Clear Cut vs Select Cut for max deer habitat

[13pt]

We've just purchased 77 acres that borders our 53 acres (so now 130 acres total). It has a solid stand of mature timber (probably 40-50 years since being cut). I'm meeting with a timber guy tomorrow so your advice is greatly appreciated. My goal is to maximize deer habitat. We will never have the opportunity again to cut timber because it came with a 7 year easement to take it out on the opposite side. After 7 years that's gone and no where else we can take out timber…so this is a one and done. I'm considering a clear cut. I know it looks bad, but I won't be able to see it from our house with a buffer of timber on our original 53 acres, so no issue with aesthetics. It's bordered on opposite sides by agriculture on north and south sides (rotating soybeans and corn). The east side opposite our 53 acres is mostly mature hardwoods. My understanding is I'll lose the first year of hunting to nocturnal movement due to no cover, but then comes on really strong in year two and forward. I'll probably even clear off about 2-3 acres in the middle and try to keep it bush hogged about every other year or so for fresh growth of native vegetation. Would love your feedback from those with first hand experience, either doing it on your own land, or having experience hunting other land done this way…versus doing a select cut. Thanks.

 

[HenryCohunter]

If it was my land I'd never do a clear cut. I'd select cut and make sure they cleaned up before they left so I could do food plots or let the open areas grow up natural. The guy across from us in cottage grove clear cut his 80 or so acres and didn't manage it after and it's a mess you can't even walk through. I know it holds deer but you sure can't hunt them in it.

 

[Ski]

Given the circumstances I'd do a heavy select cut, maybe everything over 12" DBH, with the caveat of leaving a few larger trees for stands and habitat edges. It'll give you the majority of income available but would also serve to leave a little something to manage and play with.

I'm not a fan of clear cuts. I've hunted many of them and it takes many, many years to become viable hunting. In my experience they offer great food for a couple years, then become too nasty even for deer to navigate. Deer can move in it a few years later but you won't be able to. The bigger older bucks might just hole up and stay, never coming out. At best you might hunt the edges, but you'll have 77 acres that you'll not be able to hunt inside of probably for decades. A liberal select cut would give you the same benefits but still huntable, and like HenryCohunter said above, be sure they clean up the mess and leave you clear roads.

Congrats on the acquisition! That's a hefty chunk of dirt.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I would hire a professional Forester to put the standing timber out for bid and too develop a management plan not only for you... but for future generations... selling timber isn't something most land owners get much practice at and having professional help can pay huge returns....both in the quality of work and with the income generated....I would prefer a strategic select cut....not necessarily by size but more so by type and location.... leaving some large mast producers while opening up the canopy to allow sunlight in.... improve the timber stand....and your hunting will benefit soon and future generations will benefit with a healthy timber stand.... congrats on your land purchase....hiring a professional Forester to manage the project, in our experience, was worth every penny...good luck with your project.

 

[Lost Lake]

I would hire a professional Forester to put the standing timber out for bid and too develop a management plan not only for you... but for future generations... selling timber isn't something most land owners get much practice at and having professional help can pay huge returns....both in the quality of work and with the income generated....I would prefer a strategic select cut....not necessarily by size but more so by type and location.... leaving some large mast producers while opening up the canopy to allow sunlight in.... improve the timber stand....and your hunting will benefit soon and future generations will benefit with a healthy timber stand.... congrats on your land purchase....hiring a professional Forester to manage the project, in our experience, was worth every penny...good luck with your project.

Absolutely excellent advice.

 

[MickThompson]

My answer would be all of the above. Some selective cutting where it makes sense, some clear cutting, and some areas left unharvested. Also I'd have some areas I planned to enter right before the easement expired to stagger the age classes

 

[TheLBLman]

Yes, the correct answer is "both", and/or all of the above.

 

[Popcorn]

My answer would be all of the above. Some selective cutting where it makes sense, some clear cutting, and some areas left unharvested. Also I'd have some areas I planned to enter right before the easement expired to stagger the age classes

This^^^

 

[TRHC]

All of what MickThompson said. Also, I'd consider this…..since you're bordered on the backside by ag fields, I'd leave an uncut buffer between whatever you decide cut and the field. Doing that would allow you plenty ambush spots to catch them going from bed to field. Leave the big trees, but take out some of the undergrowth so you'll have ample shooting lanes. Doing this will leave a full canopy and will stay pretty clean underneath for many years. I'm talking about maybe a 40 or 50 yard wide strip, just wide enough to slip around the perimeter of the property and get ahead of the deer. Deer won't think twice about crossing a short distance of clear woods to hit the fields. Just might give you more stand locations than if you cut all the way up to the field edge. (I'm assuming you can't hunt the neighboring property here.) Hope what I'm trying to describe makes sense. Good luck!

 

[13pt]

Yes, the correct answer is "both", and/or all of the above.

