Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk ALTurkey Talk -- Beards and Spurs Thinning a pine stand for turkeys

Ive got 52 acres of planted pines thats coming up on thinning. Its really the only thing holding up my property from consistent usage, as they aren't hardly big enough for turkeys to use.

Whats the best method to thin these once to promote usage in the near future? Every other row, every 3rd row? Id like to leave a few thick rows as it seems they seem to roost there more.

Ideas? I can post an aerial map if it would help.

Post up a map. How old are the pines now?
I’d probably thin it harder than what would be a normal timber production first thinning. Turkeys and other wildlife being my priority. Something along the lines of every other row and every other tree or every third tree in the remaining rows at minimum. Then get the drip torch going. Should be fun to see how it improves that area for you.

Every other row.

I had a tract thinned every 3rd row about 4 years ago. The first year, had lots of turkeys. The second year I burned it and had tons of turkeys. The third year it grew up in briars, volunteer pines, and fennel and had very few turkeys. This year it is so grown up with briars, volunteer pines, and fennel that I really can't hunt.

The forestry service was trying to burn in March or April but decided there isn't enough fuel on the ground to kill all the volunteer pines. So it'll be a grown u0 mess for another year until there is sufficient fuel for a good burn.

My point is, I think under-story management beyond the thinning is more important than how much it is thinned. If a turkey can't move through the under-story, it won't matter how thin or thick the canopy above is. Just my experience

What Geeb said, we are dealing with the same thing
no chance the timber co will do anything with it on our end

The yellow circled area will be a field if everything goes well, the pines are 13 years old i think.

Ill will burn it myself every 3-4 years. Im hoping I can trade the wood for the dozen work to create the field and a fire break. Id like to thin it in a way to create heavy usage from roosting to nesting. I thought about leaving a few untouched rows along the tops of the ridges.

You’re looking to maintain a sweet spot for as long as possible with the plant height and density of the understory…..More sunlight does not necessarily equal better results when its comes to that idea……I think I would introduce just enough sunlight to maintain a decent understory without giving it so much sun that it just grows unconstrained…..How much of the overstory to remove will depend on soil fertility and aspect……The poorer the soil the more you can open up the canopy and the more its on a northern slope the less light it will get naturally……Keep in mind that the trees are going to fill in and produce more shade as time goes on

If it were mine I’d leave that creek fairly thick and thin the crap out of the rest of it. But I’d break it into 2 sections and on a 2 year burn rotation.
Edited to say, the awesome thing is it’s yours, and you can figure out what they like best over time. Congrats…

What is most commonly being done these days??......2nd?.....3rd?....4th?....5th?

Ive not a clue

Creek is pretty much just a wet weather spring

Pretty sure managing for quail, most do 2 year rotation. At 4 you’re gonna have small gum and other hardwoods and start having trouble with getting rid of all of them at 5-6. 2nd year would provide deer bedding, in areas at least, and tons of foodand nesting for everything. If you manage for quail, you cover just about every other animal there is other than box turtles. They don’t hide real quick from fire.

I was meaning row thinning?? 3rd row?? 4th row?? 5th row??