Short-term timbering effects

[Bushman]

Well unfortunatlly my bil decided to have his place selectivly timbered in the next couple weeks. What should be the effects of this on bowhunting, thanks.

[gonehunting 45]

During the cutting the deer will avoid the. As soon as the works stop they'll come in checking it out. Once the work is completed things should be back close to normal.
Thats what I have noticed.

[mrbb]

well all depends on a lot of things, like if deer normally bed on the [property for the day , if so they will be moved off most likely
also depends on how big the property is, hw much they cut, if they leave tops ot take, or clean and stack them
most timber companys prefert o cut in winter here, does less damage to the landscape
typically deer adjust petty easy to things, but if too much disturbance is all day for many days they can move off till done or just visit it more only at night if it is a food source
lots of things to consider
but in a few yrs if they cut enough you will have more browse and cover, and deer like that

[Lord ToneKing]

I have 75 acres in Guernsey Co that I have permission to hunt and the land owner had it logged two years ago. It was prime before logging but I went last year and it sucked! They dropped all the tops and turned the woods into a big freakin brush pile. I only hunted 4 days down there last year and saw only a few deer. I'm gonna go scout it here in the next week or so and see if there is any change. Of course the tops will still be piled all over but Im hoping to see if theyre making some trails and traveling thru there.

Wouldnt have been as bad if they took the tops

[blackbeard]

I had 120 logs taken off my property last June/July. They cut anything 18" or larger. I didn't let them cut several large white oaks, red oaks, stand trees, and they didn't want pin oaks. My goal was to open the canopy to allow more sunlight to my white oaks and the forest floor in general. I made them drag the tops into the woods and not leave any in my field or on any of my main paths or roads. It was ugly as heck last fall and I questioned what in the world I did. Looked like a tornado hit my property. One year later, undergrowth is 4-5 foot tall and you can't tell the cutting happened other than a few large brush piles. There is MUCH MUCH more browse for deer and wildlife to eat now. It hasn't seemed to alter the deer travel routes much. I've never seen this many turkeys on my property either. So I'm pleased with it.

So Bushman if it is done right the first year your hunting will be off but it should improve in future. To be clear though I'm talking select cut and not clear cut. If I was your BIL I'd make sure they were in and out before the fall rains start though. Harvesting timber on wet ground tears the heck out of a property.

[MICH]

i think a little logging is good, creates more cover....it will let sunlight in, more under growth, BIGGEST thing is the tops make BEDDING area's....PERFECT

[Bushman]

Thanks guys mabye things arent so bad then (except for maybe this season). I will look forward to how the place recovers.

[BowGuy2]

I logged for 3 years and seen some of the biggest deer I have ever seen while logging it didn't seem to mess with the deer hardly at all. I had groups of does standing there watching as I was dragging trees out with the skidder.

[YouthHunter]

Last year I worked with a logging crew and we seen several deer still walking through our site. I had a selective cut down in our back yard this week. It's a mess but I do have a lot of fire wood to cut up. I plan on clearing the bottom all out and planting some new trees next year and allows me to put in a little food plot next year so will see!