Yeah, Mooseherder the dead branch pruning won't have ill effects. When I prune up with a spacing saw it's so I can see where my saw head is and to get that brush out of my face. I leave a long branch but mostly to discourage the moose from rubbing. I have no idea at this point what will happen over a 30 year period. I found a few fir yesterday that had small untrimmed limbs where the moose has been having a great time rubbing the bark off.
It seems they target trees in low density areas for their scratching posts. I also found a couple spruce stripped. We need a longer moose season.
I hear what Clark is saying about his grandmother's fir. We can grow fir here to 18" in 45 years with silviculture. I let the neighbors cut one last fall that was 18" dbh and 45 rings on the stump. So I know it can be done. Nice and white with the typical reddish latewood in the rings. The trouble with some of my older fir on the lot is past mechanical damage and age. Some of them are 40 years old already and were suppressed before a harvest 15 years ago. If we ever get the biomass industry going here, those older damaged fir will be going to make electricity. Otherwise, I'll probably be asking myself why I'm letting them grow with a big scar up the side, so they might be worm food a lot sooner.
As long as I can walk and carry a saw I will be spacing my woods 20-25 years apart taking the worst first. If I can't get a decent return off those better fir down the road, then I guess they will make good worm food.
