Clear cut bedding???

[daveynewman]

I love to hunt clear cuts a few years after they have been established. It's amazing how they take advantage of it. Does love it I. My opinion. I notice more does than bucks using them and during the rut they make for good hot spots

[BBH1980]

If you have the time, throw an early observation sit or 2 at it and see what you see. If you're not planning on hunting it right away maybe walk around inside the cut and see what you find for sign. I've got a similar cut near me thats 40 acres, but its surrounded by pines and swamps. I've found sign both on the edges and inside of the cutting. The bedding inside that i've found has the classic details to it, beds on a rise with thick to back where they can see a ways. Sounds like there's plenty of browse, you've got your work cut out for you.

I think its the only way to know is to throw the observation stands at it. I can get up high on the down wind edge along the access road so I wont be hurting anything with my entrance and exits. They are working a huge scrape between two cuts on an oak finger sticking out, huge tracks in it. That's my spot unless observation tells me otherwise.

[BBH1980]

I love to hunt clear cuts a few years after they have been established. It's amazing how they take advantage of it. Does love it I. My opinion. I notice more does than bucks using them and during the rut they make for good hot spots

I think its gonna be good but I am also on the hunt for other hunters... lol. Theres a lot of places surrounding they can resort to for bedding if the cuts are pressured

[mattmorgan]

We have a lot of this same type of clear cutting going on in Michigan on public lands. Bedding tends to be in the summer months when the growth is up. Once the fall hits and the hunting pressure hits seems more to be doe bedding on the edges. Good bucks seem to like to cruise the clear cuts here in the mornings from my experience looking for does once the rut comes in. They are usually working across the main trails the doe use and out into the cut. Not so much working the edges. These areas can be a good 2nd rut phase first of Dec area for bucks to check as well. Just my experience in Michigan. Hope it helps.

[460guy]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

What general part of PA are you talking? I'll be hunting what sounds like a very similar area to you also in PA.

[BBH1980]

We have a lot of this same type of clear cutting going on in Michigan on public lands. Bedding tends to be in the summer months when the growth is up. Once the fall hits and the hunting pressure hits seems more to be doe bedding on the edges. Good bucks seem to like to cruise the clear cuts here in the mornings from my experience looking for does once the rut comes in. They are usually working across the main trails the doe use and out into the cut. Not so much working the edges. These areas can be a good 2nd rut phase first of Dec area for bucks to check as well. Just my experience in Michigan. Hope it helps.

Thanks for your input. Greatly appreciated

[BBH1980]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

What general part of PA are you talking? I'll be hunting what sounds like a very similar area to you also in PA.

I'm in the east and northeast areas. How bout yourself?

[460guy]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

What general part of PA are you talking? I'll be hunting what sounds like a very similar area to you also in PA.

I'm in the east and northeast areas. How bout yourself?

Around 3d public land?

[BBH1980]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

What general part of PA are you talking? I'll be hunting what sounds like a very similar area to you also in PA.

I'm in the east and northeast areas. How bout yourself?

Around 3d public land?

Yeah 3d and 3c public but lots of swamps in 3d

[460guy]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

What general part of PA are you talking? I'll be hunting what sounds like a very similar area to you also in PA.

I'm in the east and northeast areas. How bout yourself?

Around 3d public land?

Yeah 3d and 3c public but lots of swamps in 3d

Sweet. Took an 8 pter near the range in Suscon. Most of the big boys bed in the swamps after the first week

[bigredneck61088]

I scouted a large 5-8 year old cut this year in PA and it was steep nasty and far in. Hung some cameras and had 4 over 130 class plus other 100-120 bucks. I felt pretty confident I would be able to get on one quickly if I tagged out in my home state of Ohio based on terrain and remoteness.

I learned this the hard way this year, coming from OH I did not know PA opened the gates to a lot of places come season, what was deep in, and had several shooters on cameras all summer and into the first few days of season became desolate come mid and late October’s, it was also getting pounded by hunters 2-3 trucks everytime I went in.

Pressure moved several good bucks out of what could be an awesome place, was unable to relocate them and ended up hunting other spots with good luck but did not kill anything in PA this season

[460guy]

I scouted a large 5-8 year old cut this year in PA and it was steep nasty and far in. Hung some cameras and had 4 over 130 class plus other 100-120 bucks. I felt pretty confident I would be able to get on one quickly if I tagged out in my home state of Ohio based on terrain and remoteness.

