Michlw39

I own a modest 20 acres of old-growth timber--soft woods, some hardwood, pine, and a small stand of cedar. To the N, W, and E are other private parcels of the same type of woods (to the south is a public road). There's not much hunting activity all the way around and not a lot of pressure. It's pretty thick going in most spots, both on my land and the adjacent lands. I have taken deer out of there at times, though.

Almost everyone I talk to says the habitat can be improved by cutting--but I get mixed signals on how to do it. Some say I should clear-cut the entire 20, others say I should select cut it.

I know clear-cutting won't make it look that pretty initially--but could it (and would it) actually improve the hunting in the short-term as well? Select cut?

Clear-cut half and select-cut half? Thoughts?

superstrutter

I am totally against clearcutting, but if the 20 acres you are referring to was clear cut, it would be good cover for the deer in a few years. I personally hate to see old oak trees cut down. They won't grow back in my lifetime. I have select cut my property before, but no hardwoods were cut. I lease 107 acres from a cousin of mine that borders my property. She notified me a couple weeks ago that she has decided to clear cut. I talked her out of it a year ago, but every forester she has spoken to has told her to clear cut. I hate it, but there is nothing I can do. She will leave hardwoods along the creeks and in the bottoms, so it may not be too bad. My property is 100 acres and is full of hardwoods and is pretty thick. The clear cut will give additional cover in a couple years, so there will still be plenty of deer. I just hope it won't affect the turkeys too bad. The whole turkey poulation is down because of all the clearcutting that has been going on in the area in the past few years.

Rhody Hunter

I would select cut leave the big hard woods. cutting back will have the trees get fuller and produce more acorns , beries, or fruit.
I have a piece of propery i was hunting that got cut and now the owner says he doesn't see the deer as often . I think they are going around or else where now

timbercruiser

Call your local county/state forester and ask his advice. There should be a state wildlife biologist that could come out with him, pick his brain and tell him your concerns. They should be glad to help,.

halfbakedi420

i say leave the hardwoods, gonna be hard to get someone out to just do 20 acres, well here anyways it is....if ya aint gettin paid fer it, leave it grow. i'd look at gettin a pulp wood company in there, they will take the brush too....dont let anyone touch your hard woods..take 50 years to get close to what you may have in there.

WV Hunter

Spot on advice right there.

In regards to what YOU choose to do, there are also several other factors to consider.
1. What do you want your end result to be?
2. Do you live there...are asthetics important?
3. How will what you do to your property work in relation to the properties surrounding yours?

IMO, you probably don't want to clear cut your whole property, but it might not be a bad thing to mostly clear a few acres. This will create a future bedding area that will be awesome in a few years.

We did a select cut on our land 12yrs ago....best move I ever made. MAKE SURE TO USE A FORESTER....if you don't, theres a good chance you'll get burned. Timber is a resource....use it wisely.

VA5326

I agree. Don't clear cut. Timber is a precious resource. It takes a lifetime (or more) to grow from the ground up. I watched a man a few years back totally get taken by a timber company on 250+ acres on 100+yrs hard woods. I tried to talk him out of it but he needed the money. He desperately wishes he could've taken that move back. Timber companies where I live will only replace your hard timber with pine unless you decide to let it grow back wild. If you do decide to let it grow back wild, in three years it will be a deer haven for a few years then the deer will leave your property for better fresh cut cover.