Clear Cut vs Select Cut for max deer habitat

[Bigmonts]

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.

I would not personally clear cut if I was planning on keeping the land to hunt. Clear cut grows up so thick and takes several years to even start looking like anything. A person has to make up their own mind. That's just my opinion. I hate to see clear cut.

 

[Antler Daddy]

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.

Good advice! #1 best thing to do is have professional asses the trees and bid out the cut!

 

[trout]

I was a fan of clearcuts up North. Since moving to Tennessee and seeing impact of such dense areas, I would highly recommend a select cut.

 

[Antler Daddy]

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.$$$$$

I've never heard this before. Does popular grow that fast and have value in only 20 years? We select cut around 2005 and I know all that popular that initially grew is getting bigger...but how big does it need to be?

 

[diamond hunter]

I know the loggers want them right now.20 years is plenty of time for a 14" poplar to be a $$$ tree.Lots or board feet in poplars make up a big difference.

 

[13pt]

Hey guys. First I need to say I'm very grateful to all that offered advice. You definitely helped mold my final decision. Today I met with the logger and cruised the timber. I've decided to do a heavy select cut leaving everything about 12-14". I will clear cut a couple of spots about 2-3 acres in size to manage for food plots. I thought the idea of leaving a thin section of timber along the agricultural fields was great; however, the way the land lays I wouldn't be able to effectively hunt those strips without bumping too many deer on entry and exit. I'm also pursing connecting with a wildlife biologist to help with ideas on maximizing the recovery in the years to come, including likely planting high producing mast trees and such. Thanks again!...this is going to be fun!

 

[TNTreeman]

I would also recommend if it's possible to buy you a decent size dozer for clean up. Use it as long as you need it and sell it.

 

[deerfever]

I did a select cut on mine a few years back they left trees about the size you are doing and even let me tie orange ribbons around some bigger that I wanted to keep. Those guys are amazing to watch, I never imagined how quick they could get logs out! You will have a blast watching the process. I hope all goes well for you as I was pleased with what the group I ended up settling on did with my place.

 

[Mattt]

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

 

[Moonman]

Regarding marking trees I would use marking paint. Mark it high enough on several sides so the guy driving the machine can see them and then at the bottom below where they could cut. Tape can slide and we had a penalty for each tree cut that shouldn't have been.

 

[13pt]

I did a select cut on mine a few years back they left trees about the size you are doing and even let me tie orange ribbons around some bigger that I wanted to keep. Those guys are amazing to watch, I never imagined how quick they could get logs out! You will have a blast watching the process. I hope all goes well for you as I was pleased with what the group I ended up settling on did with my place.

Yep I forgot to mention I'll be leaving a handful a old twisty chestnut oaks scattered throughout. I will definitely mark those trees really good.

 

[13pt]

Regarding marking trees I would use marking paint. Mark it high enough on several sides so the guy driving the machine can see them and then at the bottom below where they could cut. Tape can slide and we had a penalty for each tree cut that shouldn't have been.

Excellent advice

 

[hbg1]

In the state of tennessee if your land is land locked you have to be allowed a right of way for entrance and exit to remove timber, I wouldn't worry about the 7 year easement.

 

[13pt]

In the state of tennessee if your land is land locked you have to be allowed a right of way for entrance and exit to remove timber, I wouldn't worry about the 7 year easement.

Yes I'm aware of that law. Problem is that 77 acres borders my 53 acres. It was land locked to the previous owner which is why they acquired the 7 year easement. Now that we own it it's no longer land locked to us; however, because the only way to get timber out across our 53 acres is to utilize our long concrete driveway, then we consider this cut a one and done utilizing their easement. Hope they made sense.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

What you want is a patchwork of different habitat. Some open woods, some clear cut, some select. I want open woods in good rut hunting funnels personally. It's just very hard at least here to get a logger to do things differently like that. Loggers tend to want to cut the property the same way all over. Just be completely confident in the logger you choose, lots of bad ones in that business.

 

[utvolsfan77]

Hey guys. First I need to say I'm very grateful to all that offered advice. You definitely helped mold my final decision. Today I met with the logger and cruised the timber. I've decided to do a heavy select cut leaving everything about 12-14". I will clear cut a couple of spots about 2-3 acres in size to manage for food plots. I thought the idea of leaving a thin section of timber along the agricultural fields was great; however, the way the land lays I wouldn't be able to effectively hunt those strips without bumping too many deer on entry and exit. I'm also pursing connecting with a wildlife biologist to help with ideas on maximizing the recovery in the years to come, including likely planting high producing mast trees and such. Thanks again!...this is going to be fun!

If you're still in the planning stages, you may want to include persimmon and Dunstan chestnut trees in your mast bearing tree plan. Just an idea!

 

[TNTreeman]

Yep I forgot to mention I'll be leaving a handful a old twisty chestnut oaks scattered throughout. I will definitely mark those trees really good.

Maybe even do a tree protection zone with the orange mesh fencing around the trees you want to protect to keep the trees and there roots safe.

 

[13pt]

If you're still in the planning stages, you may want to include persimmon and Dunstan chestnut trees in your mast bearing tree plan. Just an idea!

Already on my list . I actually have 13 Dunstan chestnuts I planted 2.5 years ago in a grove across the field in front of the house. Already about 12 ft tall. I will definitely be adding some more and the permissions.

 

[13pt]

What you want is a patchwork of different habitat. Some open woods, some clear cut, some select. I want open woods in good rut hunting funnels personally. It's just very hard at least here to get a logger to do things differently like that. Loggers tend to want to cut the property the same way all over. Just be completely confident in the logger you choose, lots of bad ones in that business.

Completely agree. I've done a lot of reputation checking on these guys, and we had a good long talk. I've heard a lot of those bad experience stories with loggers. Also, I did a select cut on 25 acres of my original 53 acres about 7 years ago. The other 28 acres still holds a solid stand of mature timber with 3 acres of field and I'll be leaving it that way. So, looking at the 130 acres as a whole…70 acres will be heavy select cut, 7 acres will be clear cut in two separate sections, 25 acres select cut 7 years ago, 25 acres mature open hardwoods and 3 acres field with pond and food plot around the house…which includes a grove of 13 Dunstan Chestnut trees. Now, maybe I should just go ahead and put up a high fence around it all…lol.

 

[wildlifefarmer]

Completely agree. I've done a lot of reputation checking on these guys, and we had a good long talk. I've heard a lot of those bad experience stories with loggers. Also, I did a select cut on 25 acres of my original 53 acres about 7 years ago. The other 28 acres still holds a solid stand of mature timber with 3 acres of field and I'll be leaving it that way. So, looking at the 130 acres as a whole…70 acres will be heavy select cut, 7 acres will be clear cut in two separate sections, 25 acres select cut 7 years ago, 25 acres mature open hardwoods and 3 acres field with pond and food plot around the house…which includes a grove of 13 Dunstan Chestnut trees. Now, maybe I should just go ahead and put up a high fence around it all…lol.

All the suggestions are sound ones. I would add one, to equally divide your property into 4 or 5 sections with firebreaks. These will serve as food and you'll be able to burn on a rotational basis. One section every 5 years to help keep the unwanted growth. Good luck on a multi year plan!! Have fun and enjoy the process.