Clear Cutting?
05-30-2006, 07:52 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Heaven, WI
Posts: 600
Clear Cutting?
how many of you have had your property harvested either by the DNR or a private logger, and what kind of changes, good or bad, have you seen in your hunting. personally we had the public land around our 80 in north-central WI over the last 3 or 4 yrs, and i would have to say the hunting has improved. the young popple have grown to about 2 in. in diameter and probbly 10-15 ft high, and the deer love to hunker down in there or mosey through when they think no1's lookin. the deer seem to be bigger, at least in body size, not so much in antler size. thats fine with me though, i hunt for meat, not horn. what are your opinions of clearcuts or other logging on your properT?
05-30-2006, 08:50 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
RE: Clear Cutting?
I've been involved in timber procurement/management/harvesting for over 34 years and IMHO atimber harvest will definitely help your hunting area. Most mature timber stands do not provide good forage for deer and either a good thinning or clearcut will allow newyoung growth for the deer to feed on. The majority of landowners I encounter have a very poor timber stand management system. I've finally started working with some large acerage landowners that seem to want to start good management systems.
05-30-2006, 08:52 PM
#3
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Raymore & Triplett, MO
Posts: 128
RE: Clear Cutting?
Schobs, I had a private logger do a timber harvest on about 32 of my 48 acre piece in north central Missouri that was finished this past January. It a little too early to tell but based on my spring turkey season, it appears the wildlife have taken to it. I saw more turkeys than the 5 previous years and the trail cam photos of the deer I've been getting the past 2 months have me real excited. I got 4 new logging roads, 2 of which I've planted as food plots and the timber harvest opened up the canopy for more sunlight to hit the forest floor and alsogive some of my oaks room to grow bigger. Several of my friends that have had timber harvests over the past 3 years are real happy with their results. I will know more when our bow season opens Sept. 15 as to how the deer like the new layout. So far so good though. Good luck with your upcoming season and keep us posted on your successes. Antler Addict
05-30-2006, 09:16 PM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Drayton to Havelock
Posts: 37
RE: Clear Cutting?
Yup I'd have to agree. Clearcuts provide new growth and edge habitat that deer prefer. Im constantly cutting small cuts and strips through the mature stands on the property I hunt. Its amazing the amount of growth that occurs.
05-31-2006, 04:42 AM
#6
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: FT Benning
Posts: 116
RE: Clear Cutting?
ORIGINAL: Antler Addict
Schobs, I had a private logger do a timber harvest on about 32 of my 48 acre piece in north central Missouri that was finished this past January. It a little too early to tell but based on my spring turkey season, it appears the wildlife have taken to it. I saw more turkeys than the 5 previous years and the trail cam photos of the deer I've been getting the past 2 months have me real excited. I got 4 new logging roads, 2 of which I've planted as food plots and the timber harvest opened up the canopy for more sunlight to hit the forest floor and alsogive some of my oaks room to grow bigger. Several of my friends that have had timber harvests over the past 3 years are real happy with their results. I will know more when our bow season opens Sept. 15 as to how the deer like the new layout. So far so good though. Good luck with your upcoming season and keep us posted on your successes. Antler Addict
Schobs, I had a private logger do a timber harvest on about 32 of my 48 acre piece in north central Missouri that was finished this past January. It a little too early to tell but based on my spring turkey season, it appears the wildlife have taken to it. I saw more turkeys than the 5 previous years and the trail cam photos of the deer I've been getting the past 2 months have me real excited. I got 4 new logging roads, 2 of which I've planted as food plots and the timber harvest opened up the canopy for more sunlight to hit the forest floor and alsogive some of my oaks room to grow bigger. Several of my friends that have had timber harvests over the past 3 years are real happy with their results. I will know more when our bow season opens Sept. 15 as to how the deer like the new layout. So far so good though. Good luck with your upcoming season and keep us posted on your successes. Antler Addict
05-31-2006, 01:02 PM
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Raymore & Triplett, MO
Posts: 128
RE: Clear Cutting?
PYseeker, my land is in Chariton County. I'm 4 miles north of Brunswick and 8 miles south of Swan Lake NWR in Mendon. The logger who did my timber harvest was John Moser out of Keytesville. He is also a farmer but he does forestry projects and dozer work during the winter. He treated me fair and honest and if you need his number give me a pm and I'll get you the info. Antler Addict
05-31-2006, 01:43 PM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
RE: Clear Cutting?
Doesn't it depend on the size of the property and its location. I have 19 acres of woods with considerable underbrush in some spots. It is surrounded on three sides by fields and pasture and serves as a bedding area. So, I would be reluctant to do anything to my land in terms of changing the cover at this point.
05-31-2006, 09:22 PM
#10
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Raymore & Triplett, MO
Posts: 128
RE: Clear Cutting?
Lanse, every forest has its own unique qualities and a lot depends on the age structure of its trees. In my case, the trees I had harvested had reached their maturity and in the near future would have started to die out and lose their value. It is my understanding that an ideal forest has trees in various stages of growth. This is now what I have. My young trees can grow up, and my middle aged trees can mature and if I live long enough to do a couple more timber harvests, they will almost have paid for my land. You could have a professional forrester analyze your land and recommend what would be best for your 19 acres. Even though we have smallpieces of land, they all have their own management needs. Hope this answered your question. Antler Addict