How to thicken up woods...

**c_lou** · 11-13-2009, 01:56 PM

Short of logging, what is a good way to add some undergrowth. Our woods is pretty open, especially when there aren't any leaves on the trees. Deer don't seem to stay.

I am planning on removing some of the trees that appear to be dead or have dead branches. I just wonder if there is something that can be planted or tossed out to help.

**MichiganHunter** · 11-13-2009, 02:17 PM

I would go with some dog woods and plant them around one edge and just into the woods. they should spread and fill in a bit to make it more of a bedding area.

We have LOTS of dog woods in the middle of our farm and it's filled with deer. We can do drives threw it and just have deer walk around us.

**dogdoc** · 11-13-2009, 03:17 PM

opening up the canopy during spring and early summer

**Rockytop** · 11-13-2009, 07:15 PM

Dogwoods or white oaks for trees and supplement that by planting some honeysuckle. That should provide you with some good forage.

**Mathews XT Man** · 11-14-2009, 06:09 PM

Do a light thinning..that means logging

**Strut10** · 11-15-2009, 04:09 PM

About the only way to thicken an existing woods is to thin it out.

I've done a number of small clearcuts and it works like a freakin' charm. I'll pick a strategic area that wiould be a preferred bedding area when thickened.....usually a place with some briars or small trees trying to grow already.....and I cut down almost everything. I will leave anything that produces hard or soft mast.....cherry, oak, beech, apple, etc. But the rest gets dropped in a fashion to make the biggest mess I can make. Deer will begin using the slash almost immediately. It would also help, in the spring, to go through and stick in some Norway or blue spruce seedlings. The newly found sunlight to the forest floor will make ground cover explode.

**redkneck** · 11-15-2009, 07:03 PM

I'm with the chainsaw boys, you got to open the canopy to get undergrowth. Planting dogwoods or white oaks arent going to work, they'll shoot straight up to compete for light. You'd be amazed at what cutting down a few big boys will do for your browse.

**PotashRLS** · 11-15-2009, 07:19 PM

I also agree.....................a chainsaw!

**Rugermk2** · 11-16-2009, 12:35 AM

Hi,
I would recommend cutting some trees here and there as well. Don't cut good trees like oaks, hickorys or any good seed tree. Maples and locust is a good place to start, also if you have hedge I would cut it as well. I don't recommend adding honeysuckle, as it will spread really fast and become more of a problem than a fixer. And I don't imagine neighboring property owners would like you too much if You added it either.!!!!

**Rugermk2** · 11-16-2009, 12:36 AM

Hi,
I would recommend cutting some trees here and there as well. Don't cut good trees like oaks, hickorys or any good seed tree. Maples and locust is a good place to start, also if you have hedge I would cut it as well. I don't recommend adding honeysuckle, as it will spread really fast and become more of a problem than a fixer. And I don't imagine neighboring property owners would like you too much if You added it either.!!!! Once you open up the canopy, more seedlings (trees) can grow without having to plant. Good luck!!!

**redkneck** · 11-16-2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Rugermk2

Hi,
I would recommend cutting some trees here and there as well. Don't cut good trees like oaks, hickorys or any good seed tree. Maples and locust is a good place to start, also if you have hedge I would cut it as well. I don't recommend adding honeysuckle, as it will spread really fast and become more of a problem than a fixer. And I don't imagine neighboring property owners would like you too much if You added it either.!!!! Once you open up the canopy, more seedlings (trees) can grow without having to plant. Good luck!!!

Never seen honeysuckle as a problem, always thought it was a great thing to have myself.

**wtnhunt** · 11-17-2009, 07:26 AM

Deer will eat the honeysuckle, some folks do fertilize it. I have heard of honeysuckle spreading though. Not a problem here.

Hinge cutting existing trees will allow for light to get in and will also give cover, gotta agree with getting the chainsaw out.

**camoman1** · 11-18-2009, 02:49 PM

Owner of the place I hunt has been thinning out some trees to get some regrowth...our problem is the deer eat EVERY new seedling that pops up. The seem to LOVE the new maple seedlings.

Depending how many deer you have on the property you may need to fence it off for a while to keep them from grinding it all down to nothing.....beware of Prickly Ash too, got plenty of that by me and its not shy of spreading either. Deer by my actually eat the stuff, but it aint fun to walk through.