If I wanted to thicken up an area like that, I would plant speckled alder. Cold Stream farms sells them. They are "tag alders". I am going to plant 400 more this year. The Alder that I planted a few years ago is growing faster than anything I have ever planted. The deer do not browse the tree/shrub. They will grow in wet or dry, and in soil that other trees can't grow in. They grow very fast in damp conditions. They are good deer cover, and food for grouse and woodcock cover.

 

Also sounds like a good place to do some hinge-cuts as well.

 

Thanks for the replies, I will look into that speckled alder. Especially for the open area. I would like to add a pine species to it also to provide a thick sanctuary down the road. Any ideas on a good pine choice?

After re-reading my post and going and looking at the ground again (making some piles - 30 trees so far) I realized that it is not a logical (it is a dumb) question. I also think I will down a large (maybe an acre) area of trees with the thought that if they grew more will grow as well with additional light and structure.
What promoted the thought before was some trees we fell on field edges. These became thick with briars and seedlings very fast, I assume the brush creates a trap for seed and protects growth while allowing light.
I don't believe the higne cutting will work here because these trees are all 6 to 12 inches. All fairly close together, NO SUNLIGHT .
Always nervous to go cut because it is irreversible but this is the least used part of my property.

 

Bish,

What is the cost for 400 tags? Also, how are they planted? Will you be making a small hole for each or can you spread a seed for tags?

 

I am planting larger transplants, they are 2 to 3 foot tall. I believe the cost is 1.00 each. I am putting larger trees in, so I will not have to worry about weed control. My ground is light and very soft in the spring. I will "jab" a narrow spade in the ground, and rock it back and forth once, then plant with rubber gloves. There is no need for a planting bar on my place.

 

My neighbor down the road makes Christmas wreaths every year for sale and has several piles of the trimming greens left over. These are the main branches that the snippings come off of to make the wreaths. There is a lot of greens as only a few snippings are taken from each brach. Each year we then have a big neighborhood fireside New Years eve party burning the greens or browns from previous year. There is no alcohol and potluck food for whoever stops by.

Today I picked up two high 6'x10' trailer loads of the trimming greens and took them down to my wildlife area for brush piles. I also took the 4-mil plastic sheets that are green from spraying the wreaths. There are 12-15 more loads waiting and each load makes one big or two medium brush piles.

My delux brush piles have dry cover underneath. I start with stumps, logs, and waste lumber to build a low fortress with compartments. The green plastic covers everything and keeps the under space dry. Then go ahead and build the brushpile piling as high as desired as everything will be out of sight. These brushpiles require an extra few minutes to make the first time, but will last for years with little a refresh material added on top.

My WHIP has a long term goal of 195 brush piles written into the plan over several years. I can build 20-30 delux brush piles for rabbits this year and then build other open stye brush piles used by birds. These dry delux brush piles cut down on the wet pneumonia mortality of the young rabbit nest.

 

I should have added that the discarded Christmas trees make the airy open piles that birds like. My green trimmings make a very thick solid weatherproof cover like a thatch roof. They can be combined as thick under and airy upper brushpiles. Just modify many different styles to cover the range of wildlife needs.

 

My WHIP has a long term goal of 195 brush piles written into the plan over several years.

I can build 20-30 delux brush piles for rabbits this year and then build other open stye brush piles used by birds.

Ham, what is a WHIP? I can see it is some sort of plan but????

I am trying to learn as much as I can regarding habitat improvement for all animals. I don't hunt Rabbits or Birds but I am interested in helping them thrive. Can you please describe in more detail how to construct these "open style brush piles used by birds"? Also, how many brush piles per acre would be idea? Thanks.

 

This is my fault for not explaining the WHIP again. I've spoken of it on other threads. You can contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service agent through the Dept of Agriculture.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/

 

Now for your number of brush piles question. Everyone has different habitat for brush piles and brush pile needs. There is no set perfect model. My challenge is to hurry and build the brush piles. I just clear chipped areas that will grow in thick in addition to everything I'm replanting the areas with. Right now I can move around and build the brush piles, but once those areas grow in thick my health condition will not allow me to get around well.

Here is what my plan says:
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
Cover for wildlife will be created by establishing 3 brush piles per acre, spaced 30 yards apart. Brush piles should be at least 15 feet in diameter and 5 feet high.

 

Search the web and there are many sites for brush pile suggestions.

Wildlife Brush Piles
http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/biology/Wildlife_Brushpile_Jobsheet.pdf

Brush Piles for Wildlife
http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factshts/brshpls.htm

 

Thanks Hamilton. Sorry to make you repeat the WHIP information but I didn't know it had been addressed before. I am about half way through prior posts. Thanks again.

 

Pallets can make a great addition to bunny piles. Place 3,4,5 pallets on top of one another and then cover with brush. This enables a decent place for young rabbits to hide and avoid predators because of the multiple levels available for escape and hiding. Keeping good overhead cover on trails and along openings adjacent to rabbit habitat can also help in avoiding bird predators.

