Originally Posted By: RAH


Hard maples are premium timber, so I assume you have soft maples.


Nope, sugar maples. A few very nice 30"+ diameter trees. Lots in the 12-18". But hundreds and hundreds in the 4"<
I've always head sugar maples are the end of the line for a hardwood forest evolution. They will eventually take over the oaks and hickories. Leafing out a bit earlier, and providing so much shade. However they produce no nut crop for wildlife. So that a hard maple forest will be game free, as far as deer are concerned.

9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023