Creating habitat for wild game can seem like a daunting task. Especially on larger properties where you are planning to plant many new species for forage and browse. On many properties a lot of the existing vegetation will need to be replaced with higher quality species that will provide better food and cover for wildlife. This may seem like an expensive and time consuming task even on smaller properties, but it doesn't have to be. One way to cut down on costs for new plants and the time spent on planting them is by using what I call the Shotgun Method.
The shotgun method is basically acquiring a very large amount of desired tree and shrub seeds and then spreading them across your property by digging small holes and planting the seed directly into the ground where you want them to become established. I call this the Shotgun Method because like a shotgun you're using a large quantity, in this case seeds instead of bullets, knowing that at least a few trees will survive similarly to knowing at least a few pellets from a shotgun shell will hit the target.This method if done properly will speed up the process of establishing tree and shrub species and do it in a way that is much cheaper and less time consuming.
In order to do this method properly you need to start with certain conditions. Most seedlings are going to need a certain environment in order to sprout and grow on your property. One major factor will be how much sun the seedlings are getting. While some will do well under shaded conditions most will need mostly to fully sunny conditions. This means you'll have to make sure there is not too much overhead cover from existing trees and shrubs. So basically you'll need a mostly open area such as a meadow or field.
The next factor will be competition from other low growing plants such as thick grass and weeds for water and soil nutrients. Using a tool as simple as a shovel it is best to till a small area of soil about a foot in circumference where you will plant your seed. This will kill the roots of the plants in the immediate vicinity and as they start to decompose in the soil this will add extra nutrients into the soil that your seedling can use. Once this is done then you can plant your seed.
When planting a seed a good general rule is to plant it at a depth 1 to 2 times the size of your seed. For example if you have a chestnut that is 2 inches wide then you will want to plant it 2 to 4 inches deep. Depending on the species, spring or fall will usually be the best times to plant, but do your research to figure out what is best for your selection.
Once your seed is planted I recommend pulling up some grass or weeds near your planted seed and spreading it across the disturbed soil covering your seed to use as a mulch. This will help keep the soil moisture high and protect it from extreme temperatures. If the soil moisture is already fairly high at the time of planting then watering will usually not be necessary at the time of planting, but if you find the soil to be fairly dry then a quick watering will help the seed break dormancy and start to grow. Then your seed will be ready to start growing.
Once you get the hang of this process then you can plant a seed every 1 to 2 minutes and really cover a large area in a relatively small amount of time. This method will also save money because you will not need to buy expensive plants from nurseries. When it comes to acquiring your seeds I recommend getting them for free by locating a property with the right types of plants and with permission collecting the seeds yourself. In my area I put an ad on Facebook looking for anyone with an English Walnut tree that would like me to clean up all the nuts in their yard. To my surprise this worked very quickly and somebody contacted me and let me collect as much as I wanted mainly because the nuts were more of a nuisance for them because it made it hard to mow. I was able to collect 2 large grocery bags full of nuts and will be using them to plant on my property this spring. Another possible option would be to find public land with your species and collect them there. Usually this will not require any permission. I've collected many types of oak and hickory seeds this way. As you can see it is not hard to find free or cheap seed sources to use for your property.
Once you've collected your seeds and planted them then it's time to let nature take over. While it's true many might not make it, it is likely that only the seeds with genetics able to grow in your specific environment will do well and thus ensuring that they would be hardy enough to self propagate on your property. That's why it's also important to use species that are adapted to your climate. However, I'll also say that it doesn't hurt to use species that are supposedly borderline for your area that way you can add to the diversity and figure out what really will do well despite what other people may say.
As your seeds sprout and grow into seedlings it may be helpful to walk your property and see which seeds have survived. You can do some minimal care as these plants grow such as adding mulch and watering during droughts in order to give them that extra nudge. But other then that there will likely not be much else you need to do.
One exception to this will be if you have an overpopulation of game species in your area. If this is the case then your tree will likely be browsed on by deer or other game and if the browsing is bad enough then it could potentially kill them. Other than caging these trees until they can grow above the browsing height, which can be very expensive on large properties with a lot of trees, you could also try what I've done on my property and use the existing vegetation as a nurse plant in order to keep deer from reaching them. This basically consists of planting your trees next to or slightly underneath a shrub, especially a thorny species like rose or bramble, that will act as a natural tree cage by preventing browsing by using thorns as a deterrent. I have seen many feral apples and plums growing up through rose bushes and out the top on my property. By mimicking the natural way these plants are escaping browse pressure I can save a lot of money by not having to buy cages.
Other ways to decrease browse pressure include building an exclusion fence, using dogs to chase deer off your property (Done properly to avoid problems), and by increasing hunting to lower the population.
Planting a lot of trees and shrubs doesn't have to be an expensive or time consuming process. If you use the Shotgun method like I do then it can be relatively simple and cheap. And once you start to see your property begin to turn into a game magnet then you will be glad you put in the effort early on, because once established these plants will self propagate and do all the work for you and provide abundant wildlife habitat for generations to come.
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