Hunting newly clear cut/logged land?

[Powerstroke]

One of the areas that I've hunted in the last 10 yrs is a piece of state forest. Its very accessible but the interest in the area has waned as the woods has gotten older.

Anyway, this year they finally began the clear cutting that has been surveyed for 3 yrs. 3-4 of our permanent stands are gonna be removed because of it.

My question is has anyone tried hunting over these areas? I was up there last weekend and they are still doing cutting right now. A couple different people, including someone who does logging, have told me that hunting over a new clear cut is very good because the animals are in browsing on the new buds that are now on the ground because of the logging operations.

Any thoughts or experiences? I more or less wrote off these stand locations, but some seem to think that animals will be more drawn to these areas rather than deterred.

[Jim Hudson]

They are good places to hunt if your area is not heavily pressured during the gun season. A better choice would be a late season hunt or an early season hunt next year if the area gets a lot of pressure. Deer are always drawn to new cuts with the new growth. Expect the following year of the cut to be a good year for deer sightings in it, depending on how secluded and how much pressure is put onto the deer in the area.

[Big-Al]

Cutover areas can be very good to hunt especially if there are pockets of heavy cover reserved from the cutting. Don't assume that pressure will move all the deer out of the area. As it regenerates it will get better for the deer, but become increasingly hard to hunt. As a side note, don't assume that your stands will be gone. Loggers shy away from trees that have stands in them. Nails can be very dangerous and hard on saws.

[Powerstroke]

I realize the potential for clear cuts in the years after they've been cut, but how about during the actual cutting.

I hope my stand stays, but last time they just cut the tree with it in it and stacked the wood to the side.

Thanks for the replys, keep the input coming. Only 8 more days.....

[BDR]

How big of a clearcut are you talking? In my area they have started a selective harvest thing where its around 20 acreas here and there. They are a favorite spot for standers and you see new stands pop up as soon as the trucks leave.

If it were me I would write that spot off for this year. For next year it may be one of the first places I would look. I do think the new undergrowth that will spring up will be easy grazing areas for deer. The edges always seem to be prime rutting (scraping, rubs) for the bucks come fall. Usually they leave large brush piles that are good stand spots.

[Ely Lake Expert]

There is lots of logging where I hunt and I have shot most of my deer over new clearcuts. The deer seem to like little poppal saplings.

Ryan

[EXTREME]

If you have ever been around logging equipment you would know that deer seem attracted to the noise that they make...especially in the winter. My brother in-law is a logger and sees tons of deer while harvesting the timber. They stand there and watch. It is doubtfull that they will be working on the weekends; so the deer will likely be in there. I personally like clear cuts that are one year old the best. Up north it seems that clear cuts are the only food source around sometimes. Good luck this year!

[bigbucks]

2-3 years ago the land I hunt was logged in about a 10 acre area right around my stand. It looked barren, but I still shot a deer there that year. It definitely has been better though, after the first year. I finally was able to start remowing my shooting lanes yesterday, as they're very grown over. I'll finish that tomorrow. I want to do it earlier, but do to need to figure out a way to cross a creek couldn't get there.

[jbdragon]

Two years ago I hunted on a new clear cut. I think it was a couple months old by rifle season. It is a large cut in a rectangular shape about 200yds wide and 4-500 yds long. The first year I saw several deer and took one doe. Last year I saw several more deer and took another doe. This year I scouted the area. Much of the cut has quarter sized trees. I counted over 25 rubs around the perimeter of the cut. I never even went in the middle, but I imagine there are more in there. Hope to see something nice there this year!!