feed in birch and other deciduous stands?

[whitebirch]

hows the feed for game in birch and other deciduous stands?

I would get out and look for myself, but am new to trying to recognize edible/favorable feed species

[6616]

Generally very good compared to conifer stands. Closed canopy conifer stands often have no gound cover and have hardly any feed. Deciduous stands normally have lots of ground cover browse species.

[Livewire322]

If there is Aspen the moose will eat the bark...

[huntwriter]

In the absence of agricultural crop fields the seedpods of Aspen and Birch provide a highly nutritious meal for birds and a preferred snack for deer. Deer also like to eat the fallen leaves of Aspen and Birch.

[Jelvis]

It's the trees and bushes that you see. It also answers the question, why does that deciduos tree or bush live in these conditions I find them in?
Deciduous need water more than some fir trees so when you see birch, aspen, willow and green leafed trees and bushes it means water in the soil. Water is essential for life of all living things so wildlife is attracted to water near streams, ponds, lakes, which are on or in flat areas. In the flat wetter areas the water situates and fluctuates and gives the succulent grasses and herbs the drink of mineral rich water they thirst for and become a literal salad bar for moose, deer and bear as well as smaller animals like muskrat and mink with the odd fox in there looking for mice.
Jelly Belly .. Birch trees need water too so where you see the beautiful white birch tree you will see much wildlife near by and within it's garden of Eden the deer and moose will be eatin.

[Westslope]

Not always correct Jelvis, in some situations as in areas north of Kamloops broadleafs grow because of serious root disease in the fir.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

If there is Aspen the moose will eat the bark...

Yup. I used to think this feeding behavior was limited to winter, but walking around in the bush a bunch this season looking for moose I saw quite a few freshly "scraped" birches. That was from mid Oct to mid Nov.

Although there may be exceptions as Westslope pointed out, Jelvis is generally correct in saying that deciduous stands tend to grow in moister pockets, and there you'll get willow, cottonwood, birch, alder, azalea, and a bunch of other perennial shrubs that ungulates (amongst other animals) like to browse.

Deciduous stands with lots of low-height shrubs can make for some pretty tough hunting before the leaves drop, so often you have to wait until after that. Depending on the prevailing veg species, even after the leaves drop you can see the animals, but trying to get a shot through thousands of shoots, twigs, branches and leaders is hopeless. Some older aspen stands, on the other hand, are really nice and beautifully open and spaced!

[Jagermeister]

I think that any type of feed is seasonal specific.
Deer prefer a heavy canopy of old growth in winter, makes it easier to move about. Deer have a fondness for cedar in the winter and will paw the ground looking for forbs, grasses, segdes and rushes (graminoids). They also seem to like that long wispy mosses that hang from conifers.
Moose on the other hand like areas that are new growth. The Red Osier Dogwood willow seem to be a preferred browse, but they are not above eating birch and alders. Moose do not seem to be too fussy for Mountain Alder (the one with those neat little cones), it has a very bitter taste. They will eat the leaves of the Mountain Alder in spring and early summer. One other favored browse is the Pacific Willow, deer don't mind browsing on this one either.
Elk in the winter? Any haystack will do.

[Morel]

If you are interested in learning to identify plants I would suggest the field guide "Plants of Coastal British Columbia". Deciduous trees can be tougher to ID in the winter but if you spend some time practicing plant identification in the summer, you will be able to ID them in the winter as well.

[Jelvis]

Don't forget whitebirch, the birch are white and strong and the winds make the trembling aspen turn gold and rattle, when you see yellow in the leaves it means grouse and deer family. The whole fam damily. Mules, whites, moose and major grouse action with black bear, coyote, wolf and ducks and geese around McCleese.
If you see lots of deciduos among the fir trees there will be a stream there, that's where to be early and late walking the flats in birch, aspen, cedar and semi-open fir or pine. Reg 3 or Reg 8 type of terrain. Moose, muley some whites, grouse, bear, some moose and the odd elk.