Do deer really use your hinged canopies?

[shawnv]

Been taking the last couple of weeks to clean up my past mistakes and where I did not have enough time to properly clean certain areas up leaving it too thick. Anyways, one thing I've noticed is that not one single tree I have hinged to be a canopy has been used and my best success being where I was able to lay the trees in a "V" pattern with them using it strictly as back cover. Not as much as a question as an observation I've noticed.

 

[Bill]

Hmmmm

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[shawnv]

Hmmmm

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That's what I would observe being more in a "V"

 

[Bill]

I recently had the same observation. Though I "think" the problem my canopied areas are having is that there old and lots of it has collapsed in.

The plan is to go back and cut most of it out in a way that there are clear openings within it.

 

[buckdeer1]

The purpose of hinging is to allow the sunlight to reach the woods floor so that seeds in the soil bank can start sprouting.You should notice a difference by the next fall

 

[Natty Bumppo]

The purpose of hinging is to allow the sunlight to reach the woods floor so that seeds in the soil bank can start sprouting.You should notice a difference by the next fall

That's one purpose...sure. But there is also the purpose of providing both horizontal and vertical cover to promote deer bedding. If the purpose was solely to allow more sunlight to hit the forest floor it would make more sense to remove the hinged trees completely, as they are still alive and provide shade.

 

[dipper]

Cutting less is more, to me, keeping the trees alive is critical. Only cutting 1/3rd of the tree ensures survival.

The challenge is getting these minimally cut trees to the ground, but I have that perfected!

 

[dipper]

Years ago I would go with only cutting half, now I try to stick with a third. These trees are 12"plus dbh. Gotta keep um alive!

It's like whiskers in there.

 

[buckdeer1]

I agree but some of those hinge cuts were just one or 2 trees doesn't provide enough cover to get a deer to bed there until either the stem count increases or ground growth starts due to sunlight getting to ground

 

[shawnv]

Cutting less is more, to me, keeping the trees alive is critical. Only cutting 1/3rd of the tree ensures survival.

The challenge is getting these minimally cut trees to the ground, but I have that perfected!

So what is the trick to cut so little and get it to fall?

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I agree but some of those hinge cuts were just one or 2 trees doesn't provide enough cover to get a deer to bed there until either the stem count increases or ground growth starts due to sunlight getting to ground

I agree with you. I was trying to figure out what was going on in Bill's pic myself...fairly open hardwoods with low stem count, and 3 hinged trees doesn't seem like classic deer bedding habitat. There must be something else going on out of the frame, as clearly deer are bedding there.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If I remember correctly, he used that same pic previously talking about this being in a sunny location - deer bedding there to soak up the sun. I wonder if these trees are brand new hinge-cuts. If not, I don't see any evidence of newer, vertical shoot growth that you'd expect to see after a year or 2 being tipped over. ( This is referring to Bill's picture. )

 

[Buckly]

Here's what I've done, right or wrong. I have mostly maple and they don't hinge very well they just break although some do survive. I plan out a1/2 acre area. Slope is good if you can get it. I just cut and drop all the bigger trees in that area to get good sun in there. I leave one or two spots inside untouched and open. I then hinge all the smaller trees that I can the best I can as high as I can. Once that is done I go all around the outside and cut a barrier circle of trees. I found that the deer like to bed in the open just as much as under the hinge cuts. This approach gives both options. I have made 12 of these areas in the last 2 years and the deer are using 3 or 4 of them. Mostly due to population. I'm hoping that over time these areas that don't have deer now will later, and they will only get better when they stump sprout and more browse and security are formed.

 

[bueller]

I don't hinge cut but my woods are peppered with "natural hinges". Our jack pines of all sizes bend over with snow, wind, ice, pretty much anything. We also get the jacks and even large oaks uprooted when a windstorm blows through. I find beds all the time backed up against these trees. Many times it is just one down tree in an otherwise vertical growth woods. My thought is the deer like the little bit of cover they find next to one of these trees while still maintaining a long sightline and quick/quiet escape route. The real thick nasty stuff doesn't seem to have much bedding in my area. Although I'm sure they head there during gun season.

