The first year was really rough trying to figure the deer again because so many things had changed.

Second and third years were alright we killed two 120 in.eight points. But the fourth and fifth years were amazing. The cover was perfect and we had pinned down all the key buck routes and staging areas. Saw tons of bucks from buttons to giants.

The key is not to get frustrated in the first year or two becasue you ae going to have some trial and error involved.
This is also the perfect time to really set your place up as far logging roads and food plots. Keep the roads clean and clear out the tops from the trees left behind to make some nice plots and tree groves.

But a lot will depend on how heavily the areas are cut and how large the areas are. Minor thinnings and very large cut areas will probably change deer patterns little (in a decernable fashion). The heavier the area is cut and the smaller the cut area the more difference it makes.

It is being cut to 12" DBA...I assume that will make it pretty dang thick?

I was talking to the logger and he said that the 1st year will suprise you...he said you can see every step a deer takes on the side of a ridge...and that the deer feel like they have plenty of cover around. He said it will look wide open, but if you get down and go over there, it looks like alot of cover. - Which explains why they would feel safe in there

....I know that this is all depends on the amount of rainfall over the spring and summer. I am hoping for plenty!

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this coming year....and what sounds like the next several years! .....1) ESPECIALLY the fact that our borders were clearcut about 8 years ago and have been getting thinner and thinner every year and 2) The 600 acres of pines that also borders us are getting about 15 ft tall and losing its cover as well.....I think this timing of our cuts should be about right. The thousands of acres (literally - at least 5,000 acres) that borders us that are clearcut and pines have killed us the last 8 or so years

I have found that during really cold weather, deer will seek out clearcuts that were not cleaned up for this reason....The tops and newly grown grasses provide food and shelter from the wind but the lack of canopy will allow the sun to hit their back.....Much like a sage grass field....

I guess that all things have their good and bad sides...

BH

Since deer will eat most anything green
JMO
Bh

In most cases, older mature woods are detrimental for certain wild game species like rabbits, quail, and even deer....

As these woods mature, they provide very little cover and only provide food during good mass crop years......

Give me a select cut woods every time......and even a clearcut is sometimes better than a mature woods...

JMO

Bh

watching deer tear twigs off dormant trees and eat them makes me think that they'll eat most anything when times are hard....

Give me a select cut woods every time......and even a clearcut is sometimes better than a mature woods...

Many hunters understand the concept of food budgets and carrying capacity. However, the forget that summer and winter carrying capacity may be very different. Big soybean fields may produce virtually unlimited carrying capaciy in the summer, but acornless hardwood may only have a winter carrying capacity of 5-10 deer per square mile. If that is their only winter food source, then that is true carrying capacity. What they have access to in summer is meaningless. The true carrying capacity is the food available during the lowest food availability time of year. In mature hardwoods, that is very, very low.

The true carrying capacity is the food available during the lowest food availability time of year. In mature hardwoods, that is very, very low.

A young clear-cut can produce 1,000 pounds of deer food per acre per year . . . . . Mature hardwoods often produce around 50 pounds of food per acre per year . . . . .