“Honey, do” List: From, Your Local Deer Herd

Congratulations! You have filled your buck tag, and as a result of your good fortune, the wife and kids are fully expecting you to spend more time around the house and less time up in a tree. We have all been there – after the thrill and excitement of another successful hunting season dies down, you are struck with the realization that you are now obligated to engage with other humans and become a contributing member of society once again. With meat in the freezer, a mount at the taxidermist, and a “White-tailed deer: Antlered” tag notched, you have run out of feasible excuses to go spend time on your beloved farm. 

 Or have you? What if I were to tell you there is a list. A very specific list of crucial habitat management practices to be done, many of which are best achieved this very time of year? This special time of year, when the majority of the native flora has concluded her autumnal fashion show and laid their brilliant canopy shingles, now crunchy and drab, to rest at our feet. But not all deciduous vegetation has gone dormant for the winter. As I am writing this, on the 18thof November, 2020, I rest my gaze in nearly any direction and still see patches of vibrant green, just beginning to turn yellow and purple and red. Upon closer inspection, you will realize that, much to your dismay, many of these hanger-oners, if not most of them, are unwelcomed guests to your property. I am talking, of course, about the non-native flora which has been plaguing most of the whitetails range for the past centuries.  

In the following article, I will discuss a few species of invasive plants that are great to treat this time of year, as well as mention my preferred method of herbicide application and why it is a good idea to handle the problem now, as opposed to other times of year. This is your “Honey, do..” list from your local whitetail herd for the timeframe between early November, when a majority of the local vegetation has gone dormant, to about mid-December, depending on where your property lies geographically, when the invasives start to lose their foliage for the year. This is an important window, as the non-native plants are easy to spot amongst the sea of drab browns and gray, as well as the potential of harming non-target native species is greatly diminished, as these plants are no longer photosynthesizing and won’t be harmed by spray drift.

Japanese Honeysuckle:

Japanese Honeysuckle

 This aggressive climbing vine of an invasive is probably still a lush green color, and can be seen vining up the trees and shrubs located on your field edges and woodland openings, or any other recently disturbed sites. When looking for sites to treat, think about any areas that you would expect to find brambles to be growing.  Fairly identifiable by its clusters of oblong to oval shaped leaves (1 ½ to 3” long) spaced across its light-brown to whiteish stems. The stems are fairly slender and mostly uniform in its diameter. Although deer will readily browse Japanese honeysuckle, as evidenced by the likely appearance of a browse line, THEY WILL NOT CONTROL IT! It is important to get a handle on this, or any invasive plant now, rather than later.

A foliar application of 1.25-1.75% glyphosate will be sufficient to kill this plant. Be sure to cover as much of the leaves as possible, and be cautions spraying around native vegetation such as oaks that are late to turn color and lose their leaves. Also, be mindful of the native greenbrier likely vining in similar areas or even up the same tree, as this vine will most likely still be green and apt to die if sprayed. Use extreme caution when spraying near cedars and other evergreens such as pine and spruce, as these trees are very sensitive to glyphosate and will not enjoy your miss fires with the spray gun! Use your best judgement when applying the chemicals as to reduce the kill of non-target species. If there is a single vine of honeysuckle growing up your grandfather’s favorite old white pine near the house – maybe leave it alone or go in with a pair of loppers and cut the vine and apply 20-30% glyphosate to the exposed stem. 

 Another warning: Glyphosate is water-based and apt to freeze when temperatures allow. I recommend only using this herbicide when temperatures are 40 degrees F or more. If freezing temperatures are a concern, cutting the stem and treating with Triclopyr (20-25%) instead of glyphosate, as this is an oil-based herbicide and will not freeze. 

Bush Honeysuckle:

Bush Honeysuckle

 Like its vining cousin described above, bush honeysuckle is one of the last woody plants to turn in the fall and lose its leaves. In addition to growing in disturbed sites and forest openings, this species does quite well growing in and eventually taking over the understory of your forests and woodlots. For this reason, it is important to do a thorough inventory of your property and identify the area’s most in need of immediate treatment. Because of their ability to persist in the low light conditions of a closed canopy forest, these shrubs are a great hindrance to any native seedling trying to make a living in the already crowded understory. An invasion of bush honeysuckle can all but eliminate any chance of oak regeneration on your property if not properly addressed. With rounded opposite leaves, 1-3” in length with pointed tips, these plants sport vibrant red berries in late summer into fall, usually in clusters of 3-4 located at the leaf base. The bark is light-brown to gray with broad ridges and an almost shredded appearance. 

Treatment of bush honeysuckle is identical to that of Japanese honeysuckle. It is important to get as much coverage as possible with your foliar applications of glyphosate, while being cognoscente of surrounding native vegetation. Oftentimes, when you are really lucky (or unlucky – depending on your mindset) you will find Japanese honeysuckle climbing up the bush honeysuckle and can spray it all at once. This plant will turn colors and lose its foliage before the Japanese honeysuckle, so be aware that if the leaves are beginning to turn yellow, it might be too late for a successful foliar application. In this instance, use loppers or a chainsaw to cut the stems close to the base and treat the stump with either 20-30% glyphosate or 20-25% Triclopyr solution; depending on the ambient temperatures. 

Chinese Privet: 

Chinese Privet

This noxious plant is another easily identifiable “bad guy” this time of year. Still green, this shrub/small tree has a strong affinity for sunlight and can usually be found along fencerows, field edges, timber harvest sites, and any other disturbed site. Although possessing the ability to grow up to 30 feet tall, the most typical height you will encounter will be in the 5-12’ range. With small opposite semi-deciduous whole leaves, this plant can be seen throughout winter sporting leaves throughout winter.  

 Foliar applications of glyphosate should be at least 2%, with an appropriate amount of surfactant, as the leaves are waxy and can be difficult to penetrate for your herbicide to penetrate. The same concentration of Triclopyr can be used if freezing temperatures are a concern. With shallow root systems, many of the smaller plants can simply be pulled from the ground with your hands, but on the larger plants it is important to cut and treat the stump with 25-30% glyphosate or Triclopyr weather dependent. 

Remember:

As with all herbicide applications – extreme caution should be used when handling these chemicals. Never exceed recommended application rates and always wear appropriate PPE such as latex gloves, long sleeved shirts and pants, as well as a protective mask to avoid risk of inhalation. Wear safety glasses and appropriate chaps and helmets when handling chainsaws, and never spray when weather conditions are too windy. 

It is never a bad time to tackle invasive species control, and this time of year happens to be a very good one for these particular problem species. Have a safe hunting season, Happy thanksgiving, and “You are welcome” for providing you with another excuse to visit your beloved farm! Your local whitetail herd will thank you for encouraging your native flora to once again thrive.