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public ground trees

dblmainbeam

dblmainbeam

Member
Does anyone know why the DNR cuts down trees that grow on public ground. In the last 5 years I have seen where they come in and cut down all the trees then they just leave them laying where they fall. It looks like coyote habitat.
I was really disappointed yesterday when I went to a spot to shed hunt that has been loaded with deer all winter. They have dropped most of the trees and I bet there not done. All the thickets were full of pheasant and deer sign two weeks ago. I guess they can go find shelter elsewhere. Pisses me off!
 
I'm pretty sure they're trying to make grouse habitat. They've clear cut a ton of ground up here in Allamakee county.
 
I talked to the guys cutting those trees one day and they said it is solely for grouse habitat. It grows up thick though and will make for some good deer habitat. Sure is a mess when the are done though.
 
I just talk to a county conservation guy and he said if its in as a wetland there aren't supposed to be any trees. Seems ridiculous to me. This spot has 2 tiny sloughs that don't even have any open water. Seems like a waste. No wonder we don't have any pheasants. Habitat is constantly disappearing.
 
Happens on both the public, and the private property enrolled in any kind of wetlands or crp program. Any trees that grow up are "supposed" to be cut down. There are a lot of private land owners that get away with letting them grow, but some aren't so lucky and the DNR will come out and tell you that they need to be cleared. I guess I don't know how these small trees and thickets disrupt the intent of the wetlands or crp programs?

I'm not sold on the loss of habitat hurting pheasant populations though. I've got first hand experience in multiple sections of ground that have not changed, or have improved in the past 10 years, and the pheasant populations aren't 30% of what they used to be. Weather shows the greatest correlation to pheasant numbers.
 
Here's what I got from the DNR.

Adam, here is a note from T.J. Herrick, the DNR wildlife management biologist for Winnebago County:

The young cottonwood tree cutting you observed is part of an overall focus by the DNR's Wildlife Bureau to improve the quality of grassland/wetland habitat. We are basing the decision to cut these trees on the best science we have available to us.

The part of Winnebago county where this property is located was once a mix of native tallgrass prairie, wetlands and oak woodlots. As we move forward, our management plan is to try replicate this native landscape by removing invasive trees (like the cottonwoods you referenced), restore wetland/grassland complexes, and even plant new oak stands where justified (we actually have a 13 acre oak planting scheduled just 4.5 miles from the sites where the trees were cut). It’s my goal that people understand why we do the management we do, so if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly at 641.829.3285 or TJ.Herrick@dnr.iowa.gov.

I think it's great they are planting trees it will take 80 years for an oak to be 10 inches. I don't agree with cutting all the trees down. This area has two small sloughs about 30 feet across with no open water. It should be good for breeding mosquitoes and that's about it.
They have one small food plot on the property. I would bet money that next winter it will be untouched. I do not understand how this helps anything or any animal.

Ben this is one mile West and a little north of your parents house. You should have seen all the deer in pheasant every time I drove by plowing snow. It was awesome.
 
You may want to read Dbltree's threads on this.
It may not look like much now but there will be better habitat
in the future for the animals.
 
dblmainbeam said:
...
Ben this is one mile West and a little north of your parents house. You should have seen all the deer in pheasant every time I drove by plowing snow. It was awesome.
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Yeah I know where you are talking about. I've seen quite a few deer in there these last few years as well. Hopefully it's for the best. I know over at Jean's place they had to cut all their little saplings and stuff down because the DNR saw them growing via satellite, but that was a much smaller patch. I suppose if that's the terms of the contract, the state can't get away with letting it go to trees if they hold others to it.
 
Clearcutting is ugly, unsightly and hard to look at. Then, after a year or two it becomes some of the best "natural" habitat you can ever create for several different types of wildlife.

I'd imagine that many of you who have been fortunate to call Iowa home for much of your lives may not be as accustomed to the big clear cutting efforts as some of us who live in the big woods of the north. The resulting regrowth will become great browse for deer as well as cover for deer and grouse as new growth fills in. A small section of our property was cleared back in 2007 and watching it regrow has been really cool. It's now super thick and makes for great habitat.
 
mightymouse said:
Clearcutting is ugly, unsightly and hard to look at. Then, after a year or two it becomes some of the best "natural" habitat you can ever create for several different types of wildlife.

I'd imagine that many of you who have been fortunate to call Iowa home for much of your lives may not be as accustomed to the big clear cutting efforts as some of us who live in the big woods of the north. The resulting regrowth will become great browse for deer as well as cover for deer and grouse as new growth fills in. A small section of our property was cleared back in 2007 and watching it regrow has been really cool. It's now super thick and makes for great habitat.
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I can understand that but here they cut down everything and leave it lay. They don't want any trees on the property.
 
Exactly, trees do not benefit waterfowl or other upland nesting birds. They create places for predators to thive. Also I know trees are good cover in winter time. To bad they can't plant windbreaks on the North and West sides.
 
No way shape or form trying to throw gas on a fire. In NW Iowa the DNR cut down what I call ditch cedars all the time. Evidently, they are invasive as well. So, the oaks can thrive. I planted an Oak tree in my yard 8 years ago and it was 5 foot tall when I planted it. It is now 7 feet tall. Obviously, we are doing this for our children's children. I agree with you Double Mainbeam but I'm no rocket scientist when it comes to knowing what trees to cut down and which ones to keep.
 
Standing trees are of no use to pheasants. Especially cottonwoods...those are just places for avian predators to look for their next meal.

A nasty mess on the ground is way more beneficial to upland game birds (and deer) than standing cottonwoods.
 
Bill Hartzell said:
No way shape or form trying to throw gas on a fire. In NW Iowa the DNR cut down what I call ditch cedars all the time. Evidently, they are invasive as well. So, the oaks can thrive. I planted an Oak tree in my yard 8 years ago and it was 5 foot tall when I planted it. It is now 7 feet tall. Obviously, we are doing this for our children's children. I agree with you Double Mainbeam but I'm no rocket scientist when it comes to knowing what trees to cut down and which ones to keep.
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Some oaks grow slow, some fast. Really depends on the species and the soil site its planted on. Some oaks I've planted have grown 5' in 3 years alone.
 
letemgrow said:
Standing trees are of no use to pheasants. Especially cottonwoods...those are just places for avian predators to look for their next meal.

A nasty mess on the ground is way more beneficial to upland game birds (and deer) than standing cottonwoods.
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Can you tell me why I would see 50+ birds everyday in and around these trees? I think its because they could get out of the 40 mph winds we have twice a week, food close buy and not much cover anywhere else. The heard of 35-40 deer loved it too
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1/4 of the trees gone.I'm sure it won't be long for the rest.
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