Hinge cutting popple trees

[Peplin Creek]

There are two sections of our property that were logged off 10 years ago and the other about 15 - 20 years ago. Both of these areas the popple trees that came back held deer great initially for bedding. Now it seems like they just pass through it. Still solid cover them. What I would like to do is take small pockets 1/3 acre in size and hinge cut some areas to create more bedding cover in them again and help hopefully hold some deer back into the center of the property.

1.) has anyone hinge cut popple, and if so is it successful and worth doing?

2.) when is the best time to do it? I wouldn’t mind starting in the winter but I don’t know if the trees will still get growth on them the following spring. Or if extreme cold will damage the tree too much. (Rookie Question)

Any advice would be great. Thanks

 

[4wanderingeyes]

They are pretty brittle, and don’t hinge well. But I have done it successfully on a few. The large ones can be dangerous if the tops break off as well.


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[Bill]

I wouldn't hinge them. There dangerous because they like to snap and could come right back in your face.

Cut them like normal and for stump sprouts. I've only ever tried a few and they snapped and scared me. I never went back to see if they stump sprouted.

 

[Diesel5610]

I agree with the others that they don't generally hinge well and aren't worth the danger. Cut them traditionaly and they will sprout from the stumps and roots surrounding the stumps like crazy, you will get the cover you desire in short order if there is sun getting to them.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Thanks guys, glad I asked.

 

[JFK52]

I have several small pockets of popple (aspen) on my land. I clear cut half of these areas last winter. I got great regrowth this year. When they are young, they are also a natural food source for the deer. Plus they help hold a few grouse on my land. I plan on cutting the remaining areas this winter if the snow depth does not shut me out.
I agree with all the others in this thread that this is not a good candidate for hinge cutting.

 

[alldaysit]

There are two sections of our property that were logged off 10 years ago and the other about 15 - 20 years ago. Both of these areas the popple trees that came back held deer great initially for bedding. Now it seems like they just pass through it. Still solid cover them. What I would like to do is take small pockets 1/3 acre in size and hinge cut some areas to create more bedding cover in them again and help hopefully hold some deer back into the center of the property.

1.) has anyone hinge cut popple, and if so is it successful and worth doing?

2.) when is the best time to do it? I wouldn’t mind starting in the winter but I don’t know if the trees will still get growth on them the following spring. Or if extreme cold will damage the tree too much. (Rookie Question)

Any advice would be great. Thanks

What size diameter trees on average are we talking here? I have a 25 year old patch and some are 12” in diameter but average I would say is 6-8”.

Popple hinges terribly as it “highchairs(sp/terminology)”. The colder the weather the more dangerous Popple is to hinge. I generally like to start hinging when the days have temperatures above freezing. I don’t think I’ve had a 5% live rate with the Popple tops after hinging, but I’ve hinged a few thousand of them and they provide good blockading.

When you got what you got, you work with what you got and can get; safely.


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[Peplin Creek]

Most would be In the 4-8 inch diameter range. Ranging anywhere from 15ft tall to roughly 25ft. It just seems like as each year passes I can see further and further into them. I liked it better when it was thicker with a lot of grass growing underneath

 

[j-bird]

Something to consider doing as I am not overly familiar with aspen.....is to cut them off at roughly waist height. These should sprout side limbs and provide a higher level of cover if/when/where you want it. I do this to maple trees that I have difficulty hinging. Works great as long as they get the sun light.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Something to consider doing as I am not overly familiar with aspen.....is to cut them off at roughly waist height. These should sprout side limbs and provide a higher level of cover if/when/where you want it. I do this to maple trees that I have difficulty hinging. Works great as long as they get the sun light.

Thats a good idea, didn’t even consider something like that.

 

[jackpine]

Agree with previous posts. They don't hinge well and even small ones will snap which is not worth the danger with the size you have. I don't think you'll get many to stump sprout but they will sucker if there is sunlight getting in. The thing that will draw the deer to bed will be the horizontal cover you add by dropping some trees even leaving some hung up if that happens. Just make sure its not too much that they can't move around because it became more of a blockade.

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[Chainsaw]

Hinge cutting poplar trees here zone 4b/5a in January thru February accomplishes two things. The fallen tree delivers the buds in the top of the tree to the deer at a time when food is scarce. Secondly a hinge cut poplar stand cut at chest to shoulder height makes for a nice bedding area. As others have said, they are very tricky to hinge cut as normal (ie;cutting until they start to lean or can be pulled over)because they often break when not expected. I cut them this winter around half thru and one or none fell on the spot in each stand. I started in the outside edge moving inward and cut on the inward side so if one did fall it likely would have been away from me. Sizes ran from six inch DBH (diameter at breast height) to 16 or so DBH. I used a lighter saw as the heavier saw was too out of control for me to hold at that height. I also paid attention as to how I held the saw in relation to me so a kickback would miss me. Within a week or two all of the cut trees had fallen from the winds. All went in the direction planned but about 1/2 broke off while 1/2 stayed hinged (1/2 and 1/2 is just a guess). The very outside trees which usually were leaning were cut even less than 1/2 way thru. It was well worthwhile doing as the deer really ate every morsel A hinge cutting in the yard of three poplar trees saw up to twenty deer a day feeding on the tree tops during the dead of winter. Judging by the amount eaten on poplar hinge cuts that were located out of my daily view, most of them were utilized just as the yard ones were. I plan to do this every winter in a small portion of as many poplar stands as I can. Only a small portion of each stand is planned for this each year so that it might stay a sustainable activity.

 

[sandbur]

You need a plan for this project. Use that hinging to create the bedding pockets and also travel lanes that are to your advantage. Plant spruce or balsamic those hinged areas and plan on releasing the conifers at least two more times


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[Bowsnbucks]

I have a cousin that was a District Forester here - retired now. He told me that cutting aspen causes the root systems to push a bunch of new sprouts up all around the tree that was cut. We have some big aspens on our camp property (not many, but a few) and he suggested cutting them down and letting the re-growth thicken the area. Winter cutting gets the mature tree tops down to deer level for browse, and in spring, the sun gets the new sprouts pushing up. FWIW.

I like Bur's idea of planting a few spruce around the cut area. They add more cover and wind-blocking. Great for deer & grouse.

 

[sandbur]

I have a cousin that was a District Forester here - retired now. He told me that cutting aspen causes the root systems to push a bunch of new sprouts up all around the tree that was cut. We have some big aspens on our camp property (not many, but a few) and he suggested cutting them down and letting the re-growth thicken the area. Winter cutting gets the mature tree tops down to deer level for browse, and in spring, the sun gets the new sprouts pushing up. FWIW.

I like Bur's idea of planting a few spruce around the cut area. They add more cover and wind-blocking. Great for deer & grouse.

After leaf fall the Deer focus on those clumps or strings of spruce/balsam that are in popper thickets or popple woods.


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