Maple syrup tubing and deer

[outdoorstom]

I've been asked if I'd be willing to lease my 25 acre woodlot to a maple syrup producer. I asked his opinion on if the the tubing affects deer hunting and in his experience you usually get more deer in your woods. He said it's as if the deer feel safer for some reason. He also said they have issues with deer chewing on the tubing. I've got two food plots in there I'd need to access, but I imagine they could work around them or set it up so I could do a couple quick disconnects and get the tractor through? Does anybody have any experience with this and could you advise me? Thanks!

[growalot]

So hows that going to effect any future timber prices should you decide to do a select cutting...off of just 9 1/2 acres we earned enough to buy our tractor out right. Just something to consider

[ncountry]

I've never seen the before it after effects of all the tubing in the woods.. I have hunted a few sugarbushs though.. The deer do not seem to be bothered. I would think if you had a few specific stands and or plots they could easily work around them.. If you walk around a lot in your woods you will not like it though. You will have to constantly  duck and dive around the tubing.

[ncountry]

13 minutes ago, growalot said:

So hows that going to effect any future timber prices should you decide to do a select cutting...off of just 9 1/2 acres we earned enough to buy our tractor out right. Just something to consider

Definitely a consideration i expect the timber value to be +- 25% less after being tapped. How many years at $1 tap to recoup that loss? I'm not sure if anyone's done the math. Every year you would get the $ for taps and the trees are still growing and increasing in value..

[growalot]

See I have no idea on what maple leases are thus the question...I do know that IF one knows about their trees and doesn't go with the standard stump pricing and  They go with a cut and grade your looking at more money IF you have veneer logs. We had many veneer logs. Now that's a gamble if you don't know you could loose $$ Most don't have the knowledge and or time. So depending on the above you may want to stipulate no tapping of veneer trees. Go with what a logger would consider a low grade tree to tap.

Edited April 7, 2017 by growalot

[Don_C]

There are lines on the property we hunt in Varysburg, the deer don't care, and in fact tend to follow them like they would a fence line. One of our stands is 10 feet from one of the lines, I have watched how they interact with them and I'm telling you, they could care less.

 

 

[wooly]

I can't say whether or not the tubing itself will disrupt things any, but the age of the forest may be a bigger factor, as well as additional human intrusion.

 

I hike a lot of ground with MILES of tubing taps each winter and spring. While these areas can and do show good deer sign once in a while, it's nothing in comparison to the areas surrounding them. Most of these properties are heavily cut up with year round access roads for set up, (tractors, ATV's, UTV's, sleds) collection, and maintenance.... and are void of much undergrowth (browse and cover) and other undesirable species of trees (also browse and cover) that have been selectively removed. The really big operations in mature timber have a significantly less deer traffic as a result of the selective removal and lack of sunlight through the dense maple canopy to generate new growth. Not good for deer IMO, but I've never hunted one of these areas in the fall to see the true effects.

 

If it were my 25 HUNTING acres, I'd leave it alone and go with Aunt Jemima on my flapjacks!

[grampy]

Each year, I'm invited to hunt a friends property, that has many lines going for his small syrup operation. I've observed the deer going under, over, and along the lines. They paid the lines no more attention, than they would any natural obstacle in the woods. But the lines have been there for years. Not sure how it would effect deer movement, when they are first put in. or how long it will take for the deer to get used to them.

[outdoorstom]

Thanks for the valuable feedback. 4 years ago the woodlot was selectively cut after being marked by a forester, so we don't anticipate another harvest for many years. I'm not worried about 4 wheeling or hiking in there, I don't do that now....we stay out and hunt the edges. There is 6oo acres of public land directly across the road I use for recreation. The syrup producer has agreed to not go into the woods between September first and the end of hunting season, so I'd be fine with that.

[b3h]

Get a consulting forester to help


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TACC]

I was also curious about the lease rate, and if anyone had ever also added a percentage of what has been harvested just so one could actually see what they did harvest

Sent from my SM-G900T3 using Tapatalk

[Dinsdale]

I've had tubing up for maybe 10 years and it doesn't bother my deer at all. I also have never had a deer have even the slightest interest in chewing it, squirrels yes, and I kill every one.

You can run with an end connection that allows for some passage if its well planned out, say across a woods road/trail; but main lines are static in location and would be a major pain to try and take down temporarily.

Don't see any reason folks couldn't stay out of area for hunting season.

I think any observation that it scares deer away is just anecdotal at best, my deer bed down right in the middle of it.

As for payment I have seen a combination of volume collected and sugar content. X for so many gallons and a supplement for sugar content.

Just some thoughts. 

[Dinsdale]

8 hours ago, wooly said:

I can't say whether or not the tubing itself will disrupt things any, but the age of the forest may be a bigger factor, as well as additional human intrusion.

 

I hike a lot of ground with MILES of tubing taps each winter and spring. While these areas can and do show good deer sign once in a while, it's nothing in comparison to the areas surrounding them. Most of these properties are heavily cut up with year round access roads for set up, (tractors, ATV's, UTV's, sleds) collection, and maintenance.... and are void of much undergrowth (browse and cover) and other undesirable species of trees (also browse and cover) that have been selectively removed. The really big operations in mature timber have a significantly less deer traffic as a result of the selective removal and lack of sunlight through the dense maple canopy to generate new growth. Not good for deer IMO, but I've never hunted one of these areas in the fall to see the true effects.

 

If it were my 25 HUNTING acres, I'd leave it alone and go with Aunt Jemima on my flapjacks!

But this has nothing to do with the actual tubing causing an issue, everything stated has to do with habitat. 

The whole idea with tubing is you don't need a vast road system for collection; and that would be especially true on a virgin installation where sap had not been collected in the traditional sense of tank and something to pull it with, be that was horse or tractor. 

 

[stubborn1VT]

The tubing doesn't cause the lack of underbrush, but it does go hand in hand.  It sets up a less desirable habitat for deer IMO.  You're right, the sugar lines don't bother the deer.  The wide open hardwoods do.  

[outdoorstom]

I've got great understory in my woods and don't see that changing for a long time!