 

[Bill]

I agree with you. I was trying to figure out what was going on in Bill's pic myself...fairly open hardwoods with low stem count, and 3 hinged trees doesn't seem like classic deer bedding habitat. There must be something else going on out of the frame, as clearly deer are bedding there.

If I remember correctly, he used that same pic previously talking about this being in a sunny location - deer bedding there to soak up the sun. I wonder if these trees are brand new hinge-cuts. If not, I don't see any evidence of newer, vertical shoot growth that you'd expect to see after a year or 2 being tipped over. ( This is referring to Bill's picture. )

Theses are very old hinge cuts. Regeneration is slowly starting if you notice the blackberry shoots and some saplings starting to pop. I didn't drop these on purpose I believe it was the end of the day way back when they were cut and I never came back to do more. When I was in there to take the pic I did notice it's kind of a natural place to bed. Notice it's part way down the hill yet fairly flat. Behind me when taking the pic the ground falls off much faster so a deer laying there can see anything coming from below.

What threw me about the bed being here is to the left of it there is at least 1/4 acre of heavily hinged trees with no beds. (Should have taken a pic)

I found it odd that this deer layed in the open when there was a thicket not 20 yards away. I assume he laid there to soak up the sun. Maybe the thicket 20 yards away offered some sense of security.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I don't know if this will help or give any of you some ideas, but I've noticed some natural bedding spots at my camp and also on state ground. No hinging involved, but the set-up seems good.
This almost always involves a slope - either slight or steep. There are some natural " humps " with depressions right behind them on slopes. I think it's where trees have tipped over years ago and the root ball and the hole made when the tree fell wear down and weather. Wherever these are found on slopes, deer like to bed there where they can peer out over top of the hump and see everything - but not be seen. Where there are pine or hemlock limbs hanging down over the hump and depression behind it, deer beds are about a 98% guarantee. Think " foxhole " - hump and depression behind it with limbs as the " roof ". Perfect hideout for deer to bed and feel secure. Usually no thick stuff around these either. Almost always in fairly open woods - makes for easy bail-out if danger gets too near. They must like something about these sites - too many beds found at them to be a fluke.

I don't know if any of you guys can find anything like what I described or even " build " a few to lure deer to bed there, but there's the info. I glass these from a distance where I know they exist to see what's laying-up in them. Been caught red-handed by deer laying above me in these things !!:(

 

[buckdeer1]

Maybe some hybrid poplar or red osier cuttings would add some quick cover

 

[WTNUT]

That's one purpose...sure. But there is also the purpose of providing both horizontal and vertical cover to promote deer bedding. If the purpose was solely to allow more sunlight to hit the forest floor it would make more sense to remove the hinged trees completely, as they are still alive and provide shade.

Agree 110 percent. Hinge cutting primarily provides cover. It is the best management tool going. This year I am taking all the time we spend planting corn and beans and using that time to hinge cut. We are a few years away from our first timber harvest so this is the best way to provide cover in an aging Forrest. I am letting the corn and beans pass this year.

 

[shawnv]

I think it's not a bad idea to stump cut and hinge, too much of the same thing is never good and that helps diversify your area a little. Once thing I wish I did the last two years was cut more paths and pockets in the down trees and opened up blackberry thickets that have filled in. I've spent less time cutting new trees this year and more time clearing it so it's more of a maze than what it was before with way more bedding options. Come July I'll bring the trimmer back in for one more round of trimming.

 

[dipper]

Along with all the habitat manipulations that are out there, I've been experimenting with what I call rutting areas.
I don't want to pull a bullwinkle, but I had 3, 4 and 5 year olds totaling 440" going insane last year when u guys were wondering where the rut was. It was also only one year, in one spot, so my awesome rutting might have just been a fluke. Time will tell.
All I can say, it goes against everything the experts show;)