Winter Hemlocks (pics) - Thermal Cover
#1
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Dan O. posted a great link to some information fornorthern deer recently.The paper he referenced discussedmany aspects of deer management - one in particularwas the yardingof northern deer and the importance of thermal cover.
I thought I'd post some examples from our property. This year the deer have hardly needed it - but just as often, a good thermal cover is the difference between life and death for the deer herd.
On my walk last weekend - I thought to take some pictures. - One thing you will notice is the lack of browse/brush in these woods - this is not uncommon - and it isn't because the deer eat it all - but because its a VERY DARK woods most of the year. After a good wind - or Ice storm though (or as the snow melts) - many thousands of fallen - small green hemlock bows become a winter staple for the deer. I've seen where deer never leave woods like this in the really bad winters. The thermal cover and hemlock branches are a special habitat that should not be cut-away - in northern climates. We have 3 Hemplock based woods- 10-20 acres each that are each a little different - This is one of them:
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-065.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-063.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-06deerbed.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-061.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-062.jpg)
FH
I thought I'd post some examples from our property. This year the deer have hardly needed it - but just as often, a good thermal cover is the difference between life and death for the deer herd.
On my walk last weekend - I thought to take some pictures. - One thing you will notice is the lack of browse/brush in these woods - this is not uncommon - and it isn't because the deer eat it all - but because its a VERY DARK woods most of the year. After a good wind - or Ice storm though (or as the snow melts) - many thousands of fallen - small green hemlock bows become a winter staple for the deer. I've seen where deer never leave woods like this in the really bad winters. The thermal cover and hemlock branches are a special habitat that should not be cut-away - in northern climates. We have 3 Hemplock based woods- 10-20 acres each that are each a little different - This is one of them:
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-065.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-063.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-06deerbed.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-061.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/Hemlockwoods2-062.jpg)
FH
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 2,059
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farm hunter; I didn't realize that you had a deer winter yard on your property. That explains a lot about the heavy brousing and the high deer numbers that you have feeding on your corn over the winter. It must be a honey hole for deer if the snow falls early.
I actually have few hemlocks on my property. In place of them I have very dense areas of cedars. Some are so thick that you can't walk through. If you manage to half crawl into them you find small 6' x 6' beds that the deer are using.
Dan O.
I actually have few hemlocks on my property. In place of them I have very dense areas of cedars. Some are so thick that you can't walk through. If you manage to half crawl into them you find small 6' x 6' beds that the deer are using.
Dan O.
#3
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Dan - the yarding deer has been our biggest issue - the can destroy a young woodlot - or small plot. That is why we plant between 10 and 20 acres of food plots - and leave lots of corn standing.
We've seen the difference the food plots make in our woods - by not being browsed to the ground every winter - here's a look at an aspen/maple woods -this month. Not too many years ago - it was open through this woods. - the plots take a HUGE amount of pressure off the woods bordering them.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/aspenthicket.jpg)
We've seen the difference the food plots make in our woods - by not being browsed to the ground every winter - here's a look at an aspen/maple woods -this month. Not too many years ago - it was open through this woods. - the plots take a HUGE amount of pressure off the woods bordering them.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/farmhunter/aspenthicket.jpg)
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