Luke from Illinois asks,
Hi there Bill, I was wandering if you could go into a little more detail about the timber stand improvement work you did on your southern Iowa farm. I know that you mentioned you hired a crew to cut out all the junk species of trees. But I also read in your how I built the dream farm article that you did harvest some of the oaks off the home farm as well. What order did you complete those projects in and did you allow much time to pass in between those projects? I have some timber I've been working with a forester on a managment strategy long term. Basically I have some big cottonwoods and sycamores that need to be taken out, but I also have some nice walnuts trees that could be harvested. Debating on whether to do it all at once when I have the logger there or waiting a couple years to harvest the walnut and oak after I take out the cottonwoods. I just feel like doing it all at once would almost be to much. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated! Have a good day and good luck this fall!
Bill responds,
Topic: Cutting Timber on Hunting Land:
It is generally best to do your commercial timber harvest before engaging in your TSI program.
Luke,
The deer seem to adjust to that activity pretty fast. As long as the work is done in the winter after the season and before green up, it won’t have any long-term effect on deer patterns. I would not be afraid to take all the marketable timber at the same time and get it over with. I would then lay out a TSI program for the next few years.
Loggers don’t like working around all the TSI downed trees and dead trees, so it is best to get the commercial harvest out of the way before you start on the TSI. That has been my experience. Good luck. (8/31/21)