Yep, this thread has me feeling the same! Thanks to all for this excellent input. I'm

 

[13pt]

All of what MickThompson said. Also, I'd consider this…..since you're bordered on the backside by ag fields, I'd leave an uncut buffer between whatever you decide cut and the field. Doing that would allow you plenty ambush spots to catch them going from bed to field. Leave the big trees, but take out some of the undergrowth so you'll have ample shooting lanes. Doing this will leave a full canopy and will stay pretty clean underneath for many years. I'm talking about maybe a 40 or 50 yard wide strip, just wide enough to slip around the perimeter of the property and get ahead of the deer. Deer won't think twice about crossing a short distance of clear woods to hit the fields. Just might give you more stand locations than if you cut all the way up to the field edge. Hope what I'm trying to describe makes sense. Good luck!

Love it excellent advice!

 

[diamond hunter]

Select cut 14" and bigger and walk around and pick a few trees you want to keep. In 20 years do it again on the poplars if you have a bunch.$$$$$

 

[Moonman]

I agree about everything above but disagree with a couple of things. 1 being having them clean up all the slash depending on terrain can do 2 things. If hilly it can cause erosion and leaving the slash helps with erosion control. Secondly when they are cleaning it up it disturbs the soil more. My forester had done where they piled it up and regretted it due to these items. In one area where they didn't clean it up they had better Regeneration of desirable species. 2 I'm not sure what your makeup is of species. Our goal was to allow a shelterwood type regeneration scenario. We have our desired species white oaks at a certain density per acre and with a certain amount of canopy sunlight penetrating to floor as to keep down the growth of other things. Currently oaks in my area are experiencing a high rate of die off due to disease from stress during droughts. I would have a forester to look at the health of the stand. Lastly I would recommended cleaning out through TSI all the undesirables prior to a cut. We did this and iradicated anything we didn't want such as sweet gum, maple, privet, etc.

 

[casjoker]

Not sure how viable it is down here with how fast "choppings" seem to grow in. Up north we clear cut strips 40-50 yards wide and then selective cut the 40-50 yards in between. Sounds like you have limited options if you won't be able to cut it again. If you want maximum return on what you cut you will take almost everything 12" and over. Leaving the 50-yard buffer by the fields sounds like a very good idea. You will also want to develop a plan to manage what was cut. If not it will get so thick in 3-5 years it will be unusable. I hunted was on a mismanaged property for a number of years. It took 15 years before we could even walk through some areas after it was cut.

 

[Thelonegoose]

Your forester can also help you replant after you finish your harvest. It may not be as expensive as you think to come in and plant seedling oaks or a mix of timber within a year or so of a harvest. I wouldn't recommend just letting it go or you may end up with a lot of undesirable trees. It also can create some great tax deductions. Lastly, there are a lot of good ideas above. I like the idea of the buffer between the ag land and leaving a few trees near some areas you may use as a future food plot or areas you just keep mowed.

 

[Moonman]

One thing I would add is get with your local NRCS agency. They really are a great resource and can help with funding. They can in some circumstances help pay for things such as invasive treatments after cutting and tree replanting. They helped when we planted 2500 short leaf pines after my cut

 

[nwsg76]

There is no single answer. This is like saying the only car that fits everyone is a minivan.
Hard to predict the future without taking a look into the past.
The past 80 years of timber management will play a significant part of the future stand. It is hard to get oaks where no oaks exist. Light seeded species seeds can travel long ways but acorns do not.
Pay attention to your soils. They are also gonna shape your outcomes and play a huge role. Tell your Forester exactly what you want. Explain it in detail. Preferably go show him what you want it to look like. Take your time. You have time to decide. Seek out a biologist to help if needed to help explain.

 

[atnvol]

I might add that I would leave the mature timber in thin strips along the perimeter of you property. That would help with being a good neighbor with aesthetics and give you an opportunity to hunt in these strips when the deer were hitting your neighbors ag fields. These strips would provide excellent "staging" areas for the bucks.

 

[Hridge]

I'm against clear cut as well. It totally destroys the property. I have a property beside mine in Humphrey county that was clear cut 7 years ago and basically forgotten. I don't even think a mouse would walk through it. I have no clue how anyone would even be able to look at the property accept by helicopter and its over 600 acres. Really the only time a buck will bed in clear cut is during rut with a doe from what I have read. If you soils are bad, you will get some good forage but you will also get tons of bad stuff. If you start slow and cut less the first time, you can always come back and cut more. If you wipe it clean and hate it, you screwed for your lifetime. A good forester approved by the TWRA is crucial. They can get you a list of good guys. I've done lots of forestry stuff at my farm (hack and squirt/controlled burns). I'm definitely not the authority either. Do what is best for you and don't look back. Fun stuff to think about.

 

[Mtnfarmer]

If you want to plant some mature mast and or fruit trees :

www.southernhabitatsolutions.com