Timber Sales

HTWS will manage the sale of your timber from start to finish. We will cruise your standing timber to determine it's value given the current timber markets, market to numerous timber buyers, receive bids for your timber, and award the best buyer with the sale contract. We will handle all of the contracts and negotiations, and ensure that all of the "t's are crossed and the i's dotted." Once harvest begins we will make weekly trips to your tract to make certain that the proper care is being given to your property and that all of the terms of the contract are followed. Examples of contract terms include: minimizing rutting, minimizing damage to residual standing timber, or following all state best management practices (BMP's).  Immediately after harvest, a final inspection will ensure full compliance with all terms of the contract and complete the timber sale. 

Reforestation

Reforestation is the process of putting a recently harvested timber stand back into trees (typically pine). The reason we say that this is a process is because it does not usually involve only the replanting of seedlings. More often than not, a recent clear-cut will need to be prepared for planting with the use of forestry-labeled herbicides. Forestry herbicides will eliminate the competition so that the pine seedlings will be able to flourish unhindered. In the late winter to early spring following herbicide application, pine seedlings will need to be planted. Holding a herbicide applicators license, HTWS has the experience and knowledge to prescribe the right combination of herbicides for your tract. Not every tract is the same and some will require different suites of herbicides to get the job done. HTWS can coordinate these services, starting with a site visit to determine the best plan for investment in reforestation.

Forest and Wildlife Management Planning

Often times landowners have many different goals for their land, but they do not know how to plan for the long term life of the assets that it holds (timber and wildlife). HTWS can help the landowner merge their property ownership goals with responsible and ecological forest and wildlife management. Forest management planning can also help the property obtain eligibility for many state cost-share programs for which a management plan is a requirement. HTWS can also help plan and design wildlife habitat manipulations to match the long term goals of the property owner.

Game management

Our holistic food-plotting program not only will help you realize your hunting goals (more deer, more turkeys, more animals in general), but will greatly improve ecosystem health as a whole. Planting specific food-plot mixes boosts biodiversity, mimicking what animals have naturally available to them. Our program of blending species and reducing (or eliminating) tillage reduces the costs to the landowner by increasing the productivity of the soil in the food plot. Ever heard of regenerative agriculture? We implement regenerative food-plotting by combining a roller-crimper with no-till drilling. This combination allows us to minimize the use of herbicides and, by leaving the majority of the organic matter to decompose, minimize the amount of synthetic fertilizers. IE. further reducing costs. We use species blends that are tailored to the most common game species for food plotting, white-tailed deer and turkey. These blends of plants work in synergy to access the nutrients in the air and in the ground. Each plant working with the ones around it to boost nutrient density. In fact, you will notice that animals will key in on the nutrient density of your food plots and travel to come eat at your buffet.

HTWS can offer full service, turn key food plotting. We will design, clear, and plant new food plots, and we can implement a food plot schedule on existing spots as well. While most clients are interested in whitetail deer, there are ways to maximize the use of the plots by many species. One way that we benefit more than just deer is by planting annual mixes in the spring and fall. Many game species will come out to take advantage of the variety of food sources. Square and shapely food plots sure are nice to work and they are good to look at as well. However, in the interest of maximizing deer movement, we believe that it is best to have oddly shaped plots with crooks and bottlenecks to force deer to move through to access all that the plot has to offer. Increased deer movement often equals increased shot opportunities.

Waterfowl impoundments

In central VA, most waterfowl “honey holes” hard to come by and the best ones are already leased. Building your own impoundment is a great way to provide suitable habitat and to have a place to hunt! HTWS offers waterfowl impoundment design and construction oversight. We work with a local grading contractor to build waterfowl impoundments for duck hunting enthusiasts. Call us today to schedule a meeting to discuss your waterfowl hunting dreams!!

GPS / GIS Mapping

Aerial photography and the sophistication of global positioning systems (GPS) has come a long way in recent decades. Many photos are publicly available but require special software to use. GPS units are often expensive and the typical landowner has no need to invest in a unit. HTWS can use GPS and aerial photography to create maps of your properties to use at hunting camps or to simply have as a reference.  
 

Boundary Marking

Online property programs certainly make it easy to get a general idea of the shape and location or your property. However, they are often not precise and therefore can cause serious trespass issues. HTWS has the knowledge and expertise to read surveyor plat maps and locate actual property boundaries on the ground. HTWS can mark property boundaries so that the landowner (and the neighbors) can know whose is whose. HTWS can also post (No Trespassing signs) your property if that service is wanted.

Be sure to check out Helpful Hints at the bottom of the page where we will be adding tidbits about taxes, wildlife, and forest management periodically.