# Creating brush piles???



## Live2Hunt (Nov 23, 2004)

I am in the process of collecting Christmas trees and building brush piles. I'm hoping to asccomplish a couple of things.
1) Good cover for the bunnies.
2) (here is the question) Promote undergrowth to provide thicker all around cover for the deer. The area I am putting them is a lowland area that doesn't drain well. It doesn't hold water because of a drainage ditch but is always damp. It grows that heavy swamp, wide blade, grass. (doesn't drain well but has a drainage ditch. Sounds funny but that is the best I could describe. Before the ditch the whole area was under during high water times) This area also has a lot of ash and elms that are tall but skinny creating a very open environment. I'm hoping the added brush will help. I'm also considering downing a section of trees to see if that will help but I have my reservations overall. There is about 2 acres right next to it that grows nothing but the swamp grass.

Will this help and do you have any other ideas??


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

If I wanted to thicken up an area like that, I would plant speckled alder. Cold Stream farms sells them. They are "tag alders". I am going to plant 400 more this year. The Alder that I planted a few years ago is growing faster than anything I have ever planted. The deer do not browse the tree/shrub. They will grow in wet or dry, and in soil that other trees can't grow in. They grow very fast in damp conditions. They are good deer cover, and food for grouse and woodcock cover.


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

Also sounds like a good place to do some hinge-cuts as well.


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## Live2Hunt (Nov 23, 2004)

Thanks for the replies, I will look into that speckled alder. Especially for the open area. I would like to add a pine species to it also to provide a thick sanctuary down the road. Any ideas on a good pine choice?

After re-reading my post and going and looking at the ground again (making some piles - 30 trees so far) I realized that it is not a logical (it is a dumb) question. I also think I will down a large (maybe an acre) area of trees with the thought that if they grew more will grow as well with additional light and structure. 
What promoted the thought before was some trees we fell on field edges. These became thick with briars and seedlings very fast, I assume the brush creates a trap for seed and protects growth while allowing light.
I don't believe the higne cutting will work here because these trees are all 6 to 12 inches. All fairly close together, NO SUNLIGHT . 
Always nervous to go cut because it is irreversible but this is the least used part of my property.


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## davidshane (Feb 29, 2004)

Bish,

What is the cost for 400 tags? Also, how are they planted? Will you be making a small hole for each or can you spread a seed for tags?


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I am planting larger transplants, they are 2 to 3 foot tall. I believe the cost is 1.00 each. I am putting larger trees in, so I will not have to worry about weed control. My ground is light and very soft in the spring. I will "jab" a narrow spade in the ground, and rock it back and forth once, then plant with rubber gloves. There is no need for a planting bar on my place.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

My neighbor down the road makes Christmas wreaths every year for sale and has several piles of the trimming greens left over. These are the main branches that the snippings come off of to make the wreaths. There is a lot of greens as only a few snippings are taken from each brach. Each year we then have a big neighborhood fireside New Years eve party burning the greens or browns from previous year. There is no alcohol and potluck food for whoever stops by. 

Today I picked up two high 6'x10' trailer loads of the trimming greens and took them down to my wildlife area for brush piles. I also took the 4-mil plastic sheets that are green from spraying the wreaths. There are 12-15 more loads waiting and each load makes one big or two medium brush piles. 

My delux brush piles have dry cover underneath. I start with stumps, logs, and waste lumber to build a low fortress with compartments. The green plastic covers everything and keeps the under space dry. Then go ahead and build the brushpile piling as high as desired as everything will be out of sight. These brushpiles require an extra few minutes to make the first time, but will last for years with little a refresh material added on top. 

My WHIP has a long term goal of 195 brush piles written into the plan over several years. I can build 20-30 delux brush piles for rabbits this year and then build other open stye brush piles used by birds. These dry delux brush piles cut down on the wet pneumonia mortality of the young rabbit nest.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

I should have added that the discarded Christmas trees make the airy open piles that birds like. My green trimmings make a very thick solid weatherproof cover like a thatch roof. They can be combined as thick under and airy upper brushpiles. Just modify many different styles to cover the range of wildlife needs.


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## Bwana (Sep 28, 2004)

Hamilton Reef said:


> My WHIP has a long term goal of 195 brush piles written into the plan over several years.
> 
> I can build 20-30 delux brush piles for rabbits this year and then build other open stye brush piles used by birds.


Ham, what is a WHIP? I can see it is some sort of plan but????