Finally, be conservative on removing rabbits from the property. For example, in our snowshoe habbitat up here it is very easy to enter into some good snowshoe cover just a few times with good dogs and effectively remove all the snowshoes. It then takes a couple years to bounce back...some say it's the "cycle", but hunting pressure has much to do with it. I have many, many, rabbits on my property and greatly enjoy an average of 40-50 outings a year running my beagles. I scout, snowshoe, watch the dogs develop, notice weaknesses of the dogs, develop a solid hunting relationship with the dogs, take non-hunters to see the rabbits, but I never shoot the rabbits on the property, and consequently I don't see any of the "cycles" that most properties experience with hunting pressure....I have tons of bunnies! They seem to love buckwheat and clover as well and probably benifit from all the food plots as well. Also, my predation on fawns is extremely low even with many coyotes on the property daily, which could be due to the overubundance of small game as a result of the low hunting pressure and habitat activities.

 

Jeff, that is an excellent point about the coyotes going after small game if it is available. As opposed to trying to catch a fawn.

 

Bishs,
Where is Cold Stream Farms located?
I'm interested in learning more about the Tag Alders. It sounds like they may work very well in a low area on my property.
The whites/norways I planted last spring are mostly dead (due to the wetness I think)
Thanks

 

Near Ludington
http://www.coldstreamfarm.net/

Speckled Alder will grow where other trees can't grow. They grow very fast and are not heavily browsed by deer. Highbush cranberry would be a good choice also, but it grows slower. Spruce will not survive long if their trunks sit in standing water. White spruce can handle wetter conditions than Norway spruce.

 

KK,

You might consider Bald Cypress also for your wet areas. It's a conifer but the needles are fine and they fall off each year.

Big T

 

Coldstream Farms, owned Mike Hradel, is located on Freesoil Rd. a mile or so west of the village of Freesoil, which is located about 20 miles NE of Ludington, MI. Mike's a good guy has been doing this for many years and knows his stuff.

If there is aspen/poplar in the area I'd suggest clear cutting the aspen in late winter or early spring. The roots will send up untold number of new shoots, creating a stem density that game can use. Keep some of the outer aspen standing. Grouse love to feed on the aspen leave buds during the winter and need mature aspen for this.

Another idea for brush piles is to build them using tires, covering the tires with brush. Anyway that "tunnels" can be created under the brush piles with larger logs, pallets (as Jeff mentioned...you can get them free at lumber yards), tires, etc. will help out the rabbits.

 

Bishs and Whit1,
How are the trees/shrubs from cold streams farms? Customer Service?
I ordered several hundred dollars worth of trees from an out of state nursery last year and I was not impressed with what I received. Actually, the trees I received from the county tree sale were much better and I had a much lower mortality rate. This year, I would like to support in state nurseries if possible.
Thanks.

 

I haven't ordered from Mike in several years, but the stock was always excellent. I never had any complaints. The prices for the trees, etc. that you get from the soil conservations district's spring sale can't be beat. If they have what you want I'd go with them, but Coldstream Farms have a much wider variety of species, inlcuding several different aspen cultivars.

 

I got go ahead yesterday from my NRCS agent to start thinking about my spring tree orders. Cold Springs is fine, but they also sell the exotics that are not on the approved list for government programs.

Michigan Association of Conservation Districts
http://www.macd.org/macdset.html

Michigan Conservation Districts on the web
http://www.macd.org/macdset.html

 

Kletus, I have bought over 12,000 trees from them since 94, they are very good, with custumer service and quality of their trees. Mark Saergant, a private land biologist in Michigan recomended them to me back in 93. They also have some of the best prices and large selection.

For your wet area, Speckled Alder will work well. Are you or anyone interested in Black willow? They grow fast on wet areas, and form thickets. The willow thickets on my place are my best cover, for pheasants and deer. I have about 300 of them, they are bundled up and stored. They are 1 to 2 foot long. They were dug up when I collected the Aspen. You can have them all for 20 dollars. "I just need to justify my time sorting and bundling them!"

 

Habitat Planting History
90% of these trees purchased from Cold Stream

1995
WHITE SPRUCE --------------------------700
NORWAY SPRUCE------------------------800
AUTUMN OLIVE---------------------------900
HONEY SUCKLE---------------------------900
RED OAK----------------------------------75
WHITE OAK-------------------------------75
PIN OAK----------------------------------75
AMER MAPLE------------------------------50
CRABAPPLE-------------------------------50
WASH. HAWTHORNE-----------------------50
BLACK CHERRY----------------------------50
CHINESE CHESTNUT-----------------------25

1996
NORWAY SPRUCE-----------------------125
SIBERIAN CRABAPPLE-------------------100
ZUMI CRABAPPLE-----------------------130
WASHINGTON HAWTHORNE-------------100
MOUNTAIN ASH------------------------125
GRAY DOGWOOD-----------------------620
SILKY DOGWOOD----------------------1120
RED OSIER DOGWOOD-----------------1100
HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY-----------------200
SAWTOOTH OAK-----------------------25
APPLE TREES--------------------------10

