? I'm probably going to cut about 15-20 trees all together. In the gasline plot I am planting a trail mix from deer creek seed company that has clover, rye grass, and some fescue (they say it grows well in shady areas). In the creek bottom plot I am planting half in millet (it stays moist) for turkeys and a clover mix with 4 different clovers and birdfoot trefoil. The bottom plot gets plenty of sunlight.

I

[jbrown]

IMO, I would probably just leave the cut trees where they lay. I think you would gain a substantial amount of cover by doing this, not just for the deer but for the other species of wildlife in the area as well. The only reason I would consider removing it is if you wanted to create some sort of funnel with it in a certain spot or if you have a bedding area nearby that you could drag it to beef up that cover. You may also want to consider hinge-cutting them so that you increase the amount of browse along the field along with cover. just a thought. Sounds like fun though, good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Native]

As jbown optioned, since the brush is small and easy to move you have the perfect opportinity to scuplt the plot to "attempt" to steer the deer where you want them to go. One area I would put the brush is in the predominant downwind direction for your area from your stand to try to keep the deer from getting behind you and winding you. If you stand is overlooking the plot, you my want to create a pinch point on the opposite side of the field with the brush to put them closer to you.

[TheCream]

On the first plot we planted a few years ago, we took advantage of downed trees as both cover and funnel devices to get to the plot. It was not a huge plot, just under an acre, but it was a spot in the woods where loggers had been using to turn around, load up logs, and cut logs up. There were several tree tops along the edges that provided barriers to enter the plot, and we tried to enhance that by piling everything we cleared off to help create more funnels to enter the plot. It worked out pretty well for us. We don't hunt that plot often, but it makes setting up a trail camera or hanging a stand there a lot easier because of the lack of easy access points to the clover.

I say use what you cut to your advantage!