Expert: Keith Patton - 1/14/2008

Question
I have 40 acres in north central Michigan of maple, ash, cottenwood, oak, and poplar.  We need to clear about 4 acres for food plots.  To get a logger interested we are considering letting him cut all the poplar and cottenwood trees on the property (about 20 to 25% of the trees).  Would you reccomend this?

Thanks,

Tim Holsworth

Answer
Tim:

Best to contact your local fish and game department, or see if one of the state universities, probably your equivalent to our A&M or Agricultural and Mechanical universities.  See if they have a fish and game program and speak with a professor who could give you more insight into the best local habitat configuration.  I know deer like to feed anywhere there is food, so clearing the trees for food plots make sense.  The oaks produce food, I don;t thing the others do.

Keith