Stone Branch, build it, they will come.

[weekender21]

With all the fire-related podcasts I’ve been consuming lately, I’ve been given the impression you need growing season fires to kill those midstory undesireables. Are you killing them with your fires, G?

They used to think growing season fires would kill more woody species. That might be the case initially but a recent study in KS indicated growing season burns actually increased woody structure over the next few years.

Obviously one study is anecdotal and may only pertain to that specific habitat but it’s interesting non the less.


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[weekender21]

My little test fire back burn down below wafted back and fourth from back burn to head fire. At this time I debated packing it up or lighting it up and I choose the latter lighting up about 30 yards of head fire.

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I went up top and lit a back burn off the top which quickly turned into a head fire.

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I advanced my bottom fire line while the top fire line advanced it's self through a series of brush piles. The big dead white oak was of major concern, I did my best to not light it up.

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I eventually lit up the whole perimeter.

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The punky wood at the dead white oak's base was soaking up hots and it had to come down.

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This was a good burn.

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The big tulip here was supposed to be a crop tree, I'm not sure what happened. With two 90 yard fire lines it is hard to be everywhere at once.

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Before I called it a day I took the log off the stump and made a barricade so that the stump wouldn't fall over and roll down past my fire break. The oak will be utilized for firewood. After this burn my advice wafts like the wind from get out and try a little fire to don't try this at home.

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G

I’m taking lots of notes, looking forward to a time when I get to burn more often!


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[George]

Yesterday's burn started with promise





but looks can be deceiving I start my fires in piles of raked up leaves. By the time that I returned to the start the fire all but petered out.





Some spots wouldn't burn at all. Humidity wasn't the problem it was still down around 30%. It is often harder to get fire to go than it is to control it.



By the time I worked my way around around the perimeter I was ready to light a head fire to see if that would go.



Then I went and took pictures from my tree stand. This was not a taxing fire but the 6 hours of fire prep had me dragging ass. It is a good way to burn calories 4 of the last 5 days I lost a pound of fat off of my butt.



G

 

[George]

With all the fire-related podcasts I’ve been consuming lately, I’ve been given the impression you need growing season fires to kill those midstory undesireables. Are you killing them with your fires, G?

They used to think growing season fires would kill more woody species. That might be the case initially but a recent study in KS indicated growing season burns actually increased woody structure over the next few years.

Obviously one study is anecdotal and may only pertain to that specific habitat but it’s interesting non the less.
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I left the fire burning at 8:00.



So the head fire carried pretty well, a bit spotty in places, but achieving my goals for this spot. Except for the trees that I raked out from around I'm burning a stand of basically dead trees. The dead trees were killed by the fire that I ran through here 3 years ago this same time of year along with the emerald ash bore. There simply is not much stump sprouting. I believe that trees that are prone to being killed by fire die whether or not the fire is in April or if the fire is in August. Conversely an oak sapling top killed by a fire in August is no less likely to re sprout than an oak sapling top killed by a fire in April. We can't believe every thing that we are fed.

That being said, Turkish, I am hacking and squirting the undesirable mid story trees prior to burning. I can't hack and squirt every finger sized sapling in the woods so I'm counting on those to be top killed by fire. We will see how many of those re sprout.

G

 

[George]

I went in yesterday and tried the Bic again in the areas where my fire petered out the evening before







and the fire ate it up. I'm happy now.

I’m taking lots of notes, looking forward to a time when I get to burn more often!
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I had warmth and wind on both days and the humidity was actually a few percentage points higher on the second day so what factor made the big difference between burn and no burn? Answer, solar radiation, it was midday, hazy and not full sun energy but it made all the difference. I'm trying to get my burning done before full leaf out. This is one reason why I am a bit in doubt about conducting growing season burns in the woods, burning in the shade of a full canopy probably won't happen.

I'm looking in to ways to make things a little easier for me. Here I was going to clean up the sticks and run fire through. Now I think that I will just throw in some fertilizer, lime, and beans as is and clean up the sticks another year.



I have maybe 3 more acres to burn in 2 units this area here is one of them about 2 acres. My new plan here is to burn it as is, take out firewood, make deer trails in the remaining sticks, and then throw out fertilizer, lime, and seeds.



I lost a bag of wheat in this burn unit yesterday. I sprinkled out 2lbs of clover mix and 1/2lb of rape in the top 1/3. I will add some lime and 6-24-24.



On the west end of the ridge I sprinkled 3lbs of radish and 1lb of rape under my new stand tree. This is redbud soil because it is alkaline up around the limestone outcrop and may be I spot to try to establish clover.



G

 

[George]

This is what the ground looks like where I recently burned.








This is what the ground looks like two years after bringing sunshine to the ground without burning. Fire is coming soon.





