The family wants to plant spruce and white pine to get woods thick/fast in an area that is just wasted field. My thought process is that in about 10 years we are going to wish we added some oak or chestnut or something to actually create huntable woods with trees for stands. What trees would you plant to get the fasted growth, but still create well balanced habitat for hunting. Located in Central Wisconsin.
Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae. They make great wind breaks, grow like weeds (like 5 feet per year), deer will browse, good in deep cold (you need that.) That will be your cover and browse. Plant them in short rows or small groups. Then, get you some hybrid poplars, they also grow super fast, straight, and make good stand trees. Plant some oaks if you can, they will acorn when youngish but unfortunately they will probably never be old enough for you to use them as stand trees but they will fruit and draw in deer. Get you some hybrid apple trees, too. WI season is early enough that you can actually hunt over them before they all drop and get eaten/turn to mush. https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/products/hybridpoplar ^^^ I love that website, BTW. Using them for my house this spring.
Thanks, BnB. I also recommend mixing in some quick grow maples. They will fill the gap in mature trees between when the poplars begin to die off from old age and before the oaks fully mature. Unfortunately the OP and all of us are probably too old to see how that all plays out, but his ancestors will thank him for it.
Not to argue with you BNB red cedar is a weed, an invasive weed with zero redeeming quality. I would also avoid any specie that is not native to your area, add some fruit trees. White pines are nice but deer raise hell with them just like white cedar you need to protect the leader on those trees, pear trees will produce before apple trees will.
The only good thing about red cedar is that it will not sucker out of a stump, unlike another of my least favorite trees box elder. Brings up another idea if there are existing trees in the area cut a few down they will sucker out of the stumps and grow back like a shrub rather than a tree, provides good cover.
Thank you guys for the input! I can apply all of these to the specific location and soil I have. Combination of select cutting and planting I think I can get a good plan!
Fallow fields as they grow early successional growth is THE BEST deer habitat you can have. Everything a deer needs is literally at their level as it grows. Cover and diverse food is abundant in such settings. Depending on what the field is presently made up of some of the best concepts to attack a field is burn the grasses or chemical treat them and see what comes up. Depending on the size we are talking pockets of irregular shaped conifer patches are a good idea, but think long term for these will become winter thermal cover/bedding options offered. Also, while getting trees growing is a good thing, the ultimate goal if deer centered should never be a mature forest - quite the opposite - the more mature and more closed canopy the property gets the less that property will have at the deer's level to live in and eat. A 5 acre fallow field 5-7 years into its early successional growth will have more food in it throughout the year than a mature oak flat that is three or four times that size. Mature trees offer very little to deer standing over their heads. Plan on ground/blinds hunting till mature trees begin to grow - where you desire them to grow. Mature tree lines along the exterior of a property long term makes for easiest hunting with least amount of disturbance, but in the interior I'm focusing on encouraging bushier type growth, lower tree types (apples, pears..fruits) and the mixing in some chestnuts or oaks but not a ton. Plum thickets will need controlled but tucking them in a corner or in a specific spot also are excellent options for full sun fallow field someone is beginning to lay a plan out for. There are many benefits starting with a blank fallow slate vs having the same acreage but all wooded for sure - thinking diversity and constantly circling back to trying to provide as much stuff to the deer from our feet to about our arm pits is key - as anything above that they have very little use for year round.
Good advise about grouping pines...whites will get hit hard by deer, here white spruce are rubbed to hell. Norway grow fast and hold branches low to ground. You have to know your trees really research the tree growth. For example popular are great for deer and grouse when young but here in NYS advised by DEC to cut as they age. The reason to produce the root suckers for the grouse habitat,near worthless when very big. Locusts are great for their pods(we have the thorny blk), used for posts ,pollen for bees. Beech are super for most critters and fire wood. Here is the real down fall to each of these. Shallow roots that sucker and have massive root zones. You need to think ahead as to what you'll be doing on ground surrounding them and their impact. That is the case with most. Species growth habits and soil requirements,. Think out of box for your area. I've planted mulberry,Sassafrass,Paw paw, quince, persimmon,dog wood. Large fruiting bushes are also great. Hazelnut, blueberry,Hanson cherry,aronia,ect,ect Also please research what fungus,bacterial and insect problems your area has in trees species before considering planting...it will save you money and time in the long run
