Timber being cut

2852 Views 16 Replies 13 Participants Last post by rrsi_duke, Aug 11, 2014

bucmstr77

Discussion Starter · Aug 4, 2014

Any advice on hunting new freshly cut timber. Looking like they will be starting cutting some of my camp this week was there yesterday and they had bulldozed roads getting ready.
They will be clear cutting I was told 340acres of our swamp bottom. Now there a lot of creeks and sloughs in there I know they won't be able to get all of it
And they supposed to leave some next to creek I think.
Just wondering what to expect as far as hunting this year? I know next year will be good once it has had a chance to grow up some. Just looking for some advice I guess.
On one hand I'm happy to have some thickets and less white oak trees as it's hard to pattern the deer now in good acorn years. On other hand I have hunted these woods for 20years and they are beautiful hate to see em go but I think our hunting will be better in the long run.

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Stillhuntn

· #2 · Aug 4, 2014

They slicked out about 300 acres of my camp several years ago right before the season opened. I thought it was going to ruin the season. Turns out it was one of the best seasons our camp had seen in years. I would have never guessed the deer would walk across a wide open clear cut like they did that year. They sprayed all of ours so we didn't even have weeds the first year. But the second year it started getting thick. On the third year people lost a lot of deer because the planted pines were so thick if you didn't drop them quick the pines "swallowed" them.

My advice, find a good spot where you can see over as much clear cut as possible, that you can shoot to, and get ready.

delmar

· #3 · Aug 4, 2014

hunt it hard. i hate to see big hardwoods getting cut but without a doubt it improves the hunting. i had one of my best years ever hunting a clear cut that was freshly cut and burned. basically no growth and the bucks seemed to have no issues cruising across in the wide open. also, any SMZs left along the ditches will be major travel corridors.

country

· #4 · Aug 4, 2014

Nothing fires me up more than knowing there is a fresh cutover available. I love cutovers! First thing to do is this, find a few different places around the cutover so you can hunt it everyday no matter which wind you get. Obviously the deer will normally be coming from the woods so you want to setup so you can watch the treelines. The deer will prefer the low spots early and late season. During the rut, the bucks may travel the high spots but not much. Get setup where you can see the woods edge and the low spots. You will be pleased. Make sure you have a flat shooting rifle and a steady rest. Some shots will be pretty long!

quick draw

· #5 · Aug 5, 2014

They just clear cut the place next to me so I hope it pushes them over on me.

treefarmer

· #6 · Aug 5, 2014

Like the others have said, hunt it hard this year, especially come rut. Set up where you can cover a lot of area. Some years ago we had a part of the property chipped clean to the ground. The chipping equipment was still on the property and I was setting up a new stand on a hilltop. I took my gun with me while I was working on the stand. I had to put my tools down two times to shoot bucks crossing the cleared area before I could finish my stand.

beaverslayer

· #7 · Aug 5, 2014

quick draw said:
They just clear cut the place next to me so I hope it pushes them over on me.

Most likely will have the opposite effect. With all the rain this year, there will be lots of fresh plant growth which will attract the deer over there.

randywallace

· #8 · Aug 5, 2014

My advice is to get a good long range gun with optics you can stretch out there. Get as high up as you can and use those binocs. The deer will use that fresh cut more than you could ever imagine.

wetland man

· #9 · Aug 9, 2014

According to timber BMP's, (Best Managment Practices), loggers are SUPPOSE to leave a buffer near blue line streams and creeks. Look for these strips and hunt them.

bucmstr77

Discussion Starter · #10 · Aug 9, 2014

What I thought to wetland man but guy on cutter told me they would cut right up to creek bank. I don't know. Looking forward to the change in scenery really and I know it will help us in the long run. Been hunting this land for 20 years now lol

howie g

· #11 · Aug 9, 2014

Timber changes , or edges I call them , make great Bowhunting or gun stand locations , the deer will naturally follow the edges .

treefarmer

· #12 · Aug 9, 2014

bucmstr77 said:
What I thought to wetland man but guy on cutter told me they would cut right up to creek bank. I don't know. Looking forward to the change in scenery really and I know it will help us in the long run. Been hunting this land for 20 years now lol

http://www.mfc.ms.gov/pdf/Mgt/WQ/Entire_bmp_2008-7-24.pdf

Ya'll got me wondering what the rules actually are and found this link regarding the Best Management Practices for SMZ's that wetland man mentioned. Thought some of you might be interested.

yellow lab

· #13 · Aug 9, 2014

bucmstr77 said:
What I thought to wetland man but guy on cutter told me they would cut right up to creek bank.

Does a timber company or private individual own this land that is going to be cut?

bucmstr77

Discussion Starter · #14 · Aug 10, 2014

Private

yellow lab

· #15 · Aug 10, 2014

bucmstr77 said:
Private

If it were owned by a timber company, they would most likely leave a SMZ. A private landowner can cut what he wants.

peewee

· #16 · Aug 10, 2014

BMP's are voluntary in the state of MS.

rrsi_duke

· #17 · Aug 11, 2014

Was able to harvest the best deer of my hunting career thus far over a fresh clear cut last hunting season. Toke him roughly a week after the skidders rolled off the property. This same clear cut now is where 75% of the freshest sign I've found so far this year. There is a huge buffet of food out there at the moment.

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