Having the timber cut

[PcDeer]

Were having our timber select cut this spring, most likely starting in mid May. We are only cutting trees that are 16" or larger so it won't be to thin after he's done hopefully. I'm still putting my spring plot in even though they will have to drive around the end of it to get logs out of one hollow. I am a little weary about how the wild life will react to having the timber cut. It is a 100 acres of land and he will hopefully be done by Mid-July so things will kind of get back to normal by the start of bow season. Has anyone on here noticed a negative impact in the season/seasons after having timber select cut? I am pretty excited about the acre next to my food plot I'm having clear cut to start plant fruit trees!

 

[rukiddin]

I have never saw a negative impact from select cuts all the way to absolute clear cutting/pulpwood chipping WITH an edge presence. There is no place I'd rather be on a cold clear morning in November than a summer cut thinning or clear cut. I've even killed deer while timber was being cut.

There's a reason you have higher deer densities in areas with lots of timber operations. A 5 year old clear cut is heaven to a whitetail! and lots of other critters! I'll take a property with cutovers (new or old) or any kind of thinning over any other.

 

[lpo1981]

I've been having mine cut for the last month and they still have a few more loads to go.. I have 36 acres, 28 which was all in timber. They clear cut the back 8 acres of mine which had some monster hickory, poplar and oaks which were all aged by my forester at 80+ years. There select cutting another area which was covered in big maples about the same age as the other.. I'm excited about his upcoming season as my property was very mature hardwoods with ZERO cover.. I'm hoping its these cuts and the new growth to improve my deer habitat.. After the leave in the afternoons and weekends when there not cutting I have deer all in these areas.. It looks like a friggin mess back there and not real appealing to the eye but if the deer love it and use it I can handle it..

 

[BSK]

The majority of the time, I see no change in deer behavior during or immediately after the cutting operation. On just a few occassions, I've seen heavy logging operations seriously alter deer activity patterns, and in those few situations, deer returned to using the area by the following hunting season.

 

[Football Hunter]

You'll be surprised,go out one morning before they start,there will be deer tracks in the equip tracks.

 

[BSK]

Don't be surprised if daylight deer activity in the thinned areas is a bit different the first year or two after the timber has been thinned. But once the area starts to grow more weeds, briers and saplings, expect daylight deer activity in those thinned areas to increase dramatically.

 

[timberjack86]

You'll be surprised,go out one morning before they start,there will be deer tracks in the equip tracks.

Yep seeing that right now on the job we are working. They are walking right up to the log loader.