Spruce trees

Goosemaster

Well-known member
Pheasant forever, has been planting spruce trees, in rows, for habitat projects. I would rather see them plant Russian olive trees.Pheasants dont like spruce trees all that much.Any opinions?
 
Thought everyone had stopped doing that after realizing Cedar (Juniper) was of little value to pheasants, invasive and spreads like wildfire.
 
Thought everyone had stopped doing that after realizing Cedar (Juniper) was of little value to pheasants, invasive and spreads like wildfire.
In Montana, I think they are spruce trees.They look sort of like pine trees.Grouse sort of like them, but pheasant prefer Russian olive trees.Grouse do as well. I think Russian olive are considered invasive for some reason.
 
I would think the idea behind them is they are for wind-breaks and perching/roosting in blizzards...at least that is why I still plant cedars in rows/blocks. In a severe blizzard, the ones roosting in the trees are going to be the main survivors. We are due for one of those, been a decade since we had a good one here locally that decimated the birds. Burning will solve the issue with seedlings in your nesting (grass) areas. IMHO, they need a blizzard retreat, which will be conifers of some type.
 
I would think the idea behind them is they are for wind-breaks and perching/roosting in blizzards...at least that is why I still plant cedars in rows/blocks. In a severe blizzard, the ones roosting in the trees are going to be the main survivors. We are due for one of those, been a decade since we had a good one here locally that decimated the birds. Burning will solve the issue with seedlings in your nesting (grass) areas. IMHO, they need a blizzard retreat, which will be conifers of some type.
I think these are juniper trees.They put down this rubber tarp that runs the length of the tree belt. I'm pretty sure its pheasants forever projects.
 
Pheasants love spruce trees as protection from blizzards (rain too), which Russian Olive offer none of. They don't eat the berries (I don't think). Too bad spruce are so noxious.
That must be what it's for, because it's out in the middle of prairie, with no other trees around.
 
That must be what it's for, because it's out in the middle of prairie, with no other trees around.
Sorry, I've totally misspoken. I read "spruce" in your original post & thought "cedar". Then I carried "spruce" into my comment above, all the while thinking about, & writing about, cedar trees. Now some varieties of spruce offer good cover too, but in my opinion not as good for pheasants as cedar. They'll also use these trees as a natural snow fence. Planting them to the northwest (prevailing wind direction in winter), with some space in between, of a slough or grass field. The snow will drift to the lee of the trees & offer some protection for the slough or whatever so it doesn't get so socked in with snow.
 
My boss owns a number of properties and manages them for habitat. He has been generous enough to allow me to manage and hunt one of those properties. He used to plant a lot of Black Hills Spruce, but their susceptibility to disease had him switch course. He does have a spot with a bunch of them and it is pretty amazing how thick and protective that belt is for the pheasants.

Now, his main "go-to" tree is the Eastern Red Cedar. First, it is incredibly hearty and able to withstand drier conditions than a lot of other trees. Second, it grows like a weed. Which does lend it to receiving a bad name because of its tendency to spread. At the same time, I've got some that I planted in 2018 as saplings that are now over 6 feet tall and over 3 feet wide, in some instances. Additionally, they are superior in creating a wind break. I should also add that we have food plots (corn) alternating on one side or the other of the tree belts for food. Lastly, the dark green of the cedar tree soaks up the winter sun and, while I've not gotten around to a scientific measurement, I feel confident in saying that the air temp on the south side of those trees is perhaps 10 degrees or more warmer. It's neat to see the first melt occur in a solid ring around the trees, even on the north side, where the snowfall is similar to the rest of the area, i.e., it isn't just due to less snow accumulation.

With the average snowfall at 38" (recent years have seen almost double that) and a wind that won't quit, providing protection from the winter elements is first and foremost. Not only can the pheasants utilize the belts, a strategic placement can be a lifesaver for thermal habitats. I told a story about one of his other properties that had a simple, three row belt about a little over a hundred yards long on the north side of a huge cattail slough. Those 90 or so Eastern Red Cedars kept the cattails available as thermal habitat all winter long when the other sloughs in the area were filled up with snow.
 
I have had good luck at times hunting rows of spruce trees. They provide excellent protection from the elements. Yesterday, I hunted a few rows of shelter belts with my wife. It was 35 degrees, sunny and a 5mph wind with no snow on the ground. A cattail slough stretched from that outside row clear (Spruce) to the second tree row 150-200 yards over. The south end was unharvested sunflower field. I share that because I had my doubts about the Spruce row on such a nice day. We ended up flushing out several hens and roosters out of the spruce row. It is definitely fun hunting because they hide and tuck in rather than run the entire length.
 
I have had good luck at times hunting rows of spruce trees. They provide excellent protection from the elements. Yesterday, I hunted a few rows of shelter belts with my wife. It was 35 degrees, sunny and a 5mph wind with no snow on the ground. A cattail slough stretched from that outside row clear (Spruce) to the second tree row 150-200 yards over. The south end was unharvested sunflower field. I share that because I had my doubts about the Spruce row on such a nice day. We ended up flushing out several hens and roosters out of the spruce row. It is definitely fun hunting because they hide and tuck in rather than run the entire length.
That's interesting.Ive hunted these long tree rows many times, and I see more grouse than pheasant. Most of the trees are around 8 ft.tall.
 
It's a place for them to hide under if a raptor is hunting. Plus some weather protection, like from hail.
 
I have had good luck at times hunting rows of spruce trees. They provide excellent protection from the elements. Yesterday, I hunted a few rows of shelter belts with my wife. It was 35 degrees, sunny and a 5mph wind with no snow on the ground. A cattail slough stretched from that outside row clear (Spruce) to the second tree row 150-200 yards over. The south end was unharvested sunflower field. I share that because I had my doubts about the Spruce row on such a nice day. We ended up flushing out several hens and roosters out of the spruce row. It is definitely fun hunting because they hide and tuck in rather than run the entire length.
The ones I've hunted don't have water, and no cattails. They have CRP, sometimes grain.Im pretty sure pheasants forever is planting them.Most of them were planted 20 years ago. They dont grow fast, like Russian olive. When they plant them, they are 3 ft.tall.
 
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