Hinging Trees for food and cover

[BackWoodsHunter]

I could have sworn I saw a post on here about creating bedding cover but now can't find it.

Has anyone one here cut off trees or hinged trees (cutting them and tipping them while they are partially attached to the stump so they remain alive) to provide their deer with cover and food? If so where are the best spots on a property to go about hinging trees?

Does anyone drop trees to create funnels and bottle necks?

I want to experiment with this but it looks like it creates such a mess in the woods and destroys a lot of harvestable timber so I am torn on the idea of it.

I'm interested in seeing pictures of the successes of others in doing this!

[U.P. MAN]

Theres a ton of info on the QDMA website about hing cutting.

[Bucky]

I have seen it done on managed properties and the results are positive for creating bedding cover and holding deer.

[BackWoodsHunter]

Theres a ton of info on the QDMA website about hing cutting.

I know this but was wondering if any beasts have made it work for them? I don't like the idea of creating such a mess in our woods but I do like the area of thick cover. I am thinking of trying it out on a small ridge that faces south and runs east to west. I think that the thick cover from the tops and open light to the forest floor should really make things nasty!

[DEERSLAYER]

...I know this but was wondering if any beasts have made it work for them?..

I have done it many times. It works.

By the way, check your PM's.

[lungbuster]

I concentrate on ridges to create more bedding cover, and anywhere in the woods where there is alot of old growth canopy that prevents sunlight from sprouting new spring growth. I tend to leave Oaks and hickories and hinge junk trees like box elder, but if you have alot of "good" trees a few oaks or hickories or whatever you have won't hurt to hinge.

[dan]

I remember when I scouted Lungbusters land for him I spotted a tree that had busted and fell simalar to a hing tree and the tree was at the proper eleavation for bedding in an otherwise open area with trees that were to mature to have good bedding. From at least 50 yards off I told Chris there would be a buck bed under that tree. Sure enough, there was. One of my recomondations was to cut a few more along that elevation, or at least thicken it above that elevation to create more big buck bedding... Not sure if he did that though?

[DEERSLAYER]

...and hinge junk trees like box elder...

Box elder are the best trees there are for making beds!

[BackWoodsHunter]

...and hinge junk trees like box elder...

Box elder are the best trees there are for making beds!

We only have popples on our land for the most part. We have a few developing oaks and some pines as well. My great grandma had the land logged off before she died I was told and the loggers took advantage of her. She wanted them to leave the hardwoods and pines in the woods but they took everything and now its all overgrown popple trees. Not sure how well they will hinge but I will work with what I've got.

I would hinge silver maples, willows, boxelders, popples and any other fast growing "weed trees" if I had them at my disposal.