Hinge Cutting Info Needed

[OMC]

Guys a few of us that hunt the farm we have are thinking about Hinge Cutting a few sections to create some better bedding areas. The biggest issue we have is once the leaves drop we lose most of our deer because of insufficient bedding areas. Any one have some good information regarding the best time to start , areas to focus on and the best technique. 

[Deerslayer21]

we also have a big problem with people not shooting mature deer   LOL 

[OMC]

And poaching !!!!  Road side Scum**** 

[Rusty]

Jan - March is the best time.

Drop maples, ash, and birch.  Leave the mast trees.  

Girdle or drop the trees that are too big to hinge.  

Edited January 29, 2020 by Rusty

[nickyan04]

start the cut about 4 feet of the ground

[Lunatic]

1 hour ago, Deerslayer21 said:

we also have a big problem with people not shooting mature deer   LOL 

How can we shoot them when they are not there

[Deerslayer21]

4 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

How can we shoot them when they are not there

running joke !!! 

[tpr1921]

The best time is when you can.

[MS22]

Check out the Whitetail Habitat Solutions YouTube page. There’s some great info on there about hinge cutting and whether or not that particular habitat mgmt practice is right for your land. 
 

 

[OMC]

5 minutes ago, Deerslayer21 said:

running joke !!! 

Never ending

 

[Livesintrees]

Too much info to even begin typing. I’ll say depending where you are in the state will yield different results for you. I’ll also say if you hinge trees in a closed canopy forest, they will die and will not do what you want. Hinge cutting provide instant cover and food if done right. But that requires sunlight. Regeneration and stump sprouts also require sunlight. I’d make sure the farmer knows what you intend on doing, bc it would be a pretty fast way to get thrown off a property. 

My biggest advice is if you don’t know what your doing, get help from someone who does. If you make a mistake you can basically wreck the area. And if you start playing with dangerous trees bc of lack of experience, you might not live to regret it. 

I’m no expert but I’ve been on several properties in NJ and seen the successes and the failures. 

[tcook8296]

I have hinge cut as early as February and into the summer. My experience is if its below freezing, more trees tend to snap off instead of hinging. Even if a tree snaps off its ok, the stump will still sprout new growth. After green up, the tree tops are much heavier and come down much harder when trying to hinge, snapping and rolling. 

My favorite time to hinge is above freezing before green up. The trees hinge much better. 

The biggest mistake new hingecutters make is cutting too far through the tree. You just need to cut far enough to push the tree over and if possible help it down to the ground. 

I usually cut as high as I possibly can while still trying to be safe with the saw and also stand off to the side in case the tree snaps, kicks back or rolls. It can be very dangerous. I usually only hinge trees no thicker than 8 inches or so round. 

I would definately consult with the owner of the property if you dont own it. 

I dont know how much property you have or the layout, but you should have some type of plan before starting. 

If you have a lot of guys on the property its going to be very difficult. One sloppy hunter can screw up a farm for the entire season. 

The ideal set up would be to create a sanctuary and hingecut the area that is the hardest to access and stay out of it. This is the most important part. If you cant stay out, you are wasting your time. I do slip into a preset treestand when the chasing is on 2 or 3 days early November and again on the 1st and last day of 6 day firearm season. All other times the area is off limits. 

It takes a few years to establish a good sanctuary but you will see results the 1st season. 

Attracting whitetails is easier than most people think. Provide a food source, water and the lowest pressured property in the neighborhood and you will hold deer and as the season progresses you will see pressured deer pour in. 

Killing mature bucks is still going to come down to you, your buddies and your neighbors ability to pass immature bucks. 

The more time you can keep the deer on your property, the better chances you have over your neighbors. 

[tcook8296]

Even if you cant hingecut, usually just by creating a sanctuary area on your property it

will make a big difference

 

[tcook8296]

https://youtu.be/aq7OA_3dzOo

[JHbowhunter]

I like what tcook said - "My favorite time to hinge is above freezing before green up. The trees hinge much better."     Given the lameness of this winter, those conditions are not hard to find.  And definitely cut the bare minimum to get them to just tip over but still leave enough connection to the tap roots to continue to green up to the tips.   The more you do now the better each season will be.   Definitely do not touch Oaks and Beech unless they are severely compromised by ivy, vines, or rot.  If those trees are beyond hope just drop them don't bother hinging.   Let more light in.   Firewood if you need it.