Category: Uncategorized

Wave been doing TSI or woodland thinning a lot these past several weeks. Each thinning job is different. Landowner objectives and land type dictate how its done. In this case, we are in dry post oak / white oak woodland land type in northeastern Dent County, and the landowner is interested in deer and turkey management and good healthy trees.

A timber harvest had been done a few years before I was asked to do the thinning project, and often it was observed, anywhere there was a new sprout from a tree that had been cut, there was evidence of deer browse. Occasionally we would find evidence of deer beds near tree tops from the harvest.

We intend to increase the amount of food considerably by the additional browse created from cutting poor quality, and suppressed trees, but also the new vegetation that will grow with the increased amount of sunlight reaching the woodland floor. Additional deer bedding and turkey nesting sites will be increased by the addition of more downed trees.

So lets take a look at those poor quality, crowded, and/or suppressed trees we are cutting:

A few days ago I was on a project in the Ozarks of Howell County Missouri to improve quail habitat along a wooded edge. Woodland thinning for wildlife had been done some time earlier and the presence of Japanese Honeysuckle was more than likely overlooked (an easy thing to do, especially in the summer when a small amount blends into the landscape). Now, the honeysuckle has had an explosion of growth due to all the newly available light, and control is needed to provide optimal edge habitat for quail.

Last week I took a short walk through the CoverPlot I planted back in late summer / early fall. I wanted to share with you some of what I briefly observed! My family and I are looking forward to the up coming deer season!

Its archery season in the Missouri Ozarks, and some of us are taking to the woods in our vehicles, UTVs, and ATVs scouting, hanging stands, or getting just a little closer to that hunting spot before walking in. When we do this, its nice to know that a well designed and built road or trail will be there bringing us service for years to come instead of sending that soil off site where it cant grow trees and acorns. Yea, some of us cant wait till the rut when the big bucks cant help but get active, but that’s not what were talking about this time.

 When a small rut in your woods road gets ugly and starts to gulley, what should you do?

In this post, I’m on site getting ready to plan a road rehab a few years after a timber harvest where water bars were not installed at the correct intervals and is now eventually eroding. Keep posted for updates as we progress!

• Winfred Turnips
• KB Royal Annual Ryegrass
• Crimson Clover
• Diakon Radish
• Hairy Vetch
• BarKant Turnips
• Jerry Oats

This cover crop planted in early September on my 1.5 acre sweetcorn patch is small enough I usually call it a cover plot. A cover plot is a term I use when planting cover crops for inherent reasons (some of which are covered below) plus the added benefit of a food plot for wildlife. I plant a cover plot for a host of reasons, but let me tell you a little bit about 3 of them:

Good forage for livestock, deer and turkeys.
A variety of cool season plants that produce lots of food value in the late fall early winter will be a fantastic source of nutrition for livestock and wildlife. Brassicas such as Winfred turnips will stay green after frost and will be winter hardy to -5 degrees. Turnips provide a food source after most other plants have gone dormant. Ryegrass will produce lots of good green forage during the fall and spring of the year. Oats produce a high value food source in the fall when fall planted but will likely winter kill. Clover and vetch produce lots of protein rich browse for livestock deer and turkey

Soil Builder and Erosion Control
Having a collection of plants growing in the soil as much as possible slows erosion, improves soil texture and feeds important biological life in the soil. The plant’s root zone environment is the most active biological site in the soil. Keeping the soil surface covered and the root zone active with living plants leads to long term soil stewardship, productivity, and profitability. The more biomass grown in the soil the more organic matter and carbon is stored. More biological life in the soil increases nutrient cycling below ground and a lot of biomass above ground can smother weeds and attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

Water infiltration and retention
Extensive root systems from daikon radishes, turnips, ryegrass, and others, create root channels and build deep organic matter while breaking through compacted layers of soil improving water infiltration. More roots deep in the soil provides food for organisms such as earthworms which create channels in the soil, improving water infiltration and soil structure. Plants that produce a lot of above ground biomass protect the soil surface from the hot sun by shade and a mulch layer that helps retain moisture in the soil. Good soil moisture ensures good decomposition, nutrient cycling, and more water for your plants.