Digging Trees

[Boss Hogg]

Can someone tell me If I can legally dig a small maple tree from public land. I see people always cutting Christmas trees, and making shooting lanes for deer hunting. I have a couple sugar maples that I would like to plant at my daughters new home. A search on the DNR's HSOforum didn't come up with any results.

[Ryan_V]

That's a tough one....I'd guess that the answer is no, but I'd call your local fisheries/forestry branch of the DNR, they will be able to get a correct answer to you. as a general rule, if uncle sam owns it, you can't take it!!

[Powerstroke]

It is illegal to take a tree from public land. Cutting Christmas trees, trimming spruce tips, cutting trees for firewood etc. are illegal and can be prosecuted and has been done before. The value of a tree is amazing. A couple years ago some guys were caught cutting trees and were fined a hefty amount plus restitution. It bordered on felony theft because of the damage estimate.

So, it kinda sucks cause I know that its hard to resist when there are hundreds of little saplings for picking, but getting caught isn't worth the risk.

Lots of nurseries are having sales right now to reduce the amount of plant material they put in winter storage. Also the DNR has a nursery that you can buy trees from at a very reasonable price. You can see it on their HSOforum.

[Flatlander]

Boss-

You could really reach, if you're feeling lucky. In WI you can indeed cut christmas trees and firewood with a permit. My dad and I would cut firewood on state land every summer. So, if you were to secure a permit for 1 cord of firewood, and could convince Johnny Law you are going to burn the half dozen saplings you so carefuuly dug up, then do it. On a side note. I'm not certain if it is law or just frowned upon(I think it's a law), you can't bring firewood from WI into MN.

[fisherking01]

I dug some maples at a friends place six years ago, also bought some from a nursery. Hands down the bought trees are growing at a rate three times the dug trees. even after 6 years, my dug trees are getting dwarfed by the trees I planted 3 years ago from the nursery. Another factor that I didn't consider was that the young maples came from a dense woods, straight and nice looking, if there was wind, they would nearly touch the ground. Not used to the wind and not conditioned to it.

I would suggest that this is not a great time to transplant dug maples, considering the necessity to water them. I watered some last fall and 2 of them died,(6 year old trees) guess watering near freez up is a no no for maples. Maybe it was just bad luck??? Good luck!! Brent