Allright,

Here is a rough copy of the area that I was talking about clear cutting in my post above.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

LeBeau:

Where are they bedding? Without knowing that.....I sure can't help (though I'd defer to some of these "expert" teammates if I were you.

I can tell you I love an inside corner.....and it appears you have some good evening stand sites that you can use for these sites.

Without knowing their bedding areas....I can't give advice as to how to approach.

GMMAT,

I hear you on the difficulty w/o bedding. But what I'm more getting at are strategies to use for
the cutting that will be done in September. Should we leave a 100' wide swath of trees, etc.

Anyway, most of the bedding is done across that canal to the east which we cannot hunt and
is not hunted (the area labeled CRP area is chock full), and we have pinpointed some good
canal crossings. The area labeled pasture is a lot thicker than it shows on this older map.

Some bedding is also going on to the South (again, not ours), b/c we found some heavy trails
through that ditch to the South (they make their way through the woods to hit the crops and clover and other plots).

There is also some bedding going on in the central and eastern part of the area labeled "Mitigation Land."
That is a sanctuary area that we don't disturb.

If it was me, I would leave a 50 yard or more strip of woods along the canal. This could be a good ambush spot as the deer travel along the canal. The rest maybe clear a section and plant food plots and let some of it grow up with blackberries and brush or young pines and create a bedding area where the deer feel safe. The thicker the better.

I would also check with the local DNR or Conservation Dept., they might come out and make some suggestions. And for some habitat improvements you can get financial assistance from the government.

Thanks John,

I hpoe to have the good fortune you had in your third year of bowhunting in my second.

We were considering leaving a corridor along the canal. So that backs up what I was thinking.
We are going to plant plots in it next year and some hybrid white oaks in the spring.

What about leaving a strip of timber going through the middle of it? Do you think that might be a good ambush spot?

Germ,

That old family pic is really cool.
That there is framing and pass down to your grandkids material. [8D]

Will,

If that is an option yes the deer would probably use it to get from one woods to another and stay in the cover.

John,

Thanks, that's why I'm asking, whatever we mark won't get cut.

3 weeks til opening day in southern indiana!!!!!!!

Damn, I think I got a bad case of chiggers from my scouting this weekend. Starting to get little red itchy bumps around my sock line and pant line. I hate those little buggers.[:@][:@][:@]