Email or Phone: Password: Forgot account? Its branches are spreading and it tends to grow in areas that are moist and even dry. I wanted to keep as many oaks as possible, so we mostly hing cut hickory. While it has it's place, as mentioned. Jake and I were lot doing some chain saw work a few days ago and Jake came up with the idea of documenting how important woody browse is to deer in winter. By hinge cutting tree species such as hackberry poplar, and maples, non-mass bearing trees (do not cut oaks and hickories) we can put food at a deer’s level and also create bedding areas with certain cuts. Doing so keeps the tree alive, giving the buck not only more security, but also food. Trails and Staging Areas With a bedding area in place, Ward embellishes an existing deer trail leading to a food plot. We made ours in a pin wheel shape. Hinge cutting also enables mast-producing trees to get more nutrients and water to produce more acorns and soft mast for the deer. I’m thinking of improving existing bedding areas 1 and 2 as shown, by dropping/hinge cutting trees in a V shape to block winds from N and W. I have special high hopes for area 1 because this area is a long shallow slope with mature popple and from a stand on the west edge of the south plot, I can look into this area and see deer heads and ears sticking up. Deer Browse on Hinge Cut Trees in Winter Like It’s Candy. To hinge-cut a tree, cut halfway through a small tree 5 to 6 feet above the ground. The hybrid willow screen trees came packaged in bundles of 100 cuttings. Hinge Cutting itself dates back some 2000 years as a form of hedge-laying. Do not drop too many trees. A tree that is hinge-cut will provide good bedding cover, and even food for whitetails. Keep the Hunt in Mind Simply start cutting trees down, felling them away from the intended food plot interior. To hinge cut non-valuable trees, we use a chainsaw and cut into the tree, but we don’t cut all the way through the tree. This not only provides additional forest floor forage for deer but also provides bedding cover and opens up the canopy for new growth to flourish. Jake and I were lot doing some chain saw work a few days ago and Jake came up with the idea of documenting how important woody browse is to deer in winter. I doubt by hinge cutting some trees, you will change where deer bed in your area. See more of New Hampshire Deer Hunting - and more on Facebook. This tall shrub provides maximum deer cover and it’s categorized as a small bushy tree. Hedge-laying is the art of building a living fence, where a row of trees are all hinge cut or "pleached" in the same direction to form a living barrier or living fence. A hinge cut tree brings the food from the tree top and leaves to the ground for deer to use as feed, and it also provides substantial cover. Cover the roots even with or slightly deeper than they were growing. Deer love safe, secure cover. Go up underneath the hinge-cut — close to the base of the tree — and clear all debris, creating the flat, bedding spot. Next, make a flat spot with a shovel. This video shows the cutting of over 100 trees by one man in 2 hours on a south facing hillside. We dropped a good sized maple tree all alone about 100 yards from where we were doing the rest of the hinge cutting. This technique may be modified and placed appropriately to produce different results. Cut the trunks up into manageable pieces and haul them off to the side to bring back out for fire wood. The tree will drop to the ground, continue to grow, and offer browse for the deer to feed on. We started with the largest trees then cut the smaller ones on top in a circle. The process of hinge cutting allows you to improve the quality and quantity of thick cover in your timber areas. We dropped a good sized maple tree all alone about 100 yards from where we were doing the rest of the hinge cutting. or. This thread is about the practice of hinge cutting or falling trees in a variety of places to create screens, encourage new browse, create bedding areas, block off runways and funnel deer. In Minnesota’s northern forests an adult doe’s seasonal home range is between 120-900 acres. Put bright-colored marking tape on these and tell the contractor to only remove unmarked timber. Hinge-Cutting Trees Chainsawing partially through a tree trunk creates a “hinge” when the tree is tipped. This one is native to the US, it’s a heavy cover for deers. “On my deer trail, I’m hinge-cutting trees at knee high. Facebook. Press alt + / to open this menu. Photo by Charles Alsheimer This month, most deer fanatics have food plots on the brain. The stem should be cut about two-thirds of the way through and then pushed over. The tree remains alive for several years and wildlife benefit from increased forage and bedding cover. Don’t rush in, chopping random trees, but instead take into consideration: bedding habitat, tree canopy, travel corridors, tree species and size when you’re planning your hinge-cutting. Hinge cutting is the act of cutting a small tree part way, so that you can bend it over to the ground while still keeping the tree alive. If you are planning to plant a single type of plant then this one should definitely be the one. Some deer will venture out in the clear-cut and, knowing where the trails are, will help you pinpoint a setup. This allows the tree top to be at deer level, while not actually killing the tree. Create New Account. The tops of the trees offer a lot of food in the form of newly grown buds and branches. Hinge Cutting for deer is the latest trend for deer cover & for deer food. For larger trees, girdling provides a safe, effective method to kill the undesirable trees. Sweetgums, spruce, poplar, birch, sassafras, pine, cherry and other low-value wildlife timber can go. Before embarking on a hinging project it is imperative that you consult with your area forester and discuss what your goals are for your timber. For non-firewood cuttings that are done strictly to benefit deer, cutting should be confined to trees and shrubs with stems 1" to 3" in diameter. Jump to. Jim is a leading expert on the subject