NOW!!!
Until about late March. It’s go time. Get a State forester in there. Ask questions here. Learn safety and species of trees extremely well.
Until about late March. It’s go time. Get a State forester in there. Ask questions here. Learn safety and species of trees extremely well.
Daver
PMA Member
Skip is right, NOW is the best time for TSI activities. Be aware too that if you are still "sawing" in mid-to-late April and on into May, you may be inadvertently spreading diseases.
Looks great! Is this area a creek bottom?
Day after deer season until green up is best window.
Yes working on three sections/pockets of timber along the same creek. To give you an idea on the impact on the transformation here are some "before" pics. I wasn't kidding when I said you could throw a football around in there.
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risto2351
Well-Known Member
Interesting on the basswood. I girdled or hinged mine. Should of left them?
yes a creek bottom.
Depends on what you are trying to do. If they shoot sprouts that can be phenomenal browse. Other than browse, they have no wildlife food value. There is a small market for them in quantity as a craft wood or thrown in on a pallet wood cut but you arn't getting rich of them by any means. If they were competing with anything better or you just want to make cover they are fine to cut and if you get sprouts you got a very desirable food source.
risto2351
Well-Known Member
Better to hinge or completely cut down? Reason I ask is because Aspen do the same thing and they also sprout by the thousands. Any thoughts on maple? I mainly hinge or completely cut down also.
Again, what are your goals? Releasing other trees, cut completely down and potentially treat the stump. Just want browse and cover... then I would hinge.
I assume you are talking silver (soft) maple if in Iowa? I don't cut them unless I have a good reason to which could be its a bad tree that wont make a log, competing with something better, etc. Last I checked silver maple was about $.20/BF so about 1/5 price of lumber grade walnut. If you don't care about that part, and just want THICK, than they can be cut, but they do have a little monetary value. Hard maple worth more obviously if in a different region.
risto2351
Well-Known Member
Mainly to release other trees. I am going through and cleaning up from about 4 years ago when I did the first TSI go round. It was logged off by the previous landowner sometime ago and now I am looking at enhancing it some more. Want to make the bedding areas thicker and the oaks, hickory and walnuts to produce more. Not much lumber value at my place right now but maybe for my kids later.
Agree with above. I won’t cut basswood unless it’s crowding other trees. I like them. One other reason I like em..... cause the bucks like em too!! 
. Get the clusters of pole size basswoods or singles & those 8-18” suckers will get rubbed like crazy. Basswood almost always have awesome rubs on em. But ya- I do cut em if crowding crop trees. Leave em otherwise. Or only cut the poles of the basswood that are crowding crop trees and leave other poles. I think everyone likes seeing this. I snapped some pics as I was marking some timber stand improvement to be done. Any farm I’ve been on- those basswood rubs sure are fun.
. Get the clusters of pole size basswoods or singles & those 8-18” suckers will get rubbed like crazy. Basswood almost always have awesome rubs on em. But ya- I do cut em if crowding crop trees. Leave em otherwise. Or only cut the poles of the basswood that are crowding crop trees and leave other poles. I think everyone likes seeing this. I snapped some pics as I was marking some timber stand improvement to be done. Any farm I’ve been on- those basswood rubs sure are fun. 
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Yes working on three sections/pockets of timber along the same creek. To give you an idea on the impact on the transformation here are some "before" pics. I wasn't kidding when I said you could throw a football around in there.
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Cool thanks. I'm walking my farm in MO on Monday with a DNR biologist regarding TSI and edge feathering opportunities.
Daver
PMA Member
FWIW, I definitely agree with the notion that bucks show a strong preference to rub on basswoods. I have one place on my farm where a basswood is growing out of a steep creek bank and that sucker is rubbed silly every year. And the crazy bucks have to be part billy goat to get to it and I really don't know how they maintain their footing once they do. (Hmmm...I should put a trail cam on video mode over that thing next year. )
)
Did a segment with video on TSI. I’m a little out of my element with camera there. My goal remains - creating community to help eachother on conservation, habitat, creating areas big bucks love, etc. MidwestWhitetail was another avenue to get some good video format for that info. Bill does a great job & he’s one that I always found to “be the best” and how “tasteful” he does things. He’s not a walking commercial and he’s there to help people. Which I love and respect.
I can’t help that I drool and cross eyed but working to put anything I can out there to help others & provide platform for others to contribute so we can all learn.
Here’s tsi segment.
http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/videos/benefits-timber-stand-improvement-midwest-whitetail/
I can’t help that I drool and cross eyed but working to put anything I can out there to help others & provide platform for others to contribute so we can all learn.
Here’s tsi segment.
http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/videos/benefits-timber-stand-improvement-midwest-whitetail/
hillrunner
PMA Member
Good job on the video, I'm going to have to rewatch it when I have a few less distractions around me. Looking pretty dapper in the Stihl ensemble.
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Got some more Segments. Stuff like “cutting trails through tsi” to force movement. Stuff on fighting invasives and some footage doing the work.
I’m just trying to think- what’s best way to make things simple & beneficial. Asides from my ugly face, video seems to be one avenue that’s really helpful. Try and do as much as we can on all segments like tsi, native grasses, fertility, plots, u name it. Super fun & one more method or avenue to help people with info. Perfect to have forum here for questions & the tons of folks with years of experience + the guys who are the hunger end of wanting to learn. Open to suggestions. Other than getting facial reconstructive surgery.
I’m just trying to think- what’s best way to make things simple & beneficial. Asides from my ugly face, video seems to be one avenue that’s really helpful. Try and do as much as we can on all segments like tsi, native grasses, fertility, plots, u name it. Super fun & one more method or avenue to help people with info. Perfect to have forum here for questions & the tons of folks with years of experience + the guys who are the hunger end of wanting to learn. Open to suggestions. Other than getting facial reconstructive surgery.
gunhunter
PMA Member
It was great to watch and see the final result and what a difference it makes. I am glad to here you guys covered making trails through it and look forward to it, that was the question that came to my mind after watching. Would be interested to learn how you chose where to do your tsi to get the most benefit, like ridge tops, benchs, etc
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
Great job on MW Skip. Really informative and nice to see it in a video form
Listen to this. Really awesome info!!!! Listen on a drive or when u got a little time to absorb. Really good!!!
https://extension.msstate.edu/sites...ode007Mineral_Stumps_for_Deer_Nutrition_0.mp3
https://extension.msstate.edu/sites...ode007Mineral_Stumps_for_Deer_Nutrition_0.mp3
Did the 2nd part of the TSI segment. Little example area.....
http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/videos/skips-video-blog/
http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/videos/skips-video-blog/