Who else gives back?

[Jon Stewart]

I have 35 acres, most of which were blue spruce and scotch pine. Soil abusers is what I call them ,LOL.  I opened up two small 4 acre fields in the middle of the pines and a couple of acres  behind my cabin. They chipped the trees and it filled 22 semi's.  I then planted 1000 pine seedlings along the edges of the fields and in the hardwoods.  I left the fields for food plots and work the two larger ones but the small field behind my cabin was left alone.  In 5 years I have  white oak, maple and cherry trees growing in the area behind my camp and the seeds were planted by birds and squirrels.  That area is so thick with natural vegetation  and tree growth that you cannot see from one end of the field to the other.

[23feetupandhappy]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Planted 13,000 trees on the family farm a little over 15 years ago.  They were Oaks, Black Walnuts and Pine.  Deer use the snot out of them.  I think I have panted less than 25 trees since then, none of them for habitat improvement.  I have not been anywhere long enough to see any benefits and one place I do most of my bow hunting, would cut it down or mow it as they are trying to maintain a  specific ecosystem for butterflies.

2 winters ago I scouted an area hard and again late summer.  I did well with the late season hunting there.  Then when I pulled in last season to hunt, I couldn't believe it..... Hundreds of acres were mowed flat. all that remained were a couple hundred Jack Pines. You could see for 3-400 yards before the topography changed.

Well, I guess 13,000 will burn a guy out a bit  

What does it look like now, Deer Haven?

[Bowwild]

For 40 years.

[darin putman]

Last spring I planted about 270 seeds in root trainer pots, photo taken maybe a few months later.         This year I managed to get around 170 of them in the ground. Osage, Sawtooth Oak, Persimmon and  Chestnut were planted in rows 20-25 feet apart with 20-25 feet spacing, Paw paws  and wild plums were planted 6-10 feet apart in smaller patch. My daughter and 3 sons ages 6-16 then, helped with the initial seed planting.

[23feetupandhappy]

Originally posted by darin putman:
Last spring I planted about 270 seeds in root trainer pots, photo taken maybe a few months later.         This year I managed to get around 170 of them in the ground. Osage, Sawtooth Oak, Persimmon and  Chestnut were planted in rows 20-25 feet apart with 20-25 feet spacing, Paw paws  and wild plums were planted 6-10 feet apart in smaller patch. My daughter and 3 sons ages 6-16 then, helped with the initial seed planting.

Man that looks like a sweet System!!
How are the seedlings doing now?

[darin putman]

Had a dry spell that worried me a bit, but Osage, sawtooth oak and persimmon seem to really be doing great. Have to keep a close eye on paw paws but there root system seems to take a little longer to establish.

[Russ Clagett]

We have cedar and mesquite.....

Yeah.

[Basinboy]

Originally posted by darin putman:
Last spring I planted about 270 seeds in root trainer pots, photo taken maybe a few months later.         This year I managed to get around 170 of them in the ground. Osage, Sawtooth Oak, Persimmon and  Chestnut were planted in rows 20-25 feet apart with 20-25 feet spacing, Paw paws  and wild plums were planted 6-10 feet apart in smaller patch. My daughter and 3 sons ages 6-16 then, helped with the initial seed planting.

Very nice setup Darin!

[shankspony]

Planting trees becomes a hobby in itself. Its easier for me in that I have my own land, but still I plant realising that maybe if im lucky I will get some glimpse of the end result when Im 70.
We have to do it for future generations as our main incentive I think. The last few years has seen me fence off areas of my land and plant about 7000 trees. My latest project I also pushed a clay wall across a valley and created an 11 acre wetland.

[Fletcher]

Great stuff guys, but please reconsider planting the Sawtooth Oaks.  They are a non-native invasive species and that never turns out for the best.

[meathead]

I have a playground that I have been doing habitat work on for 10 years. A lot of it geared towards quail. We have a lot of deer and turkeys too. We have planted a lot of trees, native grass and built two small wetlands two years ago  

Fletcher is right on about the sawtooths too. You might get acorns 10 years sooner than planting white oak but in 30 or 40 years you kids will be trying to kill them.

[darin putman]

Thanks basinboy

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by 23feetupandhappy:
 

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Planted 13,000 trees on the family farm a little over 15 years ago.  They were Oaks, Black Walnuts and Pine.  Deer use the snot out of them.  I think I have panted less than 25 trees since then, none of them for habitat improvement.  I have not been anywhere long enough to see any benefits and one place I do most of my bow hunting, would cut it down or mow it as they are trying to maintain a  specific ecosystem for butterflies.

2 winters ago I scouted an area hard and again late summer.  I did well with the late season hunting there.  Then when I pulled in last season to hunt, I couldn't believe it..... Hundreds of acres were mowed flat. all that remained were a couple hundred Jack Pines. You could see for 3-400 yards before the topography changed.

Well, I guess 13,000 will burn a guy out a bit      

What does it look like now, Deer Haven?[/b]

The deer have been using the snot out of the trees year round.  its funny, they will walk right down a row and rub on every tree.

The white pine has created a  lot of cover where they bed and spend winters.