Clearing saplings in a clear cut

[Hildebrand]

Hi, I am already looking towards the 2022 deer season. I have permission to hunt about 30 acres that were clear-cut about 11 years ago. They did leave a tree here or there in the middle but most of the bigger trees were left on the edges. Now the woods are so thick with 1,000s of saplings all over you can not shoot a bow or gun in,but the deer absolutely love it in there. What would be good things to try and do to help me hunt this next year? I don't have a tractor or anything like that. I have a Polaris ranger, chain saw, and your basic yard tools. I was thinking of trying to hand clear some small areas to get some sort of food ploys going and toss in a water bin and try mu luck that way but I am just unsure.

[Dhumpy]

I know this is older but just ran across your post. I’m working with pretty much the same situation. About 40 acres broken up with maybe 25 of that being huntable (houses on the front part of the property.). I walked every inch of it to figure out how the deer used the property. I left the bedding areas alone and cleared small areas close to trails the deer were already using for small food plots and mineral sites. Only put two stands on the property and I stay out of there unless the wind is right. I will be doing a little bit of hinge cutting in the next few weeks because of some of the bedding areas opening up with the saplings getting big. I’ve been able to take 4 good bucks from the property since I’ve been hunting it and I think the biggest thing is not over hunting it.

[Elite]

I had this exact situation two years ago. The timber was select cut 5-6 years ago leaving burr oaks and white pines. I paid my wife’s uncle to take his heavy duty skid steer and create a food plot for me. The mounds of dirt and popple were pushed on the sides except for the directions I wanted the deer to enter the plot. Took him about an hour to remove the dirt and stumps to make it. The only other option is to find a trail in the popple to sit over. Good luck trying to get an arrow through all that though!

[Ghost Hunter]

If you hunt it by yourself sounds good. If you don't I would walk edge of clear cut and find best spots that would be productive. Maybe even out into timber little that surrounds clear cut if you have access to it.