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Cedar shingle oak hillside

Wi transplant

Wi transplant

PMA Member
Looking for suggestions on improving a 8 acre south facing hillside. Its full of cedars and brush with lots of 10 to 20ft shingle oaks. Cedars are getting so thick deer not using much of this area . Should i cut out every other cedar to open up usage/ travel opportunities and hinge or cut out some of the oaks in areas there " too thick" or trim up lower branches of cedars to make trails in them? I know some of you have tackled this thing looking for your results and what works best ? Thanks!!

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I think a combo of both cutting cedars and trimming branches would make it much more attractive!

My goal is to do the same over time I my farm .
 
Cut some out!!! Ya- looking at glance…. U probably have 50%+++ more trees than needed. Start by thinning.
I’ve discussed & worked on trying to find best approach on my farm with areas like that too.
I started making paths through with chainsaws. At least deer can travel. & cutting low limbs.
Then it’s thinning trees. Loosely, let’s say u had 15-20’ between cedars for sure. Shingle oaks growth thick as well so thin as much as able. Clearly u can work with saws. Cutting trees up so deer can get past. Better yet is pulling big ones out but requires equipment of course. Best is mulching & shredding some.
Start somewhere & then let your appetite for work, equipment & budget guide u. Heck, for a reasonable about of $ - if chainsaw is not enough - mulcher for couple days may be worth it. Any way you slice it- start thinning & making travel open for deer.
**oh, I re-read it- 8 acres…, very doable with chainsaws. A mulcher would pry be 1-2 days if went that route. Very manageable
 
I've been working on over grown cedars thickets a lot - cutting lower limbs and piling them up has really helped. I haven't gotten to the point of actually dropping many trees because they're still piled in there too tight. Thought about girdling some but the skeletons would still stand. Also thought about burning the piles of limbs and letting whatever other ones light up burn. They're nice to have until they're too thick, then they're a nightmare!
 
I am combating some of the worst cedar habitat known to man...complete waste land....if I was you, I would get ahold of @IowaBowHunter1983 and have him come out there for a day and half or so and mulch them....just get rid of them and move on....its such a daunting task to cut limbs or remove whole trees....I can take you to my farm and show you where I have tried, but after cutting 20 tress on your knees and 30 lbs of cedars needles down the back of your shirt its gets old VERY quick...good thing about a mulcher is you can design it how you want with openings and trails....
 
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Cut, drag, stack, burn , repeat. Really is back breaking work. This area I may have cut 20 or so down. I
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Looked like this before I started.

Mulcher would make quick work but then how long are those cedar chips going to take to decompose and let anything grow ?


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Yowsa! By hand, that IS a lot of work. Good luck with that. :)

I don't have a skid loader, etc, which is what you really want, but I do have a grapple bucket for my tractor. If you just dropped them, could you then haul them out via tractor, etc, and make a pile that you burn off after they dry?
 
Daver said:
Yowsa! By hand, that IS a lot of work. Good luck with that. :)

I don't have a skid loader, etc, which is what you really want, but I do have a grapple bucket for my tractor. If you just dropped them, could you then haul them out via tractor, etc, and make a pile that you burn off after they dry?
Click to expand...

I’m still young-ish and ambitious (or dumb?) .
Grapple bucket on the tractor would be nice just not in the budget right now. The areas I’m working are relatively small- if it was large scale I would be renting some equipment.

I split and burn the cedar in wood stove for the house. Not the greatest wood , but it burns. I mix with other hardwoods to avoid creosote build up


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Jwest said:
I’m still young-ish and ambitious (or dumb?) .
Grapple bucket on the tractor would be nice just not in the budget right now. The areas I’m working are relatively small- if it was large scale I would be renting some equipment.

I split and burn the cedar in wood stove for the house. Not the greatest wood , but it burns. I mix with other hardwoods to avoid creosote build up
Click to expand...
Gotcha...I was young once...now I use equipment! :) FWIW, a friend of mine, after learning that I was taking out some cedars at my place wanted to know if he could have some. Sure...just come help me cut them and load them. :)

His purpose is to burn them in his outdoor firepit at home, along with other wood that he has access to right behind his house. What? Apparently, he likes the "spark" that cedar provides in an outdoor fire. Alrighty then...how many do you want? :)
 
Jwest said:
4de3680903ec7affad7368a4df1ad25b.jpg

Cut, drag, stack, burn , repeat. Really is back breaking work. This area I may have cut 20 or so down. I
672c145902e48269f0a753465239cf3c.jpg

Looked like this before I started.

Mulcher would make quick work but then how long are those cedar chips going to take to decompose and let anything grow ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I have spots I mulched 6 years ago, the only thing that grows through that mess is more cedars.
 
Jwest said:
4de3680903ec7affad7368a4df1ad25b.jpg

Cut, drag, stack, burn , repeat. Really is back breaking work. This area I may have cut 20 or so down. I
672c145902e48269f0a753465239cf3c.jpg

Looked like this before I started.

Mulcher would make quick work but then how long are those cedar chips going to take to decompose and let anything grow ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Would anyone pile the chips and burn (gather with landscape rake or blade)? Or anyway to windrow and bale or similar? Wondering if there'd be good demand for the cedar trunks whole, like a post. We have a mess of them (cedars and shingle oak) in areas as well. Just haven't taken the time to clear them out or figure out the end plan of what the area needs to be like.
 
StickersNKickers said:
Would anyone pile the chips and burn (gather with landscape rake or blade)? Or anyway to windrow and bale or similar? Wondering if there'd be good demand for the cedar trunks whole, like a post. We have a mess of them (cedars and shingle oak) in areas as well. Just haven't taken the time to clear them out or figure out the end plan of what the area needs to be like.
Click to expand...
I pull out the big ones to run through the mill. I build stuff out of it as a hobby. I wouldn't pay for the logs but I bet someone would.
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