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Pine Trees
- Thread starter leesmith
- Start date
It's all about succesion. When pines are first planted a multitude of other plantsi invade the sight as well. Some represent food othesr cover making the site useful for deer and other critters. This continues for several years until the pine canopy closes shading out most of that undergrowth. I won't go so far as to say the stand is no-longer useful to deer/wildlife but less useful. After the first thinning with increased sunlight reaching the ground more useful plants increase again. Burning helps. This happens each time the stand is thinned. If and when the site is eventually clear-cut the cycle starts over again. There's alot more harmful ways to use the land.
livetohunt
Senior Member
It does seem to be the pine state now..It is really not a big profit investment either. I had a forester tell me a pine plantation in Georgia usually results in about a 5% return on your investment from start to finish.
Triple C
Senior Member
I don't think there is any better habitat to provides both cover and food than a well managed pine stand. It is acre after acre of cover and browse, once thinning has been done and understory managed thru prescribed fire. I love the hardwoods. And particularly in the fall when the acorns begin to rain down. But, for 9 months out of the year, deer are feeding and bedding in planted pines full of forbs and browse.
As far as return on investment, gonna be a difficult decision when I do a final harvest if I will replant in pines.
As far as return on investment, gonna be a difficult decision when I do a final harvest if I will replant in pines.
alwayslookin
Senior Member
Don't forget the pecans.
That's what I said: "There's worse ways to manage the land."
Of course you could always go with a housing development...
godogs57
Senior Member
My county is in the top three in the state for pecan production. A well managed pecan orchard will be a deer magnet, especially in late season. The orchard provides a smorgasbord of food for them! Annual ryegrass, clover..you name it.
Mine too.
Ain't saying deer don't eat pecans. So do foxes, coons, rats, squirrels turkeys, wood-ducks, crows, bunch of other stuff. But I don't see deer stands in pecan groves. Maybe folks are missing out huh? As far as asthetics and back to the OP I'd prefer pines over pecan trees. Which of the three you in - Mitchell, Peach, or Dougherty? I'm in Dougherty.
alwayslookin
Senior Member
I always wondered about that. I drive by a lot of pecan groves and never see deer in em. They're wide open so maybe at night but I don't see dead deer on the roads near em either it seems.
We all know they love them pines though.
We all know they love them pines though.
sportsman94
Senior Member
Ive been lucky enough to hunt a lease that some guys have that is almost solely peach and pecan farm. They are starting to incorporate more pine trees now though. I have watched as flocks of deer pour into the pecan orchards in the afternoons. Incredible hunting. I killed a doe in the 2018 season with a cracked pecan still in her mouth.
7Mag Hunter
Senior Member
I love hunting thinned pines....lots of natural browse and after 1 -2 years lots of tall cover for deer to feel secure when they move.....
frankwright
Senior Member
I do not have a problem with a well managed stand of pines but I like hardwood ridges and bottoms a lot better and they are getting harder to find with all the clear cutting.
I have also noticed they do not give the creeks as much of a gap as they once did when they are cutting!
I have also noticed they do not give the creeks as much of a gap as they once did when they are cutting!
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
mguthrie
**# 1 Fan**OHIO STATE**
I’ve been watching it happen for 20 years on our 3000 acre timber company lease. They just clear cut a couple areas that were 4’ tall when I joined the club. They’ve been thinning several other areas over the last 5-6 years to. When the canopy closes up,it’s still great bedding areas for deer and hogs
godogs57
Senior Member
Lee. We got plenty of tree stands in our orchards. They're everywhere. Lot of ground level box blinds too
spencer12
Senior Member
The native Americans sure thought it was. Georgia was pine Savannah for as long as you could see due to thousands of years of man made burning.
rstallings1979
Senior Member
I would have to disagree with the 5% return amount...it depends on location to mills as well. If you are on the eastern side of the state and closer to Savannah you should get closer to 10% return in my opinion (hurricane damage/ice freeze damage/bug damage etc).
livetohunt
Senior Member
I was on the West side of the state in Meriwether county
futbolwest
Senior Member
Georgia is the home of 4 P's.....
Poultry Pecans Peanuts privately owned Pine
Poultry Pecans Peanuts privately owned Pine
nmurph
Senior Member
Pfffttt...5%. I've got 16 year old Longleaf that produces 300 bales/ac 2x's/yr. Clears an easy $425/ac/year after maintenance/taxes.
