Clear cut?
#12
Selective cuttings here are worse than clear cuts for as far as walking in. They cut rows threw the trees here so that the skidders can get in and out easily. Then roughly 5 years later go back and cut the trees they left. Also with the so called selective cutting of today the skidders will drag or push the tops and etc. back into the skidder roads. This is a real mess to try and walk threw let along drag anything out.
The clearcuts even once they start growing deer will travel threw them getting browse. But once pushed into those tree lines they become the deers main routes of travel. So even ten years later that same tree line is where the main traveling will be. Why? Because when the does first have their fawns they tend to stay back with them.. After a few years of doing this and the fawns become older they had this implemented into their minds as a safe place to be. So until those tree lines are cut the deer will continue to use those trails that have been made years before. That’s exactly why I recommended in my previous comment to google the cutting and print it out. This can give you a better idea of where the deer will be traveling the most. I know this because I have seen a lot of clear cuts up here. Some of them from back in the early 70s. Good luck on your hunting in these areas.
The clearcuts even once they start growing deer will travel threw them getting browse. But once pushed into those tree lines they become the deers main routes of travel. So even ten years later that same tree line is where the main traveling will be. Why? Because when the does first have their fawns they tend to stay back with them.. After a few years of doing this and the fawns become older they had this implemented into their minds as a safe place to be. So until those tree lines are cut the deer will continue to use those trails that have been made years before. That’s exactly why I recommended in my previous comment to google the cutting and print it out. This can give you a better idea of where the deer will be traveling the most. I know this because I have seen a lot of clear cuts up here. Some of them from back in the early 70s. Good luck on your hunting in these areas.
Last edited by Phil from Maine; 09-07-2019 at 04:04 PM.
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: west central wi USA
Posts: 2,242
It's how certain timber stands are managed, such as aspen/red maple. Around here aspen will live about 30 years and then will start dying and falling over. They all get marketable at the same time. And new aspen regrowth is a deer haven.
#14
Yep. Clear cuts are minor hassles which provide benefits for years. Especially aspen which both deer and grouse like. For the OP like phil said deer will continue to use the old paths until something happens. You can set up on the edge and if they are coming there to browse you'll know. I once made a path threw some 5-7 year old second growth to access a spot in a cedar swamp. This became the deers chosen route before too long. So, that's worth thinking about in a few years.