Hunting Clear Cuts

Inventry
Tennessee Deer Sporting & Deer Hunting Community Forum

Help Support TNDeer | Tennessee Deer:

S

Scioto

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
2,315
City & State/Province
Middle TN
Thinking about hunting a clear cut on Saturday. It's about a 3 year old, maybe older, clear cut. What do you think - morning or afternoon hunt or it doesn't matter? I'll be hunting it out of a narrow timber funnel that crosses the clear cut and connects two large areas of timber.
 
Is the clear cut cleared off ?? Or are there piles of limbs ??Any funnel sounds good. Deer like to bed in the piles of limbs left behind in many clear cuts. I've shot some of my best Bucks moving into a clear cut to bed in the a.m. and out of a clear cut in the afternoos.
 
We have a lot of clear cuts of various ages. They are a deer magnet. I just flagged me a tree bordering a 2 year old cut right on the bank of the Wolf River and he deer are wearing it out. My last 2 bucks have come from overgrown clear cuts. The trick is to get high enough to be able to see down into it somewhat. Don't be afraid to get up there if the tree will accommodate it. Since it's so thick it makes it hard to judge deer at dusk. I prefer to hunt them in the mornings catching the deer coming back to bed or passing through.
 
Perlick Faucet - Flow Control - Model 650SS
See price on Amazon
Perlick Faucet - Flow Control - Model 650SS
Fermentation Lids, Fermentation Kit for Wide Mouth Jars, 6 Set Plastic Fermenting Lids with 6 Airlocks, 6 Silicone Grommets, 6 Silicone Rings(Jars Not Included)
See price on Amazon
Fermentation Lids, Fermentation Kit for Wide Mouth Jars, 6 Set Plastic Fermenting Lids with 6 Airlocks, 6 Silicone Grommets, 6 Silicone Rings(Jars Not Included)
Husqvarna X-Cut SP33G 20 Inch Chainsaw Chain, .325" Pitch, .050" Gauge, 80 Drive Links, Pre-Stretched Chainsaw Blade Replacement with Superior Lubrication and Low Kickback, 581643680
See price on Amazon
Husqvarna X-Cut SP33G 20 Inch Chainsaw Chain, .325" Pitch, .050" Gauge, 80 Drive Links, Pre-Stretched Chainsaw Blade Replacement with Superior Lubrication and Low Kickback, 581643680
Amazon Basics 8-Piece Wood Chisel Set for Woodworking, with Honing Guide, Sharpening Stone and Storage Case, 1/4" - 1-1/2"
See price on Amazon
Amazon Basics 8-Piece Wood Chisel Set for Woodworking, with Honing Guide, Sharpening Stone and Storage Case, 1/4" - 1-1/2"
Original Patented Airlock Fermentation Lids for Wide Mouth Mason Jars, Fermenter Caps, Fermentation Kit for Sauerkraut & Pickle Kit, One Way Waterless Airlock Valve - BPA-Free (Jar Not Included)
See price on Amazon
Original Patented Airlock Fermentation Lids for Wide Mouth Mason Jars, Fermenter Caps, Fermentation Kit for Sauerkraut & Pickle Kit, One Way Waterless Airlock Valve - BPA-Free (Jar Not Included)
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Chain Saw Cordless Chainsaw, 10-Inch Battery Chainsaw, Tool Only, for Wood Cutting and Tree Pruning, Includes Guide Bar Scabbard (LCS1020B)
See price on Amazon
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Chain Saw Cordless Chainsaw, 10-Inch Battery Chainsaw, Tool Only, for Wood Cutting and Tree Pruning, Includes Guide Bar Scabbard (LCS1020B)
GREBSTK 4-Piece Ultra-Sharp Wood Chisel Set, CR-V Steel Beveled Blades with Guards, Comfortable & Durable Handle, for Carving, DIY & Woodworking (1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1")
See price on Amazon
GREBSTK 4-Piece Ultra-Sharp Wood Chisel Set, CR-V Steel Beveled Blades with Guards, Comfortable & Durable Handle, for Carving, DIY & Woodworking (1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1")
Husqvarna 585550084 24" C83 X-Cut 24" Chain 3/8" .050" 84 DL 3 Pack
See price on Amazon
Husqvarna 585550084 24" C83 X-Cut 24" Chain 3/8" .050" 84 DL 3 Pack
WEN Electric Log Splitter, 6.5-Ton Capacity with Portable Stand (56208)
See price on Amazon
WEN Electric Log Splitter, 6.5-Ton Capacity with Portable Stand (56208)
Briess 2-Row Caramel Malt 90L - 1 lb
See price on Amazon
Briess 2-Row Caramel Malt 90L - 1 lb
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
On a cold clear sunny morning, there is no other place I'd rather hunt than a brand new-4 year old cutover!!!!
 
