# Clearing tag alders



## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

Looking for some helpful advice......

I've got an area roughly 50 yards wide by 250 yards long I want to clear. This is composed mostly of tag alder and it separates the deers bedding area from a huge swamp. They cross here all the time so my plan is to ambush them when they pass. I'll be building a tower blind this spring (I figure baiting will be a thing of the past so I'm changing tactics now).

Most of the stuff is 10-12 feet high and between 1-3" in diameter.

Today I spent 4 hours with a chainsaw and got maybe 1/3 of it cleared. Needless to say, I am dog-ass tired! It also looks like the Texas chainsaw massacre happend and you would not believe the pile of slash laying about! This needs to be either chipped or burned or any other good idea(s)?

Was wondering if a brush hog could run over the stuff and mulch it? Chipping will take hours and burning a long time too.

I did leave all the maple, evergreen, and tamarack standing.

I also intend to put a couple food plots in the opening a year or two down the road so I don't want the slash laying about.


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## outsider (Feb 16, 2002)

I did just what your doing. I took the cutings and burned them in the stump that was left ,after they were dryed for a couple weeks.
I did this because I was told that it would kill the remaining root system. I would have to say that it held true about 50%. So what I'm getting at is that you will have to deal with the stumps or roots one way or another or the new shoots will fill the area back in in a season or two. No mater what you do short of herbicide or excavation ,some shoots will show up. Get the area growing something as soon as possable ,this will discourage growth of unwanted stuff.
I didnt mention that I did the burning with snow on the ground ,so your time table is just right
Good Luck OUTSIDER


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## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

Hey thanks!

The plan is to wait a year and let the stumps rot, then rent a stump grinder. FUN FUN FUN!

And once or twice a year a buddy is gonna come with his tractor and mow the area. Probably won't do a food plot for at least two years because I know absolutely nothing about growing stuff, soil type, etc. etc. etc. Most definately I have lots to learn but there is an absolute wealth of knowledge on this page.

Really looking forward to it.


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