I learned this the hard way this year, coming from OH I did not know PA opened the gates to a lot of places come season, what was deep in, and had several shooters on cameras all summer and into the first few days of season became desolate come mid and late October’s, it was also getting pounded by hunters 2-3 trucks everytime I went in.

Pressure moved several good bucks out of what could be an awesome place, was unable to relocate them and ended up hunting other spots with good luck but did not kill anything in PA this season

I had the same problem with the biggest ones getting outta dodge pretty quick by mid October. I wanted to try a little test by spotlighting as I was convinced the biggest ones were still around. Week or so before the season I was seeing my biggest in the clear-cuts and a small food plot within a half hour after dark, telling me the bedding was close( which I now have figured out pretty good where there at in daylight for the first few days). By mid October I didn't see any of the biggest even an hour after dark. I tried going up again another night a few hours after dark, thinking they were coming from much further distances now, and bam I found 1 of them first time I tried it. I have a strong suspicion I know where they go once the pressure hits which I hope to verify this winter when I scout it. One of the smallest I saw.

IMG_20190922_092558.jpg

[BBH1980]

I scouted a large 5-8 year old cut this year in PA and it was steep nasty and far in. Hung some cameras and had 4 over 130 class plus other 100-120 bucks. I felt pretty confident I would be able to get on one quickly if I tagged out in my home state of Ohio based on terrain and remoteness.

I learned this the hard way this year, coming from OH I did not know PA opened the gates to a lot of places come season, what was deep in, and had several shooters on cameras all summer and into the first few days of season became desolate come mid and late October’s, it was also getting pounded by hunters 2-3 trucks everytime I went in.

Pressure moved several good bucks out of what could be an awesome place, was unable to relocate them and ended up hunting other spots with good luck but did not kill anything in PA this season

I had the same problem with the biggest ones getting outta dodge pretty quick by mid October. I wanted to try a little test by spotlighting as I was convinced the biggest ones were still around. Week or so before the season I was seeing my biggest in the clear-cuts and a small food plot within a half hour after dark, telling me the bedding was close( which I now have figured out pretty good where there at in daylight for the first few days). By mid October I didn't see any of the biggest even an hour after dark. I tried going up again another night a few hours after dark, thinking they were coming from much further distances now, and bam I found 1 of them first time I tried it. I have a strong suspicion I know where they go once the pressure hits which I hope to verify this winter when I scout it. One of the smallest I saw. IMG_20190922_092558.jpg

Pm me

[bigredneck61088]

I scouted a large 5-8 year old cut this year in PA and it was steep nasty and far in. Hung some cameras and had 4 over 130 class plus other 100-120 bucks. I felt pretty confident I would be able to get on one quickly if I tagged out in my home state of Ohio based on terrain and remoteness.

I learned this the hard way this year, coming from OH I did not know PA opened the gates to a lot of places come season, what was deep in, and had several shooters on cameras all summer and into the first few days of season became desolate come mid and late October’s, it was also getting pounded by hunters 2-3 trucks everytime I went in.

Pressure moved several good bucks out of what could be an awesome place, was unable to relocate them and ended up hunting other spots with good luck but did not kill anything in PA this season

I had the same problem with the biggest ones getting outta dodge pretty quick by mid October. I wanted to try a little test by spotlighting as I was convinced the biggest ones were still around. Week or so before the season I was seeing my biggest in the clear-cuts and a small food plot within a half hour after dark, telling me the bedding was close( which I now have figured out pretty good where there at in daylight for the first few days). By mid October I didn't see any of the biggest even an hour after dark. I tried going up again another night a few hours after dark, thinking they were coming from much further distances now, and bam I found 1 of them first time I tried it. I have a strong suspicion I know where they go once the pressure hits which I hope to verify this winter when I scout it. One of the smallest I saw. IMG_20190922_092558.jpg

Yeah I haven’t done much spotlighting but sounds like the same issue I had... I did some scouting with the flintlock in hand and haven’t turned up what I want yet. That sure is a good PA buck too!

[headgear]

Following this thread. Curious as to how relatable cuts and swamps/marshes are as far as lone trees, points, etc. My post-season scouting has confirmed a lot of those similarities here in the south

A lone tree won't do much, however if a cut is on a swamp transition, point or near something like a beaver pond those are all good. Any and all hill country tactics apply to cuts as well, they might plot down in the middle from time to time but I see better results with them used along with traditional bedding. The does will lay bed at random in them a little but even they like a little transition or something to help for protection.