Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
- Larry Tucei
- Posts: 2017
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:44 am
Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
I returned to Noxubee NWR during the week of Thanksgiving to locate more Superlative trees and do some Deer Hunting. I had locations of some trees from Lidar that Jess Riddle sent me back in 2015. Over the last several years I had found most of them and decided to finish up on a couple areas that I had not done.
The first area I went to was Green Tree Levee #2 created for Duck Habitat back in the late 70’s. It’s periodically flooded to enhance Duck Habitat. The Levee is shaped like a J and is approximately 1.4 miles long beginning near the Noxubee River and running north to south with the J going southwest.
There are two 140’ hits near the center and north area near the Levee and my goal was to locate them. After a .75 mile walk from my Truck I went east into the Forest and managed to find the first hit. Two large and tall Cherry Bark Oak, the first was 138’, CBH- 11’ 10” the second 139.5’, 12’ 2”. The leaves are still on at this time but I believe I was near the tops. I continued up the Levee another .75 mile nearing the River where the second Lidar hit was located but was unable to locate it. I will return at a later date.
The next morning I decided to head to an area where I had not been in 20 years called Cedar Grove road. A gravel road approx. 3 miles long coming off state HWY 25 running west to east with Cypress Creek to the south. I parked by an old Logging road that went south and walked it measuring Pines along the way in the 130’ class. The Trail turned west and I went southeast towards the Creek. Near the Creek the Trees became larger. I measured a nice Loblolly Pine to 139.5’ with a CBH-10’ 9”. At the Creek there were many Bald Cypress in the 120’ class but nothing huge. One surprise was a large Swamp Chestnut Oak growing right over the Creek about 100’ tall with a CBH- 13’ 2”, the third largest I’ve measured in the state. This area warrants more exploration.
That afternoon I returned to Keaton Tower road which parallels Cedar Grove south about a mile down. I reported on this area last year and had numerous big tree discoveries here. I continued at Noxubee River where I left off last year and traveled east discovering a few more big trees. First a nice Overcup Oak 120’, CBH- 12’ 5” maybe my largest in the State and a Sweetgum 126’, 11’ 9” the second largest measured in Noxubee. The last day I was there I did some exploring along the Noxubee River East of Green Tree Levee #1. I walked approx. 1.5 miles toward Green Tree #2 along and around an old Log road that parallels the River. This area is where two large and tall Cherry Bark Oak in the 140’+ class are located that I measured back in 2015. As I traveled more easterly I began to be in new territory looking for the larger trees. I discovered a couple of small Black Walnuts which are rare in the Forest here but not on Private land. I was about to be out of time when I came across the largest Oak I’ve ever seen in MS! It blew me away at least 18- 20’ CBH and most likely a remnant left by loggers. I will return in mid-December to get some measurements. The Shumard Oak may be the new MS Champion and might point out in the 400 class. Larry
The first area I went to was Green Tree Levee #2 created for Duck Habitat back in the late 70’s. It’s periodically flooded to enhance Duck Habitat. The Levee is shaped like a J and is approximately 1.4 miles long beginning near the Noxubee River and running north to south with the J going southwest.
There are two 140’ hits near the center and north area near the Levee and my goal was to locate them. After a .75 mile walk from my Truck I went east into the Forest and managed to find the first hit. Two large and tall Cherry Bark Oak, the first was 138’, CBH- 11’ 10” the second 139.5’, 12’ 2”. The leaves are still on at this time but I believe I was near the tops. I continued up the Levee another .75 mile nearing the River where the second Lidar hit was located but was unable to locate it. I will return at a later date.
The next morning I decided to head to an area where I had not been in 20 years called Cedar Grove road. A gravel road approx. 3 miles long coming off state HWY 25 running west to east with Cypress Creek to the south. I parked by an old Logging road that went south and walked it measuring Pines along the way in the 130’ class. The Trail turned west and I went southeast towards the Creek. Near the Creek the Trees became larger. I measured a nice Loblolly Pine to 139.5’ with a CBH-10’ 9”. At the Creek there were many Bald Cypress in the 120’ class but nothing huge. One surprise was a large Swamp Chestnut Oak growing right over the Creek about 100’ tall with a CBH- 13’ 2”, the third largest I’ve measured in the state. This area warrants more exploration.
That afternoon I returned to Keaton Tower road which parallels Cedar Grove south about a mile down. I reported on this area last year and had numerous big tree discoveries here. I continued at Noxubee River where I left off last year and traveled east discovering a few more big trees. First a nice Overcup Oak 120’, CBH- 12’ 5” maybe my largest in the State and a Sweetgum 126’, 11’ 9” the second largest measured in Noxubee. The last day I was there I did some exploring along the Noxubee River East of Green Tree Levee #1. I walked approx. 1.5 miles toward Green Tree #2 along and around an old Log road that parallels the River. This area is where two large and tall Cherry Bark Oak in the 140’+ class are located that I measured back in 2015. As I traveled more easterly I began to be in new territory looking for the larger trees. I discovered a couple of small Black Walnuts which are rare in the Forest here but not on Private land. I was about to be out of time when I came across the largest Oak I’ve ever seen in MS! It blew me away at least 18- 20’ CBH and most likely a remnant left by loggers. I will return in mid-December to get some measurements. The Shumard Oak may be the new MS Champion and might point out in the 400 class. Larry
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
Larry, that fungus looks like a Sheepshead aka Hen-of-Woods, although I wouldn't stake my life on it!
Some of those trees look pretty old.
Some of those trees look pretty old.
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
I think that's 'Mr Shumard Oak' to you. Geeze that thing is massive. I bet you got a real charge of seeing that thing loom out of the surrounding woods as you came up on it. Any particular flaw that made the loggers leave it behind - like a broken crown?Larry Tucei wrote: I was about to be out of time when I came across the largest Oak I’ve ever seen in MS! It blew me away at least 18- 20’ CBH and most likely a remnant left by loggers. I will return in mid-December to get some measurements. The Shumard Oak may be the new MS Champion and might point out in the 400 class. Larry
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
Love those oaks!
Love the Shumard!
Love the Shumard!
We travel the Milky way together, trees and men. - John Muir
- Larry Tucei
- Posts: 2017
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:44 am
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
Randy- Not sure the crown looks intact maybe just left for a seed tree.
Thanks for the ID on the mushroom.
I went back up last week but the rains have made the Rivers overflow. Perhaps I can get the Shumard measured during the Christmas Holidays. More rains are expected oh o
Larry
Thanks for the ID on the mushroom.
I went back up last week but the rains have made the Rivers overflow. Perhaps I can get the Shumard measured during the Christmas Holidays. More rains are expected oh o
Larry
- Bart Bouricius
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 9:41 am
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
Great Shumard Oak Larry, and there is something magical about really big trees in the flood plain environment. In Massachusetts of course the big ones are Cottonwoods and Sycamores, and the occasional Pin Oak. Here in Coasta Rica it's another world in the few remaining old parcels, but so little is left after United Fruit, now Chiquita Brands deforested almost everything in Central America for Bananas.
- Larry Tucei
- Posts: 2017
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:44 am
Re: Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge- Nov 2018
Bart- Good to hear from you. How are you and things in Central America? Miss your postings of the giant trees and wildlife. What a shame in cutting all the Forests for Bananas!
Larry
Larry