Thinning forest

Jstpssng · May 21, 2018

For trees which are apt to sprout, the best time to cut them is in summer while in full leaves. There's a lot less stored nutrients in the root system then,

newbury · May 21, 2018

LMychajluk said:
<snip> Basically want to get rid of a lot of the young growth (2-3" trees), etc..., but not trying to clear everything. Trying to figure out the best way to go about it. No big rush... will work on this over the summer when I can. I also have a Stihl MS290 chainsaw, and an FS90 string trimmer.<snip>
I wasn't planning on getting a brush hog, but I would be willing to rent one if that's the best tool for the job, and if it'll cut low enough. My thinking was that it would still leave ~2" stumps, which sounds exactly like what I don't want. I would like to eventually get a flail mower, but I don't think that's the tool for this job.
<snip>

LMychajluk said:
<snip>
But I honestly, don't think I'll be cutting much more than 1" or so. <snip>

Is that 1 inch diameter at breast height?

Drop those pics into paint or something and show us the 1" trees you'll be cutting. Most of the trees in the pics look like 3" to 6" DBH.

I thought you were talking about fairly dense stands of small trees. I only saw about a half dozen trees I would attack with my FS250.

I want to change my advice.

For stands like that pictured I'd recommend you first identify your "mix" of trees.
Decide
1 - Where you might want trails or food plots
2 - What species trees you consider weed and what you consider "must have"
3 - Grab a can of two of spray paint and walk through first where you know you want more space, either for trail or plot, mark the trees that NEED to go
4 - Walk through again while looking up and mark the weed trees and crooked trees.

Get another chain saw. Get plenty of liniment.

Good luck.

fishheadbob · May 22, 2018

Locate your county forester or D.E.C. forester and tell him/her of your situation. He'll eventually cruise your woods with you so have some idea where you would like your woods to be in 30 or 40 years. Ask questions and listen hard. These people are a wealth of information and are paid to share their knowledge with you. In N.Y. government foresters tend to be graduates of Cornell, Syracuse, or Paul Smith (classy Schools) as that's where the forestry schools are in that state; believe me they know a lot more than you do and have seen it all before. Heck, you might even qualify for a TSI (Timber Stand Improvement) program where they pay YOU a little bit if you stick to the mutually agreed upon plan. Pays for the saws you wreck thinning the marked trees while making firewood.