G

 

[George]

I have been concerned that Tiny being as active around here in the wilds as he is would be the one to find our first copperhead, or worse, rattlesnake of the year. I spied this gorgeous creature down crossing the drive and brought him up and placed him down below the porch.



I let just Tiny out and he saw it right off.



Tiny see's all living creatures as food so he got close to investigate and the snake immediately struck. Tiny is quick and I don't think that the snake got him



but it sent him into full guard dog alert mode.







Tiny has been snake educated, a lesson that could keep him alive around here.



G

 

[MarkDarvin]

That is bonkers!

 

[badgerfowl]

You’re gonna need a bigger fire!

 

[T-Max]

Good call, G! We taught ours on a big bull snake and I am always glad we did.

 

[George]

Good call, G! We taught ours on a big bull snake and I am always glad we did.

I have never found a bull snake, they have reputations.



After spending about 8 hours of raking out 450 yards of fire break my left clavicle was paining me.



Then I spent a couple of days cutting up dead wood while admiring all of the young oak trees in the area.





Instead of burning I will be managing the area for the young oaks and dogwoods that have prospered since I took out the mid story canopy of red maples a couple of years ago. Another good example of why cookie cutter habitat plans fall short.



I will continue to kill red maples.



The oaks run out towards the top so I will still have some area to burn.



G

 

[dogghr]

Glad I took a nap before I read all the work you’ve done lately. I’m exhausted watching. My trip to farm today was more breakdowns than production. Odd stuff. Did nail a bunch of AO and broke down some cedars for small game tho. Keep up the good work Pyro.


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[Native Hunter]

Tiny scared him so badly, he came all the way to my place.

 

[George]

Glad I took a nap before I read all the work you’ve done lately. I’m exhausted watching. My trip to farm today was more breakdowns than production. Odd stuff. Did nail a bunch of AO and broke down some cedars for small game tho. Keep up the good work Pyro.
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My mower won't start, my new gun safe is still laying in the bed of my truck, my priorities seem to be out of align.

Tiny scared him so badly, he came all the way to my place.

Please be nice to him/her. Good luck with Tom.

The very first time that I looked at this spot back in October 2018 I said wow I could plant fruit trees here and since I won't be burning this area I decided to plant fruit trees. A beautiful deep soft loamy soil.















Time to go turkey hunting.

G

 

[George]

A good bit of turkey sound in the woods, some back talk but they seem to already have love interests. I called in a hen.



Good germination in the woods. I have yet to id any clover.



The wheat was a bag of bird seed.



Rhus aromatica from Coldstream.



My first and only morel, they are said to just be starting around here, it's been chilly.



G

 

[George]

I'm getting adventurous, I bought 2 moonglows for the Kill Zone. I googled pollinators for moonglows and Native Hunter says that my Kieffers will do the job.



I would like to fill in the rest of the sunny spots in this area with crab apples.



As I transition out of the oak, dogwood woods



into the decimated sugar maple stand



and up



the slaughter continues.



I have cut my way through yet again. I have said that my habitat plans and directions tend to shift with the winds. I'm not going to burn, I'm going to dump 3 bags of Credenz liberty/RR soy beans into the leaf litter, in May. Today I'm going back up with more special sauce, the hack hammer, lime, and fertilizer.







The ground cover here is jap honeysuckle.



G

 

[TheOldOak]

Wow, you've done a massive amount of work this spring. I would stick to planting fruit trees well up your hills, if not at the top when possible. Frost pockets seem to be the real deal in the valley around me in southern, IN. That said, the pears have managed to produce a few good crops, the apples, not so much.

 

[George]

Wow, you've done a massive amount of work this spring. I would stick to planting fruit trees well up your hills, if not at the top when possible. Frost pockets seem to be the real deal in the valley around me in southern, IN. That said, the pears have managed to produce a few good crops, the apples, not so much.

Thanks OldOak, one more push and I can think about other chores. I've noticed here in the head of the holler air is usually moving up or down.

One way or the other redundant trees are hurt.



It will be a happier woods. Sugar



Red oak



tulips



Cleaning up around the rocks has made it much more enjoyable to walk around looking for rattlesnakes.



I spotted this beauty on the sunny side.







Knowing what it was I tried to sneak into position to make a move on it anyhow and it made a move on me before it bolted for a stick pile.



These are bad ass snakes, black racer. Once they are moving you have to aim for the head to catch them by the tail. And if you are lucky enough to catch one you are going to get bit about 5 times, they don't friendly up like rat snakes.



G

 

[Native Hunter]

I have a friend who has a friend who has a friend who can put you in touch with the guy who catches the rattlers for the snake handling church at the head of the holler.

 

[George]

I have a friend who has a friend who has a friend who can put you in touch with the guy who catches the rattlers for the snake handling church at the head of the holler.

Down there the Bible says to take up the serpent, up here the Bible says to beat the serpent.

G