Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Park like vs hinged and clear cut

B

bat man

Guest
When I first started hinging, felling, blockading clearing etc I was always nervous somebody would come look and ask 'what the? Are you nuts?'

I was mainly nervous because if I ever wanted to sell, I felt it may scare buyers off with the Freddy Krueger feel.

The folks that have seen it all become focused on the deer sign and have questions of why I did what instead. Have not had the comments I thought may surface.

Do you guys think resale is improved with the deer sign or does it scare some that we go nuts on perfectly good trees. Anybody ever made any cash buying low, improving the deer herd and selling?
 
If you are selling the property specifically for hunting, and billing it as such, I think hunters will be happy with the hinging. If your land is billed as 'recreation' land you will probably get more people who would prefer a park look.
 
As far as hinge cutting goes. Personally I like to have a mix of both types of timber. Hinge cut and thick on half and open park like on the other half.

In my opinion turkeys prefer the open park like timber, and some deer prefer to feed on acorns in the more open setting(coming out of thick nasty to the open).

As far as re-sale, that plays into it too. I've been reluctant to do much hinge cutting because right now I have a 50/50 mix in the timber.

This is just my theory, not a recommendation
 
I have not (yet) gone hog wild hinging any particular area. I have dropped, hinged, and girdled many sycamores in one particular area. That has really opened the canopy and there are nice white oaks that I left standing. I figure the area will thicken up for cover as well as let those oaks have some space. Win-win in my opinion. As the oaks fill out, the canopy will eventually close up again, but that will be years from now.
 
I had a guy comment to me i have a lot of blow overs to pick up. I just smile, and say there's always a lot of firewood to cut up.
 
People like parks, deer like think and nasty. It all depends on who you want to please. I'm working on making mine a mix. The wife likes the park & I want think and nasty. She got the front half and I'm working on making the back half for deer.
 
tooln said:
People like parks, deer like think and nasty. It all depends on who you want to please. I'm working on making mine a mix. The wife likes the park & I want think and nasty. She got the front half and I'm working on making the back half for deer.
Click to expand...

I have been trying to do the same when it works out, keeping the mess where most won't see it but I can hunt it when it works out. I walk through some park to get to the edge of the deer portions where they like to stay. But if I have to choose you will be looking at a mess. Timber market in my area is almost non existent, unless you have something weird, or huge chunks.
 
One thing we try to do is tip box elder even in the park like area.

I know I should probably do More TSI!!
 
Last edited:
I am treating my new property as an investment. I don't see myself keeping it forever because there is a 170 acre piece that borders my camp that will be available in the next 20 years. I plan on getting as much of my money back with the initial logging. After that I think the best resale value will be as a hunting property. I figure 2-3 plots and an orchard has to increase the value big time. There is no ag within 20 miles to compete with. Not many people have the knowledge or equipment to establish plots in mature timber. To offer a property with plots would be a big selling point in this area. I am actually the only one I know that has plots now. That being said I think hinging is the other part of it. When I am done logging that will be the end of selling it as a timber investment. If I can show how the hinging increases the deer on the property it is another selling point. It almost covers up the fact the good mature timber is gone.
 
Interesting question. I think location would have something to do with it as far as re-sale value goes. My land is in central MN and would be marketed as hunting land IF ever sold. I would lean toward doing whatever necessary to hold more deer on the property vs aesthetic value. Hunters definitely see deer sign as future potential for THEM. I do have a few 1 acre oak islands amongst my thick popples that we treat like food plots by keeping them fairly clear and fertilizing the oaks for mast production. They look nice, but without the thicker growth around them I don't think they would get much use except for squirrels. If I had land closer to the metro area and was looking to market to "Investors" or a potential home builder, I would want it to have more eye appeal.
 
Does anyone feel that our efforts at hinging and improving habitat are a waste of time due to low deer numbers?

I have come to the conclusion that many foodplot plantings are a waste of time. Turnips, beets, etc. some years even rye.

I also know that I do not need more apples for the present deer population. Probably do not need to enahnce any bedding areas either.... but I have somewhat influenced where they bed.

Perhaps I should just be working on funnelling deer movement of resident and wandering bucks thru my property.
 
