After thinning hardwood stands, sprouts often develop on the girdled stems or cut stumps. Although sprouts may be left for wildlife, it is usually best to deaden each tree to minimize future competition for soil moisture and nutrients. Applying select herbicides to the stump can eliminate sprouting. This study evaluated five different herbicides applied to hardwood stumps of 6 tree species 90 days after cutting and at two levels on the stump. Trimec, Crossbow, Chopper, Vista, and Garlon 4 were applied in diesel oil solutions. Vista was effective as a cut-surface application to 18-inch-high stumps of black walnut, cottonwood, green ash, honey locust, and pecan, but not Siberian elm. Cut-surface application showed species-specific responses in which cottonwood and honey locust were easily controlled, but not pecan. Only pecan was not killed when sprayed at the base in a 3- to 4-inch band around the stump. When sprayed on the top of the stump (18 inches above the ground), only Chopper and Vista were effective on black walnut, and honey locust, but Vista and Garlon 4 worked in green ash.