I agree with stxranch, the soil disturbance makes it easy to replant native grasses and the soil holds moisture better. I have had a big track hoe selective clearing for a month out here and it is looking great. Where he has worked he has left all of the chinoak and hackberry and left the really large mesquites. The amazing part is the deer are staying rightthere where he is working.

It's all about cost effectiveness. In the real world pretty rare for other species to be significantly mixed with mesquite at 1/4 acre level. Ask a biologist. It's your decision. It's totally possible to spray 98% of your mesquites without killing anything beneficial to wildlife. Mesquite chem doesn't kill hackberry, forbs, prickly pear, etc. People that say otherwise don't know herbicides. Best to avoid what you can but aerial is the most cost effective option for ranchers who are informed.

I guess in our world down south the mixed brush species did not get the memo about not living in the mesquite comunities then.

They can spray them with herbacide and it Will Kill Them. Fact

Get you some goats and set back and watch !!

We hand spray and aerial spray several hundred acres every year. Either way you have to be very careful with your drift because the chemicals used will kill non target species like live oak and shin oak. When we aerial spray we expect to loose a small percentage of our beneficials. Shin oak is especially sensitive to the chemicals used for mesquite.

If you got some goats that will eat a 160 acre of solid mesquite please send me pictures and phone number asap.

Dang I didn't know goats grew on trees.

Looks like I need to eat my words.

I'de rather keep the trees and not deal with goats.

I remember years ago when there were not as many deer that after you dozed they suggested that you stock with goats to keep the oak down. How times have changed.

They will destroy anything!!

You sure could change that East Texas landscape with them fellars!

Some of the NRCS and Agrilife guys will still suggest goating a place after a burn to keep the cedar and shinnery under control. I went to a field day in Sonora in Dec. and goaating was discussed in depth.

now why would I want to go and do a thing like that?

Make it easier to shoot them hogs

I'de be out of ammo from shooting goats, they're as bad as hogs are.

Then you would have that East Texas Safari

might as well toss in some longhorns

Ah I see the Texas Cape Buffalo and don't forget to add in that Black Panther hunt into the mix..

don't want to shoot a BP, they keep the goat population in check which is why you don't see many goats in our parts

Gonna need photographic proof on that one or I will have to call

If you really want to clear it of all trees/debris, you will need something better than a Bobcat or mulching machine.

It doesn't cost all that much more to have a track hoe or dozer come do the work. We had 20 acres cleared for less than $2K and when they were done, the place looked like a golf course minus the sand traps.