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Timber Stand Improvment

Will you leave the felled cedars just laying there or will you cut them up and drag out? I have quite a few cedars and thinking i may take down some of the bigger ones.

Lay for now. Can always come back and strip and pull the logs out later to sell. Some local sawmills will buy them, you just have to call around and ask.

FWIW, they are a "high work, low pay" proposition.. For that reason, cedars are not very desirable for most loggers, the ones that we've found that remotely show interest don't want to pay you for them.
 
Will you leave the felled cedars just laying there or will you cut them up and drag out? I have quite a few cedars and thinking i may take down some of the bigger ones.
See the above video of what IBH1983 did. Ran a fire through it and it EXPLODED with cover during the summer months.
 
Here is a pic in August or Sept. This was after the above video of cutting cedars and burning. Talk about a bedding paradise and this was only the first growing season.

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I watched this last night and it was great info as always. Thanks for sharing! Will there be longer/more in depth videos in the future?
Sure! If guys have certain topics- glad to get in depth. It’s 100% for education & help for folks. Gladly take on topics that would be of value to anyone.
 
Combination of crop tree release and selective hinge cutting. Major improvements on this tract. Quick thoughts about hinge cutting in videos.

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Thanks for sharing this. Keeps giving me ideas for my place. I have several spots that are "done" and several more that I need to hit. I do think it is helping hold more deer, helps thicken up my mature timber so you can't see as far, and is giving more food with new growth and what I'm dropping.
 
Iowabowhunter1983, do you have any progress pictures or videos of the property you cut all the cedars? (Never mind I scrolled right by the picture) I bought a property about a year ago and it has some thick cedar patches. Zero light in there/ dark during middle of day. South facing hill side so I believe I could make this a way better bedding area than what it currently is. Attached a photo of property, can clearly see the cedar patches to the north and north east of property. I know there are some oaks mixed in on the east side but seems the north central is solid cedars. What would be your guys’ plan of attack?
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Iowabowhunter1983, do you have any progress pictures or videos of the property you cut all the cedars? (Never mind I scrolled right by the picture) I bought a property about a year ago and it has some thick cedar patches. Zero light in there/ dark during middle of day. South facing hill side so I believe I could make this a way better bedding area than what it currently is. Attached a photo of property, can clearly see the cedar patches to the north and north east of property. I know there are some oaks mixed in on the east side but seems the north central is solid cedars. What would be your guys’ plan of attack?


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Those look like big mature cedars to me creating a wildlife desert. I would go in there with a chainsaw and cut most, if not all, of them down. I would then consider burning if you can do it without damaging your oaks.
 
Iowabowhunter1983, do you have any progress pictures or videos of the property you cut all the cedars? (Never mind I scrolled right by the picture) I bought a property about a year ago and it has some thick cedar patches. Zero light in there/ dark during middle of day. South facing hill side so I believe I could make this a way better bedding area than what it currently is. Attached a photo of property, can clearly see the cedar patches to the north and north east of property. I know there are some oaks mixed in on the east side but seems the north central is solid cedars. What would be your guys’ plan of attack?
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You have one option really....cut them down...or i should say get them on the ground somehow. I am dealing with this matter but on a way worse scale...its a daunting task. You cut 20 cedars and it feels like you've cut 100 and you just don't get anywhere.

If i had your farm and had plenty of other oaks in other parts of the timber I probably wouldn't care if i lost a few during the fire....ultimately nothing will thrive with those cedars being so thick...
 
Those look like big mature cedars to me creating a wildlife desert. I would go in there with a chainsaw and cut most, if not all, of them down. I would then consider burning if you can do it without damaging your oaks.

This. Exactly the project I'm currently working on. See Post #616.
 
Awesome I figured that would be the answer, what do you guys do with the stumps? Cut flush with ground?

I have always considered myself a diehard hunter, but now being a landowner, I have become almost more interested in improving the land. (I had never even planted a food plot until last year) Just didn’t have the opportunities to do so. Learning a lot. I’m also learning it’s a lot of work-but that’s ok.


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Awesome I figured that would be the answer, what do you guys do with the stumps? Cut flush with ground?

Your call. Depends on your goals, see Post #10.


If an area you want to convert to a field or plot, I would flush cut and stump grind. Otherwise I leave high due to speed I can work. Just my approach.
 
I have been going to war on thorny locust trees on my farm and treating stumps with tordon. Last weekend was the first time that a liquid oozed up out of the stump when I cut. I assume this means that flow is up now that it is warming and it is time to stop cutting locust trees because the stump killer will not kill stump?
 
I don't have any experience with locust but I have never had trouble killing a tree regardless of the time of year.
 
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