Year After Prescribed Burns

[HunterBob]

Many of the public spots that I hunt get prescribed burns every few years or so. In my experience the year after the burns the deer seem to abandon the bedding in these areas, since there is no brush cover for them to feel safe in.

How many seasons does it usually take for the brush to grow back where deer will bed again? Would love to hear the experiences of others.

[Dewey]

Depends on the terrain and how well brush grows. Wet marshes are mostly grown back by fall. Dry high ground like CRP will likely take much longer but should be decent the year after I would think with the second year better for sure.

[Ryan549]

I did a “prescribed burn” a few years ago. I’ll spare the details, but it now gets referred to as the lightning strike since things got a little out of control…..
Immediately following the burn, I had deer in there browsing on the brand new growth.
The first fall was not as good as I’d hoped it would be and I tend to agree with you- most of the overgrown bedding had been wiped out by flames.
The second season brought with it much more golden rod, tall swamp milkweed, and other species of plants that had been suppressed under thick swamp grass thatch. Suddenly- everywhere was bedding- so that hurt me too.
Made some adjustments and getting it dialed in now.

Year 2 was good, year 3 was even better.

I sit on lower ground and vegetation came back strong. They type of vegetation I have also grows extremely fast- phragmitis, goldenrod, swamp grass, multi flora rose,a ton of poison ivy, milkweed and swamp milkweed. The regeneration of this plants will be much quicker than a woody browse.

I’m no expert, but my property did bounce back well from that “lighting strike” that happened 2 weeks before the burn ban was lifted.

[HunterBob]

I did a “prescribed burn” a few years ago. I’ll spare the details, but it now gets referred to as the lightning strike since things got a little out of control…..
Immediately following the burn, I had deer in there browsing on the brand new growth.
The first fall was not as good as I’d hoped it would be and I tend to agree with you- most of the overgrown bedding had been wiped out by flames.
The second season brought with it much more golden rod, tall swamp milkweed, and other species of plants that had been suppressed under thick swamp grass thatch. Suddenly- everywhere was bedding- so that hurt me too.
Made some adjustments and getting it dialed in now.

Year 2 was good, year 3 was even better.

I sit on lower ground and vegetation came back strong. They type of vegetation I have also grows extremely fast- phragmitis, goldenrod, swamp grass, multi flora rose,a ton of poison ivy, milkweed and swamp milkweed. The regeneration of this plants will be much quicker than a woody browse.

I’m no expert, but my property did bounce back well from that “lighting strike” that happened 2 weeks before the burn ban was lifted.

Awesome, thanks for the wisdom. I only hunt public spots and it's pretty much all hill country. I think your experience fits with what I am thinking. Gives me some things to think about regarding scouting for this year and years to come.

[HunterBob]

Depends on the terrain and how well brush grows. Wet marshes are mostly grown back by fall. Dry high ground like CRP will likely take much longer but should be decent the year after I would think with the second year better for sure.

Thanks Dewey.

[Twenty Up]

423CB425-109F-4D7A-AC40-462AF0679C9F.jpeg

Here in Central GA we have to burn every 1-3 years depending on the goal of the timber block.

Typically for pine stands you’ll see heavy forb and browse pressure year 1.
Year 2 more woody browse and brambles begin taking over the Mid story. Bedding will begin and browse is still abundant.
Year 3 the midstory will begin out competing the forbs (browse). You’ll see more bedding and less browsing year 3.

Typically years 4-8 it becomes a choked out jungle of young trees and nothing Beds or browses there until the trees begin dying off from over competition.

For hardwoods burning on a 2-5 year rotation does better, less browse and bedding compared to pines. Some bedding, light to moderate browse unless TSI or logging was performed.

Fields burn every 1-2 years to prevent over competition of Shrub and tree species. You’ll see a lot of bedding in native grass fields especially next to clusters of shrubs or small saplings coming up.

Hope this helps

78A3426D-D0C4-4119-904C-6F42047A1A22.jpeg

F3F6E977-409F-414D-852C-A9A36D0385A0.png

[thwack16]

Good stuff from Twenty Up.

The three-year bedding/browse narrative for a pine stand is exactly how I would've answered.

[HunterBob]

423CB425-109F-4D7A-AC40-462AF0679C9F.jpeg

Here in Central GA we have to burn every 1-3 years depending on the goal of the timber block.

Typically for pine stands you’ll see heavy forb and browse pressure year 1.
Year 2 more woody browse and brambles begin taking over the Mid story. Bedding will begin and browse is still abundant.
Year 3 the midstory will begin out competing the forbs (browse). You’ll see more bedding and less browsing year 3.

Typically years 4-8 it becomes a choked out jungle of young trees and nothing Beds or browses there until the trees begin dying off from over competition.

For hardwoods burning on a 2-5 year rotation does better, less browse and bedding compared to pines. Some bedding, light to moderate browse unless TSI or logging was performed.

Fields burn every 1-2 years to prevent over competition of Shrub and tree species. You’ll see a lot of bedding in native grass fields especially next to clusters of shrubs or small saplings coming up.

Hope this helps

78A3426D-D0C4-4119-904C-6F42047A1A22.jpeg
F3F6E977-409F-414D-852C-A9A36D0385A0.png

Awesome, thanks for the write-up! That definitely helps. I'm in Northern Georgia so not too far from you. Little bit of a different habitat with the mountains but not all that different.

[Twenty Up]

423CB425-109F-4D7A-AC40-462AF0679C9F.jpeg

Here in Central GA we have to burn every 1-3 years depending on the goal of the timber block.

Typically for pine stands you’ll see heavy forb and browse pressure year 1.
Year 2 more woody browse and brambles begin taking over the Mid story. Bedding will begin and browse is still abundant.
Year 3 the midstory will begin out competing the forbs (browse). You’ll see more bedding and less browsing year 3.

Typically years 4-8 it becomes a choked out jungle of young trees and nothing Beds or browses there until the trees begin dying off from over competition.

For hardwoods burning on a 2-5 year rotation does better, less browse and bedding compared to pines. Some bedding, light to moderate browse unless TSI or logging was performed.

Fields burn every 1-2 years to prevent over competition of Shrub and tree species. You’ll see a lot of bedding in native grass fields especially next to clusters of shrubs or small saplings coming up.

Hope this helps

78A3426D-D0C4-4119-904C-6F42047A1A22.jpeg
F3F6E977-409F-414D-852C-A9A36D0385A0.png

Awesome, thanks for the write-up! That definitely helps. I'm in Northern Georgia so not too far from you. Little bit of a different habitat with the mountains but not all that different.

Happy to help.

I was glad to hear they’ve finally begun burning and cutting timber up there. Bar none timber harvests and prescribed fire do more for deer, turkey and quail than anything else. All the WMA’s local to me seem to be on this track as well.

A great place to start is off fire breaks between two burn units.