BenAllgood
Well-Known Member
For those of you who have successfully edge feathered for both screening and bedding, what are some tips you used to promote that?
Did you get any to bed there yet, or has it not grown up enough yet?I can tell you what I did and hopefully it helps. I have a 2 acre plot in the middle of the timber the entire edge is clover transitioning to timber so a very hard edge. I let native warm season grasses grow up along the edge of the plot this year. Then girdled and sprayed every big tree for the first 10-15 yards along the edge. Then after the 10-15 yard mark I would girdle and spray every other tree or based off if the trees will eventually reach logging size and make the best log. Any smaller trees in that zone I either cut down and piled or hinged over to create instant cover and blockades to direct deer movement. I plan to transplant some cedars this spring as well to try and get as much cover as I can around the plot.
Thanks Steve. My main goal is needing to get to stands without being seen. Right now and until my prairie grows up, I know deer are bedding right inside the treeline and see my approach. I find lots if beds there. I want them to still bed on that inside shelf if the hollows at the field edge, but screen it so they don't see me.Ben, one thing you can do is hinge cut a few trees around the edge but not enough to block travel lanes. I'm talking about an irregular edge where some hinged trees will extend out into the field and others may lay along the edge of the woods. In our area, you should get some honeysuckle growing up on the hinged trees at some places, which adds to the effect. You should also get some blackberry briers and saplings coming up in the tops. This isn't what I would call a typical feathered edge, but it is effective in a lot of ways. As the tree tops eventually die you will be left with a soft edge of briers, honeysuckle and saplings.
Thanks Steve. My main goal is needing to get to stands without being seen. Right now and until my prairie grows up, I know deer are bedding right inside the treeline and see my approach. I find lots if beds there. I want them to still bed on that inside shelf if the hollows at the field edge, but screen it so they don't see me.
I have a pollinator planting in my fields that is going to be in its second year this spring. I'm about to burn it now. There's not really any heavy snow on my farm. Like Native said, I'll have decent screening soon from that, but I will edge feather the plot edges in the next couple of weeks. Those are hard edges that I want them to bed against plus screen. My pollinator planting should screen the rest of my field edges. Anywhere there is not a foodplot on my woodline is pollinator plants mixed with NWSG.I have 120ft of CP33 planted in switch around my field and it helps until heavy snow then can fall some.Only bad part is I have to have several different winds to burn them