Hunting cut timber

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johnq85
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Hunting cut timber

Unread postby johnq85 » Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:18 am

Hey guys, I had a question that maybe some of y’all have dealt with before. The family farm I hunt is having almost all of the timber cut right now. They are leaving trees around waterways and about 5 acres at a house. The property used to be ag land but about 20 years ago my dad planted landscape trees in the fields to sell as he was running a pretty big landscape and tree business at the time. The economy killed the business years ago so the tree fields are overgrown with tall grasses and weeds making it good cover and bedding but there are very few trees to hunt from. I know there will still be places for deer to bed and feel safe but my main question is do y’all think this year is a bust on that property since it is being cut so late? How long will it take the deer/mature bucks to settle back down after such a big disturbance? Should I write this property off till late season or even next season? I do have access to other properties and public land but this was my main area to hunt. Anyway, I appreciate any in put and thank you for your time.


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bowfreak8
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:28 am

So my situation is a little different. We had the pipeline come through a few years back and they wrapped up just before deer season started. It was one of the worst seasons we had. The mature bucks were just gone.

I'm not saying this will be the case where you are but that big disturbance on our property so close to the season was not good. The good news is the next year it all got back to normal.
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby Drenalin » Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:41 am

I was talking to a friend a couple of days about a property he and some other guys lease for deer hunting. The property owner just had a lot of timber cut, including near a couple of his best stands. Instead of running deer out of there, all the stuff left behind from the cuts has funneled deer movement quite a bit and potentially helped out his hunting. He said the trails through the cuts have started to look like cattle runs over the last few weeks. I've also noticed on private property where I used to cut access trails, the deer would start using those trails very soon after I cut them (that was trimming though, not really cutting like you're talking about). I imagine in your situation there would also be quite a bit of attractive browse now available to the deer, as well as the potential for new edge that they may relate to.

It's worth pointing out that the guy I was talking to, and his buddies, are deer hunters not mature buck hunters. While a lot of does and younger bucks may hang around after all this, the older bucks might relocate their bedding either permanently or temporarily, or get a little more nocturnal. I guess I'm saying this stuff could be good for your deer hunting, but you might have to change things up if you're mature buck hunting. I wouldn't necessarily write any place off unless I know that what I'm looking for doesn't live there, but what your goals are for this season will dictate how or if you hunt the property this season.
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JRM KY
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby JRM KY » Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:15 am

I'm sure every location will be different depending on the size of the track and if equipment will be traveling through those thick fields to bump deer out continuously. If there is a overgrown field big enough to hold deer you might ask them to stay out of it. Just to give you a little hope I have a friend that logs for a living and every year in gun season ,which is during rut here, he kills a nice buck from the cab of the log skidder lol. Just stay positive because for me, if i desired to buy land, I would buy a clear-cut track as opposed to standing timber. It would not only be cheaper but ill take the nasty bedding stuff any day over beautiful timber.
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:03 am

I do believe if you give it a year or two the area that was timbered should become better than ever before. Especially if there are tree tops and it gets thick and nasty.
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:29 pm

hunt it and find out. Ground hunt if you have to. Hunting is never a waste of time. At least you will find out after a couple of hunts
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby Brandonkinchen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:04 pm

bowfreak8 wrote:I do believe if you give it a year or two the area that was timbered should become better than ever before. Especially if there are tree tops and it gets thick and nasty.

This is very true in my area.
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby Exophysical » Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:19 pm

I've always found that the first season after a cut is made, is often the season where I spot the most deer out in the open. It is my theory that the deer are still using their old trails for awhile, out of habit. In my experience, by the time the second or third season rolls around things will be back to normal and deer activity in the open will be rare during daylight.

If I was you my strategy would be to still hunt along the edge of the timber that is left standing, stay at least a few yards into the tree's. You stand a good chance of bumping into deer using the strips of timber as travel routes, and my prediction is that you will see a surprising amount of deer crossing the cuts during daylight this season.
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Re: Hunting cut timber

Unread postby johnq85 » Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:26 am

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I just need to hunt it and see what’s going on that way. I know they are leaving tops so in a year or two it should be good and thick in there. Thank y’all for the input
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