How do you approach first year clear cuts

[jbone23]

property where I hunt just had paper company come in and clear cut 60 plus acres of prime hardwoods including my honey hole. How do y'all approach first year clear cuts? How long before deer will try and bed there? There are some islands of trees left with lots of big wood piles laying everywhere. Before the area had some good deer bedding in it they mainly concentrated a slough that is now wide open. There are still some hardwoods left to the north and east of the cut.

[Nocturnal]

After about 2 years they usually start to bed back in there.. My favorite clear cuts to hunt are within 2-10 years old. They're golden in the big woods when acorns don't produce as well. But it's even better when they leave a couple pockets of oaks standing.

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[Ack]

It will be at least a couple years before it will be worth hunting for older bucks. No ground cover = nighttime movement.

[vermonthunter16]

I would also say a couple of years. It will be great for Grouse and Turkey then too!

[Rich M]

It will be at least a couple years before it will be worth hunting for older bucks. No ground cover = nighttime movement.

I disagree. The deer will use the same travel routes they did before, just not as often. Used to hunt w some guys on 400 acres - they clear cut and the deer still walked the same trails. It was almost eerie. If you figure they take these routes due to thermals, then it makes sense.

Spread some seeds and give them some feed along the edges. You can shoot deer in 1st year clear cuts.

[DaveT1963]

1st year I would mark it as a destination food source _ good new browse and hunt nearby bedding.

[JohnFunn]

They are very good in late season...

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[Findian]

They are fun to gun hunt over for the first few years. I would think that the cut would make it better not worse. The deer will stick to the edges more the first few years.

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[JohnFunn]

They are fun to gun hunt over for the first few years. I would think that the cut would make it better not worse. The deer will stick to the edges more the first few years.

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Exactly this! And they will sneak out and much the clover when nobody is lookin

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[Findian]

Also treat the cut like a field for a few years. Don't go walking thru the cut for morning hunts, walk around if you can. The deer will be feeding in the cut. And I've seen many times deer will bed down in a fresh cut.

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[PK_]

I find somewhere else to hunt.

Actually, depends if the woods around it are open or thick…

2 years ago all my best bedding areas on my favorite public piece got leveled, it has been tough relocating deer in that area the last few years. Really hoping those cuts are getting thick enough to hold deer this fall. Couple young deer were back in there last year, cuts were just taller grass, not enough cover to hold good deer.

[tmarbut]

I did an observation sit a coupe of weeks ago. Sat watching where a 15 acre field meets a 2 y.o. clear cut. Had a bachelor group of small bucks appear out of nowhere & feed at the field edge. They were bedded in the clear cut. Perfect thermals for them.

Don't overlook edges if there are some good woods/ cover nearby.

It was good hunting in the first year for me. Just didn't pressure it much at all.

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