The hinging and enhancements make it more attractive to does, and force bucks to spend more time on the ground. I know for certain one of the periphery areas I clear cut and hinged holds bucks during season. I have bumped does out of hinged bedding cuts doing winter improvements. Hunting areas of my parcel that have not been improved with a big picture plan is a waste of time.

And my neighbors who do none of it are really singing the blues.
 
sandbur said:
Does anyone feel that our efforts at hinging and improving habitat are a waste of time due to low deer numbers?

I have come to the conclusion that many foodplot plantings are a waste of time. Turnips, beets, etc. some years even rye.

I also know that I do not need more apples for the present deer population. Probably do not need to enahnce any bedding areas either.... but I have somewhat influenced where they bed.

Perhaps I should just be working on funnelling deer movement of resident and wandering bucks thru my property.
Click to expand...

Yes I have had that exact feeling. You wonder sometime if it's worth it?

I probably spend more time fishing than habitat work. My new philosophy is plant 500 trees, do all the food plots and some chainsaw work.

My situation is not lack of deer numbers, it's lack of mature bucks.
 
Sandbur, I think the habitat improvements become even more important during times of low deer populations. Deer do not have social pressures. They get to go where they WANT. Personally, I like to hear my neighbors constantly running their wheelers all over their property. I like to see them plant plots that have no chance of survival past the droughts of July and August in our sand country. I like to see them cutting out the underbrush and putting in a huge system of ATV tails. It all adds up to the lower deer herd wanting to come to my property.
 
bat man said:
The hinging and enhancements make it more attractive to does, and force bucks to spend more time on the ground. I know for certain one of the periphery areas I clear cut and hinged holds bucks during season. I have bumped does out of hinged bedding cuts doing winter improvements. Hunting areas of my parcel that have not been improved with a big picture plan is a waste of time.

And my neighbors who do none of it are really singing the blues.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by clearcutting and hinging an area? If you clearcut, there should be nothing left to hinge for a number of years. Do you come in and hinge the young popple after a few years?
 
sandbur said:
What do you mean by clearcutting and hinging an area? If you clearcut, there should be nothing left to hinge for a number of years. Do you come in and hinge the young popple after a few years?
Click to expand...

Small Clear cuts and hinges in the same general area. Area I have clear cut seem to have become much thicker with briars, forbes, grass than the areas I have hinged.
 
I think it depends on the property and your goals and circumstances. I want improve our farm for deer and me while maintaining tillable acreage and future timber value. It is about 40% tillable, 10% pasture, and 50% woodland.

Our tillable acreage just came off a decade in CRP. Those fields don't do that much for deer as is but I do not want to lose much tillable ground by planting shrubs and trees. I planning to take a couple acres for apple and chestnut orchards which I think add value all around. Except for a some food plots, I am thinking coverting the rest of the fields to NSWG. With on-going control of autumn olive, NSWG helps deer but the fields can easily put back into production.

The woods are probably 20 or 30 years from having really good oak timber value. I am undecided how really to attack that. I want to add bedding and cover without giving up too much timber value. I have not really considered how that area affects sale value. Once it is set up for deer hunting, I think it can only add to the value.
 
Satchmo said:
Sandbur, I think the habitat improvements become even more important during times of low deer populations. Deer do not have social pressures. They get to go where they WANT. Personally, I like to hear my neighbors constantly running their wheelers all over their property. I like to see them plant plots that have no chance of survival past the droughts of July and August in our sand country. I like to see them cutting out the underbrush and putting in a huge system of ATV tails. It all adds up to the lower deer herd wanting to come to my property.
Click to expand...
Good point. Many deer have left the neghboring wildlife area since it has lots of management for NWSG. Light soil and the NWSG does not amount to much.

When we have good pheasant numbers, hunters move deer into my farm.
 
I just finished nocking down a good sized patch of timber myself today and was thinking the same thing. I never plan on selling, but if need be I was thinking if it would negatively affect the property. I sure hope taking down some of that timber will do me some good. Have you guys that have hinged near roads have good luck getting deer to bed in that location?
 
Brooks-what species of trees did you clearcut?

My popple clearcut came back really thick. Brich clearcut is briars and grasses and soon to get clumps of spruce and balsam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top