Loggers have been cutting timber on my property for the last month. And, will probably be there 2 or 3 more weeks. I plan to hunt weekends when they are Not working. I'm wondering if this will have much of an impact on hunting. I have already found some scrapes which is pretty unusual this early. Thanks
Logging, and Hunting.
- Thread starter dr
- Start date
ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER
Well-Known Member
When they logged my buddies land I killed a couple good bucks on the weekend. they would flood in to eat the tops
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
As far as the loggers being intrusive to the deer's home, I wouldn't worry too about it. In 2 years, you'll start to have great hunting
My buddy fired a logger because he brought a rifle and shot a deer while he was there to cut timber. Didn't have permission to hunt but apparently he was seeing enough deer that the temptation was too much to ignore.
WanderingNomad
Well-Known Member
When we had land logged in the past, we made sure to get the skid trails seeded really good so they turned into nice greenways...
Thanks
The change will be harder on you than the deer. They'll love it before too long. Depending on how severe the cutting is, you'll have to adapt to how you hunt it now versus before. I know I sure did in 2015 after the severe logging on our place.
The centers of the three major wood blocks on our place were renamed, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Los Alamos. They are thicker than dogs hair now, but the deer love em.
The centers of the three major wood blocks on our place were renamed, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Los Alamos. They are thicker than dogs hair now, but the deer love em.
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Biggun4214
Well-Known Member
The deer ignore the activity as long as they feel safe. They were accustomed to the loggers in a week or so.
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BSK
Well-Known Member
That's a really interesting idea.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
How big a tract is it vs how much are they cutting? We've been thinning for 6mo and have found the deer just move around the logging activity. They don't leave, they just shift. When it gets quiet and the loggers move to another area the deer do the same.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Hunting during or just after active logging can be tough, because the logging action changes the deer's travel pattens. But the logging doesn't scare the deer off the property.
It's a 75 acre tract that borders hundreds of acres of woods.. They are only cutting about 20 acres
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
^This. Stands/routes that used to be hotspots can dry up for a minute until things settle down.
BSK
Well-Known Member
And some may never come back, because the important habitat is gone. And better habitat may show up somewhere else because of the logging.
Not that I'm against logging. In forested habitat, it's one of the most powerful habitat tools available. But you WILL have to adapt to the changes in deer movement that occur after logging.
If logging is occurring close to a known bedding area I would communicate with the logger and ask what time they quit in the afternoon. You'd be surprised how quickly deer get on their feet once the equipment stops running. Wouldn't relegate myself to weekend hunting unless those guys work until dark. Mills are slammed right now and not taking as much paperwood as normal so those guys may even be shutting down multiple week days as well.
BSK
Well-Known Member
I had logging operations ongoing on my place one year in late summer. Decided to run my annual baited salt-lick camera survey anyways. Loggers left their equipment parked just yards from one of the salt licks. Once the loggers would go home for the day, deer will be all around the equipment using the salt lick. Deer didn't care one bit about the big machines, as long as they weren't running/moving.
Yes hunt every chance you get. I've seen many mature bucks from the seat of a skidder
BSK
Well-Known Member
Personally, I don't see mature bucks change anything but their movement times around a lot of human non-hunting activity. They just moved at night.
