SHOW / EPISODE

The Biggest Mistakes Landowners Make When Planting Wildlife Trees

1h 21m | Sep 30, 2026

This week on Huntin’ Land, Joe Baya and Butch Thierry talk with Ian from Chestnut Hill about fall tree planting, common mistakes landowners make, and how to build a better long-term food source for wildlife and family use. The conversation starts with one of the biggest mistakes of all: waiting too long. Ian explains that many landowners put off planting trees because the project feels intimidating, only to realize three or four years later that they could already be seeing fruit, nuts, and wildlife activity if they had started earlier.

The discussion covers how to choose the right trees for your region, including why USDA growing zones, chill hours, native varieties, and proper site selection matter so much. Ian explains the difference between planting improved grafted fruit trees for family harvest and planting hardier wildlife-focused trees like Dunstan chestnuts, American persimmons, native crabapples, mulberries, and native plums. The group also talks through the frustration of planting the wrong variety, waiting years, and then realizing it may never produce where you live.

Joe and Butch also share lessons from their own tree-planting mistakes, including running over young trees with tractors and bush hogs, planting in rows that were hard to maintain, losing sight of grow tubes in tall summer vegetation, and learning the value of planting clusters or orchard-style “sweet spots” around food plots. Ian explains that some tree loss is normal, but landowners can greatly improve success by staying focused on the basics: consistent water, weed control, tree protection, good planting sites, and fertilizer.

The episode also digs into practical details for remote landowners, including how to water young trees, how much water different tree sizes need, how to avoid air pockets when planting, how weed mats protect young trees from competition, when to use grow tubes or cages, and why fall planting gives trees time to establish roots before summer heat arrives. Ian also explains how to tell whether a stressed tree is truly dead, why brown leaves do not always mean failure, and how a tree can sometimes regrow from a healthy root system.

By the end, the episode makes tree planting feel less intimidating and more doable. Whether a landowner wants chestnuts for deer, fruit for the family, better wildlife habitat, or a long-term mast source that improves the property for decades, the core message is simple: pick the right trees, protect them, water them, and get started sooner rather than later.