So I took AJ on to the part of property I use as sanctuary for the first time . I needed to check posted signs on that narrow 1/2 mile stretch. I post heavy, so only 4 signs remain ...go figure, re-did them 2 yrs ago. Any how not as many trees down and there was a great find. I love white pine and they are few and far between across the street wher my main hunting is. I have just one beautiful left on section I hunt often. Well I found a wonderful white pine nursery amongst many other young pines growing all over in the area. Lots of transplanting material.
I cut about an 1/8 acre behind my cabin today. It was mostly 4" boxelder and elm. Worthless for deer but I got it all down. Couple bigger BassWood and 1 big BurrOak also. This morning I could see through it, now it's a complete jungle. It's going to provide superb bedding/ future browse. I'm stiff n tired. These yearly small projects have such great benefits.
I planned on going out today...best laid plans, hubby needs a ride into city because his company truck is throwing a DANGER TO DRIVE code. He has to pick up a different truck to get to the job site that's in a total opposite direction from our place. Has to wait until office is open at 8 to see if one is available. It is pea soup out there. On a good day an hour out and then back. Add an hour to that 3 hours. I know my brain will be completely fried by the time I get back from traffic and conditions. That and never having gone to new office so I have zero Idea on directions. Fun times There goes my day
Today was a good day until the wind picked up and temps dropped like a rock. The area I was cutting is pretty wet at the moment . I got 28 trees cut. I had to winch one and have a few hung up I can't winch yet. A couple of let the wind get them, cuts. I cleaned and put saw away then killed, skinned and butched the last turkey. Here's just a few pics Even managed to make home made venison lasagna.
Dang OLD, i'm glad you got permission and had the gumption to do that. It MAY help but truly needs to be way more done for any real beneficial standpoint. I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record but...., 95% of that tall,standing timber needs to get down.. it'll just keep getting taller and drown out the ground with shade. That ground needs SUN! and lot of it. Not trying to be an assho.., I know your drive (great) but you REALLY need WAY more to make any improvements for wildlife. Not sure what kind of trees those are? But they don't appear to be beneficial for hinge cutting? Luv ya Sis.
No need to get him on board for these, every single one cut is already dead. These are ash that died in the past year from ash borer. The #'s I mentioned in previous post are all dead trees. Over a hundred more to cut in that small area. Many are much bigger . I'm cutting the smaller ones around those first to avoid some of the hang ups. I also want son to come and chunk this so I can haul out fire wood for him. That will also give me room to move. Remember I'm cutting with a 12" pruning saw. I promised I won't cut with a regular chain saw when alone. Pruner gives me space from trunks and I always make a run path for kicks or a dead top snap back in fall. I'll be out cutting every non windy day this winter plugging away. Remember 66 April 1, my hands were a reck after that and the turkey butcher. She dressed out at 26#s
Looks like a lot of work, I wish I could do that right now…. About another month for me than I should be able to participate, if everything keeps going well
Well my arms didn't kick in until yesterday..lol No wind today but rain changing to snow. Good day to get weekly ironing done. Yesterday was Grandson's BB game...teams, all ages, having a rough season. Next will be his spring choir, before baseball starts up again.
I've been a tad busy with the pole saw before the next snow storm. Now need to get son in here to chunk this section before I move on to next one. I have around 8 more big ones right there to cut.
No worries I'm very cautious, always have a "run away " trail cleared for the just incase senerios. Had to chunk stuff in my way and then filled it back up again lol. The big ones literally blow up when they hit. They need to be removed so I can find room to hing a few live ones in there. I already unintentionally hinged a few maple downing big dead ash. Also hinged a few diseased maples that will die in a few years. This weather in mid 50's has been good for hinging. Any how thanks for the concern.
No cutting today or yesterday, pick up days. Clearing trails and areas I'll be cutting soon. I did find where the buck have been. Tons of droppings, new and old, many rubs. This including a stand of hazelnut brush . Funny an area I know they bed and had glassed several times during season from and up hill, up wind position. Yet never caught them bedding or standing. Droppings were very thick and above where the field edge doe were, are bedding. Hhmmmm.... Way colder today for sure. Got a lot done and see where the turkey have been, stored info. I'm thinking we may not get the snow they are predicting. Hubby got the Gator serviced when I was out working... I HATE MICE!!!!!!!
We did get some of the snow, pretty much a dusting. The winds and temps are bad though. Winds howled all night long, waking me a few times. I had started a cut in lower woods, but hubby stopped me to go pick up my car, new breaks. Yesterday was and errands day. No cutting again until these winds ease up. Did get part of field edge done. A lot of lower branches "hinged" then positiond in and down betwen trees. Let them leaf out and obstruct view to field from woods. Cut a few dead down, hinged a couple of forked silvers then cut a couple of sun blocking maple. Need more sun to a couple of peach and apple trees. Will continue the edging once weather changes. Think I'll ask for another new chain for my birthday, I have 4 in for sharpening right now. They can only sharpen them so many times. That pruner was a gift when the kids were still in high school. My oldest will be 41 this year. Man I've worked the crud out of that little thing...
So you've probably figured out I'm writing this as a sort of journal. Yesterday I went in to the bottom section and cleaned up a bit to ready it for more hinging. Then went over to main " slashings" area to check dead trees. Mind you this entire thing was once a farmers field. He plowed then stopped working it. The front open area took me many yearss to finally smooth out. It was rough going to keep mowed before we got the tractor ,disc and harrow drag. The woods part was a zillion spindly maples, oak and ash when we bought it. As timber grew small suff died and every winter I go in and push dead stuff down. Well now I have a more open lot but it is filled with 3 in. dead maple . I went in and peeled the bark off every dead tree I could not push over. This to make seeing them easier when I go in to do a cut. I want the dead stuff down so I can get a good vision on the rest of the work needed. There is also a bunch of dead ash and diseased big maple in there. No ground growth save the nasty tick bush, barberry, trying to grow. The edges I've worked on have developed backberry and raspberry brush. The thing with this ground is even when cleared up it won't see a ground growth like most see. What happens is a flush of berries some dog wood brush, autumn olive and a covering of moss. It is a wet highly acidic soil. The farmer personally told me he never limed the land. I do not know how but he managed growing beans and corn on a few inches of acid soil over extensive sheets of lime stone. He farmed on the side just to help feed his 8 kids. The whole family had to go in and pick the harvests by hand. I sat at their kitchen table many hours listening to their recollections. Which was actually very nice to hear, good hard working people.
