Timber stand improvement question

[MaxMO]

I have a question about TSI. I'm understanding the benefits of it. Removing the competing trees, getting sunlight to the ground, more food for browsing, good low cover, etc. That all makes sense to me to attract more deer to the area during the spring and summer months. Maybe into the fall. I can see the benefits during the growing season. My question though, what about during the fall and winter? Would all that low cover all die back and it becomes just open timber? Would you see less deer in that area because there is no real thick cover for bedding or as much edge habitat?

 

[Native Hunter]

During the first couple of years the downed tree tops themselves from the larger trees will help provide some cover. This is especially true if you hinge cut rather than just cut the trees down. Starting shortly after cutting, you will get tree saplings and other vegetation shooting up from the sunlight hitting the ground. This new flush of growth is what gives you the new cover. Even though the leaves die back and fall off in the winter, the shoots and limbs themselves should provide a lot of cover. They also provide food, because the deer will browse this new growth - especially in the winter months.

To specifically answer your last question - I doubt you will see less deer. If in some way you have actually caused there to be less cover the first year, it might happen, but that would be an unusual situation. I could see that being the case if you cut down only small trees at the end of the growing season; however, by the end of next year you should be in business, and it will continue to improve for several years.

 

[weekender21]

I’d guess Native nailed it in the second paragraph. The only way to make the timber more open in a mature hardwoods stand is to remove understory and mid-story trees while leaving the mature trees. A key component to TSI and definitely FSI if you’re wildlife focused, is removing a portion of the mature trees. The more you remove, the greater growth response you’ll have at deer level.


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[George]

TSI/FSI is how you/I hold mature bucks in the fall and winter.

G