Hinge Cutting: High vs. Low

[Bucksnbows]

Hinge cutting for bedding is different than clearcutting for copus and seed growth.  I am about to start my 4th clearcut in Sparta, and yesterday a videographer flew his drone over my oldest clearcut (8th growing season this spring) and over the about to be cut 4-5 acre clearcut where I will be adding a food plot instead of managing to get forest regeneration.  He will be back several times to capture our work from overhead while I take photos and video from the ground level.  I will chronicle the project here over the next several months as it also entails having heavy equipment in this summer to grub boulders for sale and for one of my river restoration projects on the Musky on public water.  Once that is done, we do soil prep and plant clover and something else TBD later on.   

[tcook8296]

I find hingecutting on the interior of the bedding area high enough so the deer can get under the trees.usually shoulder to neck high. Basically as high as safely possible. On the exterior of the bedding area cutting lower to the ground to provide more blocking. Cutting all the trees at ground level seems more like rabbit habitat.

Slight angle on the cut. I see a lot of guys cutting now and some are cutting too far. You should be pulling and helping the trees down so they dont crash to the ground and snap off.

Edited March 9, 2017 by tcook8296

[tcook8296]

Spent 2 hours hinge cutting yesterday improving/expanding a bedding area. 

I cut higher on the interior of the bedding area.

I have a long driveway that goes along my 35 acre bedding area. 

Along that driveway I cut lower to block. You cant walk down the driveway without the deer seeing you. 

I did the same along the road to block view from the road. 

When the deer start piling up in your improvements, people notice the deer hanging around

[Rusty]

I cut higher on the interior of the bedding area.

 

Along that driveway I cut lower to block. You cant walk down the driveway without the deer seeing you. 

 

I did the same along the road to block view from the road. 

 

Smart way to do it.