of hinge cutting trees for deer habitat. A mature whitetail is rarely taller than about 36-38" at the shoulder. Also, tracks should be noted up, down, or across ridges. Ninebark. Many times, I've found beds that are canopied by one thing or another whether it be an outcropping or fallen tree. My son and I started hing cutting a few years ago. Do you hinge cut trees for bedding areas Be careful. Sign Up. Log In. Yearling does establish home ranges near their mother, while yearling bucks … This will drop the more tender twigs from the canopy to deer level this winter and provide some horizontal cover for deer to escape the wind, while leaving enough attached to still keep the tree top alive and producing nutritious buds for deer to browse on next summer. Forgot account? But at the same time, it still allows them an easy escape route off the trail, which makes them feel safer from predators. Next » Creating Beddings Areas For Deer. Bedding areas can be created quickly and effectively by using chest high hinge cuts. This will allow the cut tree to continue to be nourished by the roots and enhance sprout growth of the top and stump (see photos). Secondly, it’s opening up the canopy to allow more sun to hit the forest floor. Hunters can scout for deer trails entering and leaving the tree line. EXTREME DEER HABITAT is an educational site dedicated to helping landowners get the most out of their deer habitat, with an emphasis on the use of a chainsaw to shape your property.Dr. Strategic hinge cutting trees can create bedding areas, thicken or screen sanctuaries, screen the edges of food plots or hunter-access routes, block trails or other travel routes to manipulate deer movements to favor hunting, and more,” said Thomas. See more of New Hampshire Deer Hunting - and more on Facebook. Hinge-cutting trees away from the trail you’re cutting can be a good way to really encourage deer to use your trail. While it won’t provide wildlife with food, it will still open up the canopy. Cutting at waste level works great for screening and blocking but supresses deer travel. “It is a great way to turn otherwise low-value trees deer will browse, such as tulip poplar, maple and sweet gum, to a productive use. Ward’s bedding areas give deer a sense of security and plenty of food. Hinge cutting makes open areas thicker and creates feeding, bedding and cover for deer. Most hinge cutting techniques involve cutting partially through a tree and laying it to the ground to create a living, horizontal habitat structure. How to Plant a Seedling Shrub Make sure roots stay moist until you’re ready to plant. Get Comfy It doesn't take much effort to produce prime big-buck bedding areas. The deer travel through it, but only use it when the acorns are dropping. Accessibility Help. Before starting, walk through the bedding-areas-to-be and note undesirable trees that aren’t food sources for deer. 1 / 1. “I want to make a deer trail from my bedding area to the feeding area,” he said. I want to discourage bedding on the other side because deer can observe my approach to my deer stand from there. Cedar trees make nice bedding areas. Related: How to hinge-cut trees to enhance deer habitat. Put them in near stream, pond and river edges, along low hillsides and near deer bedding areas. Pile the slash (unusable limbs and brush) into specific spots around the plot. It also grows in rocky upland forests as well. Ladder tree stands can be set in place and left behind, so you won’t have to drag it in and set it up every time you want to go whitetail deer hunting. If the phragmites are controlled (by using specific herbicides), the deer might rapidly adapt to the next most suitable bedding cover. Deer Browse on Hinge Cut Trees in Winter Like It’s Candy. Hinge Cutting for Improving Deer Hunting - The Management Advantage #29 « Prev. Check out Dr. Jim’s Habitat Blog. I doubt by hinge cutting some trees, you will change where deer bed in your area. Properly cutting down a tree in a manner that leaves the trunk partially intact to the stump will keep it alive for a couple of years. Hinged trees will provide the overhead cover desired accompanied with creating new browse and thickening the forest floor once sunlight is able to reach it. First, by hinge cutting he’s leaving the tree top at deer level which provides great screening and cover. Pop-up style blinds can be placed near the intersection of two trails. “Hinge cutting” is the act of partially cutting a tree, and then pulling the tree top down to the ground, while keeping the trunk intact. Ash trees are dying on my place at a rate faster than I can keep up. Get creative. “This is going to be my deer trap. Hinge-cutting is a simple strategy that can positively affect your deer habitat in many ways. or. On the other hand, if closed-canopy forest was the only cover type within the home range of those deer, they would readily adapt to using the hinged cut trees for cover. Use either a tree planting bar, spade or narrow shovel and dig a hole as deep as the root. More is not always better. This area is currently used for deer bedding, including doe beds and buck beds, but so is the other side of the hill. Cutting at shoulder height, allows deer passage under the tree. Keep all hard and soft mast trees that benefit deer. If you’re hunting on your own land, or on land you’ve leased, and if you’ve found a productive spot, ladder tree stands might be your best bet. Along with planting the line of screen trees we planted several clumps of seven willows to break up the openness and create more preferred bedding areas. If they venture off the trail, they would have to jump other downed trees to move in the direction they want. Sections of this page. On the other hand, if closed-canopy forest was the only cover type within the home range of those deer, they would readily adapt to using the hinged cut trees for cover. Having bedding areas on a property is a huge step toward enticing whitetails to call your property home, but as any land manager knows, beddings areas come and go. 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