I am trying to learn as much as I can regarding habitat improvement for all animals. I don't hunt Rabbits or Birds but I am interested in helping them thrive. Can you please describe in more detail how to construct these "open style brush piles used by birds"? Also, how many brush piles per acre would be idea? Thanks.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

This is my fault for not explaining the WHIP again. I've spoken of it on other threads. You can contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service agent through the Dept of Agriculture.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Now for your number of brush piles question. Everyone has different habitat for brush piles and brush pile needs. There is no set perfect model. My challenge is to hurry and build the brush piles. I just clear chipped areas that will grow in thick in addition to everything I'm replanting the areas with. Right now I can move around and build the brush piles, but once those areas grow in thick my health condition will not allow me to get around well. 

Here is what my plan says:
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
Cover for wildlife will be created by establishing 3 brush piles per acre, spaced 30 yards apart. Brush piles should be at least 15 feet in diameter and 5 feet high.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Search the web and there are many sites for brush pile suggestions.

Wildlife Brush Piles
http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/biology/Wildlife_Brushpile_Jobsheet.pdf

Brush Piles for Wildlife
http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factshts/brshpls.htm


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## Bwana (Sep 28, 2004)

Thanks Hamilton. Sorry to make you repeat the WHIP information but I didn't know it had been addressed before. I am about half way through prior posts. Thanks again.


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

Pallets can make a great addition to bunny piles. Place 3,4,5 pallets on top of one another and then cover with brush. This enables a decent place for young rabbits to hide and avoid predators because of the multiple levels available for escape and hiding. Keeping good overhead cover on trails and along openings adjacent to rabbit habitat can also help in avoiding bird predators. 

Finally, be conservative on removing rabbits from the property. For example, in our snowshoe habbitat up here it is very easy to enter into some good snowshoe cover just a few times with good dogs and effectively remove all the snowshoes. It then takes a couple years to bounce back...some say it's the "cycle", but hunting pressure has much to do with it. I have many, many, rabbits on my property and greatly enjoy an average of 40-50 outings a year running my beagles. I scout, snowshoe, watch the dogs develop, notice weaknesses of the dogs, develop a solid hunting relationship with the dogs, take non-hunters to see the rabbits, but I never shoot the rabbits on the property, and consequently I don't see any of the "cycles" that most properties experience with hunting pressure....I have tons of bunnies! They seem to love buckwheat and clover as well and probably benifit from all the food plots as well. Also, my predation on fawns is extremely low even with many coyotes on the property daily, which could be due to the overubundance of small game as a result of the low hunting pressure and habitat activities.


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## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

Jeff, that is an excellent point about the coyotes going after small game if it is available. As opposed to trying to catch a fawn.


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## KrazyKletus (Feb 6, 2002)

Bishs,
Where is Cold Stream Farms located?
I'm interested in learning more about the Tag Alders. It sounds like they may work very well in a low area on my property.
The whites/norways I planted last spring are mostly dead (due to the wetness I think)
Thanks


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Near Ludington 
http://www.coldstreamfarm.net/

Speckled Alder will grow where other trees can't grow. They grow very fast and are not heavily browsed by deer. Highbush cranberry would be a good choice also, but it grows slower. Spruce will not survive long if their trunks sit in standing water. White spruce can handle wetter conditions than Norway spruce.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

KK,

You might consider Bald Cypress also for your wet areas. It's a conifer but the needles are fine and they fall off each year.

Big T


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Coldstream Farms, owned Mike Hradel, is located on Freesoil Rd. a mile or so west of the village of Freesoil, which is located about 20 miles NE of Ludington, MI. Mike's a good guy has been doing this for many years and knows his stuff.

If there is aspen/poplar in the area I'd suggest clear cutting the aspen in late winter or early spring. The roots will send up untold number of new shoots, creating a stem density that game can use. Keep some of the outer aspen standing. Grouse love to feed on the aspen leave buds during the winter and need mature aspen for this.

Another idea for brush piles is to build them using tires, covering the tires with brush. Anyway that "tunnels" can be created under the brush piles with larger logs, pallets (as Jeff mentioned...you can get them free at lumber yards), tires, etc. will help out the rabbits.


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## KrazyKletus (Feb 6, 2002)

Bishs and Whit1,
How are the trees/shrubs from cold streams farms? Customer Service? 
I ordered several hundred dollars worth of trees from an out of state nursery last year and I was not impressed with what I received. Actually, the trees I received from the county tree sale were much better and I had a much lower mortality rate. This year, I would like to support in state nurseries if possible.
Thanks.


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