1997
SILKY DOGWOOD -----------------1900
RED OSIER DOGWOOD--------------330
ZUMI CRABAPPLE------------------110
SIBERIAN CRABAPPLE--------------110
APPLE TREES---------------------10

2001
SILKYDOGWOOD-------------------850
NORWAY SPRUCE------------------220

2002
SPECKLED ALDER-----------------190
NINEBARK------------------------330
ZUMI CRABAPPLE-----------------100
SIBERIAN CRABAPPLE-------------100
NORWAY SPRUCE-----------------625

2003
NORWAY SPRUCE 2-3’-------------125
NORWAY SPRUCE 1-2’-------------200

2004
Norway Spruce 1-2'---------------200
Autumn Olive 1-2'-----------------200
Crab Apple 4' -------------------10
Apple tree 5'---------------------5

TOTAL PLANTED:

RED OSIER DOGWOOD------------1430
SILKY DOGWOOD-----------------3870
GREY DOGWOOD------------------620
NORWAY SPRUCE-----------------2395
WHITE SPRUCE-------------------700
AUTUMN OLIVE-------------------1100
HONEY SUCKLE ------------------900
RED OAK-------------------------75
WHITE OAK----------------------75
PIN OAK-------------------------75
SAWTOOTH OAK-----------------25
ZUMI CRABAPPLE----------------340
SIBERIAN CRABAPPLE------------310
AMUR MAPLE--------------------50
BLACK CHERRY------------------50
WASHINGTON HAWTHORNE------150
CHINESE CHESTNUT-------------25
SPECKLED ALDER----------------190
NINEBARK-----------------------300
MT. ASH------------------------125
HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY-----------200

TOTAL PLANTED 13,257 TREES AND SHRUBS COVERING 26 ACRES.

SHRUBS ALL HAND PLANTED, I PERSON – 1,000 TREES A DAY, PLANTING IN PREVIOUS CROP FIELD, PLANTING DOWN CROP ROWS.

MOST SHRUBS PLACED ON DRY SITES, ARE PLANTED IN DEPRESSIONS. GROUND IS WET AND SOFT IN THE SPRING, EASY TO CREATE DEPRESSION TO HOLD WATER.

1. AUTUMN OLIVE IS MY FASTEST GROWING SHRUB
2. SPECKLED ALDER AND NINEBARK ARE FAST ALSO, NO BROWSING ON ALDER
3. NORWAY AND WHITE SPRUCE GROWING FAST, NO BROWSING
4. DOGWOODS, DOING OK, SUFFER FROM BROWSING
5. HONEYSUCKLE, SUFFERED, NEARLY 90% LOSS, BROWSING.
6. CRABAPPLE, ONCE TRUNKS ARE PROTECTED FROM RABBITS, GROWS GOOD.
7. APPLE TREES, NEED LOTS OF CARE, CAGES TO KEEP DEER OFF.
8. RED AND PIN OAKS, GROWING VERY FAST
9. WHITE OAK, GROWING VERY SLOW
10. SAWTOOTH OAK, NATIVE OF CHINA, STRUGGLING
11. HAWTHORNE DOING WELL ON DRY AND WET SITES
12. MOUNTAIN ASH, LOSSED TO DEER
13. AVOID PLANTING PINES, THEY LOOSE THEIR LOWER LIMBS WITH AGE

WEED CONTROL:
1. SOME SHRUBS HAVE BLACK PLASTIC AROUND THEM. SOIL PLACED ON EDGES

2. PRINCEP USED IN EARLY SPRING, ON 1 YEAR AND OLDER PLANTINGS PREVENTS GERMINATION OF MOST GRASSES 1 TO 2 YEARS.

3. ROUNDUP LATER IN THE SUMMER

4. FERTILIZED DOGWOOD WITH MILORGANITE TO KEEP DEER AND RABBITS AWAY

5. 24” DRAIN TILE AROUND CRAB APPLE AND APPLE TREES, TO STOP RABBITS


HABITAT BREAKDOWN:

TREES AND SHRUBS -----------------26 ACRES-------15 PLOTS
PRAIRIE GRASSES --------------------4 ACRES--------3 PLOTS
CLOVER-------------------------------2 ACRES
GRAIN FOODPLOTS---------------------3 ACRES
WETLAND PONDS-----------------------2 ACRES-------3 PONDS”
WETLAND DIKE-------------------------25’ WIDE--------700’ LONG


BEST FOODPLOTS

CLOVER
CORN
SOYBEANS

 

bishs,

I was thinking of trying Speckled Alder for deer bedding cover and a sanctuary, but had thought of Black Willow. I have not seen a stand of Black Willow. Only read about it. Do you think it is better for deer? Is it thicker? Dose it stay thick at deer level?

 

Bishs,

Wow, is your first name Am. Alot of work I know but what a feeling. Great job.

Yours in stewardship, Big T