Yes. Cold morning is the absolute best. At the lease we were on when I was young, we put a BIG homemade ladder stand with a boat seat and shooting rails in the corner of a cut-over. Killed 2 deer out of it the last weekend of the season,(fist weekend it was up). Then we changed clubs. Next season, 4 bucks over 130 were killed out of that stand.
 
Love hunting 3-4 yo or older cutover. I like to hunt on one side of a ridge facing the other side with the wind in your face. Look for them to be on the next ridge moving just under the top with the wind coming over the top and coming towards you. You can see them better when you are watching a S facing slope. I have a couple spots waiting on a N/NE wind. Hopefully it comes around the 15th. Regardless, they should feel totally safe traveling through there. From your angle, you can see every step they make. For them, they cant see 5 yards in front of them. Thats enough for them to feel safe and they will be there
 
I'm fired up about hunting it. Three year old clear cut, with the funnel, and still piles around. All grown up and nasty. The main concern I have is pre-positioning my climber Friday afternoon. I'm hunting it hard this weekend because my wife has surgery next Wednesday and that will take me out of the game probably until rifle opener (hopefully not any longer). I want to go to her pre-op appointment and that is early afternoon Friday. I'll spray down liberally with scent killer and right now the wind is forecast to be right for me to get in there, set up, and get out and hopefully leave little to no disturbance in my wake.
 
OHVATN said:
I'm fired up about hunting it. Three year old clear cut, with the funnel, and still piles around. All grown up and nasty. The main concern I have is pre-positioning my climber Friday afternoon. I'm hunting it hard this weekend because my wife has surgery next Wednesday and that will take me out of the game probably until rifle opener (hopefully not any longer). I want to go to her pre-op appointment and that is early afternoon Friday. I'll spray down liberally with scent killer and right now the wind is forecast to be right for me to get in there, set up, and get out and hopefully leave little to no disturbance in my wake.
Click to expand...
I personally wouldn't set foot in there on Fri afternoon to hang a climber?? After all you still have to climb it Sat morn. I promise you will be better off just going in Sat morn and climbing the tree!
 
Winchester said:
OHVATN said:
I'm fired up about hunting it. Three year old clear cut, with the funnel, and still piles around. All grown up and nasty. The main concern I have is pre-positioning my climber Friday afternoon. I'm hunting it hard this weekend because my wife has surgery next Wednesday and that will take me out of the game probably until rifle opener (hopefully not any longer). I want to go to her pre-op appointment and that is early afternoon Friday. I'll spray down liberally with scent killer and right now the wind is forecast to be right for me to get in there, set up, and get out and hopefully leave little to no disturbance in my wake.
Click to expand...
I personally wouldn't set foot in there on Fri afternoon to hang a climber?? After all you still have to climb it Sat morn. I promise you will be better off just going in Sat morn and climbing the tree!
Click to expand...

Agreed. I want my first time in a given are to be when I go in there to hunt.
 
I keep going back and forth on this. I'm afraid of the noise I'll make Saturday morning setting up the climber and I'm pretty sure I'll have to cut a couple of small branches on the way up. I guess what you are saying is more noise Saturday morning is better than a little noise Friday afternoon (and some scent) and a little less noise Saturday morning.
 
OHVATN said:
I keep going back and forth on this. I'm afraid of the noise I'll make Saturday morning setting up the climber and I'm pretty sure I'll have to cut a couple of small branches on the way up. I guess what you are saying is more noise Saturday morning is better than a little noise Friday afternoon (and some scent) and a little less noise Saturday morning.
Click to expand...

Where will the deer be Saturday morning? Feeding in a field several hundred yards away?

If I had to choose between a deer smelling me or hearing me, I'd take hearing me every time. If you set up Friday, they will likely smell your stand and all the scent you left behind.
 
I agree, be as quiet as possible Sat morn it will definitely outweigh the chance your taking with going in the eve before you plan to hunt, then leaving a stand hanging at ground level all night! I can PROMISE you the very best chance you have to kill an older deer in a given spot is the FIRST time you go into it.
 
I love hunting clear cuts. I hunted a few last year with buddy of mine and always saw deer including some good bucks.
 
Winchester said:
I agree, be as quiet as possible Sat morn it will definitely outweigh the chance your taking with going in the eve before you plan to hunt, then leaving a stand hanging at ground level all night! I can PROMISE you the very best chance you have to kill an older deer in a given spot is the FIRST time you go into it.
Click to expand...

Winchester: you, JCDEERMAN, and String Music have convinced me. I'm going in Saturday morning. Thanks for the help guys.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top