With the beginning of hunting season, we start to think about the deer, turkeys, squirrels, grouse and bears and how
they survive in the woods. Timber management, or lack of management, creates a variety of conditions for the wildlife
to contend with. Some conditions are good and others are not. For example; a timber cut that has been properly planned
has an abundance of regeneration (small saplings and new seedlings) already established on the ground and growing prior
to the cut. With the new tops on the ground after the harvest creating a “browse” and the explosion of growth on the new
saplings, a lush vegetative forage is created for deer. This setting is also beneficial to other game animals because it
makes a new and diverse habitat. However; if the same timber cut had not been properly prepared, after the timber harvest,
there would be no saplings or seedlings established and the ground would, in a few years, be filled with ferns or
undesirable plants. This type of cutting is detrimental to wildlife. It takes away their food source and creates vast
openings with little or no cover.
