Hunting Clearcuts?

[frogman]

How old of clear cuts do you generally hunt for blacktail?  I was in some pretty thick stuff today.  Probably 6 feet tall.  Seems impossible to find a deer.

[cowboycraig]

I would also ask what is the age of a cut based on size of replants?

[PolarBear]

3-7 years old with 4-5' high jack firs and sprinkled with new alders

[fishnfur]

Generally 4 -10 year old cuts with reprod that is head high or higher will hold deer in them throughout the day.   Smaller/younger trees don't hide the deer too well, so the bucks get out just at or just before first light.

A great way to find a cut is to look back in time on google earth - back to 2003 - 2008, and look for freshly cut units.  These may or may not be replanted immediately, (the next spring) after the cut is completed.  DNR lands may take two years before they are replanted.  Anyway, these units that were cut in those time frames should now be prime for hunting.

[fishnfur]

Listen to Polar Bear.  He knows his stuff.

If you hunt younger cuts, hunt early and late.  Don't waste your time in mid-day looking for deer there -instead, work inside the edges - 50 - 100 yards inside the adjacent timber (very very slowly).

[kodiak 907]

  solid advice. Sure fire way to find a buck

[cowboycraig]

Generally 4 -10 year old cuts with reprod that is head high or higher will hold deer in them throughout the day.   Smaller/younger trees don't hide the deer too well, so the bucks get out just at or just before first light.

A great way to find a cut is to look back in time on google earth - back to 2003 - 2008, and look for freshly cut units.  These may or may not be replanted immediately, (the next spring) after the cut is completed.  DNR lands may take two years before they are replanted.  Anyway, these units that were cut in those time frames should now be prime for hunting.

Love the look back in time feature for Google Earth. Looks like I am hunting a "just right" cut and a young cut. This weekend and next week was thinking of heading to the young cut in the morning and just "Watching". Than after daylight kicks in goto the "just right" cut and rattle just inside the edge and see if I can draw a buck.

Sound like a sound strategy?

[JimmyHoffa]

Generally 4 -10 year old cuts with reprod that is head high or higher will hold deer in them throughout the day.   Smaller/younger trees don't hide the deer too well, so the bucks get out just at or just before first light.

A great way to find a cut is to look back in time on google earth - back to 2003 - 2008, and look for freshly cut units.  These may or may not be replanted immediately, (the next spring) after the cut is completed.  DNR lands may take two years before they are replanted.  Anyway, these units that were cut in those time frames should now be prime for hunting.

Love the look back in time feature for Google Earth. Looks like I am hunting a "just right" cut and a young cut. This weekend and next week was thinking of heading to the young cut in the morning and just "Watching". Than after daylight kicks in goto the "just right" cut and rattle just inside the edge and see if I can draw a buck.

Sound like a sound strategy?

There's usually some well used trails inside the edge 30-50 yds in for some cases.  Can look for rubs and tracks along the trail.

[fishnfur]

-more

The easiest way to hunt reprod is by glassing from an area where you can look down or into the timber and search for bedded animals.  Look below (downhill side) of stumps and trees, under and behind trees, especially low hanging Doug Fir, cedars, and old vine maple that survived the clear cutting process. 

The deer are hiding for protection.  They are normally not easily found.  Spend 90% of your time in your binoculars, and spend hours not minutes glassing the entire area over and over and over, studying every little thing in your field of view before moving on to the next.  You will likely only see a small part of a deer, not the whole deer, until your brain finds a familiar shape and you realize you've been staring at a deer for the last hour, or one suddenly one stands up where just a minute ago, there was nothing there. 

I hate this type of hunting but still do it occasionally.  Boring, but it does work very well for those with patience.

[Humptulips]

Do not cross off fresher clearcuts. Deer love that new growth just coming up. It is true it's mostly a morning thing but anytime up to about 10:00 you can expect to see something. Later in the season or on a stormy day fresh ground can be good all day.
I took my buck this year at about 9:30 in a year old cut. Just planted last winter.
Tracks tell the tale.

[fishnfur]

 
[/quote]

Love the look back in time feature for Google Earth. Looks like I am hunting a "just right" cut and a young cut. This weekend and next week was thinking of heading to the young cut in the morning and just "Watching". Than after daylight kicks in goto the "just right" cut and rattle just inside the edge and see if I can draw a buck.

Sound like a sound strategy?
[/quote]

Yes!  Stay hidden when rattling, but have some way to see through to your target zone, and perhaps use a drag rag with doe estrous urine scent pulled around the perimeter of the cut before daylight, ending near the place you choose to take a stand.  (Polar Bear's technique). 

[sled]

I have noticed that on the west side in clear cuts deer love to stomp down and bed on old rotted stump wood.  I have seen where the have made beds that they use often. 

[Natas5150]

-more

The easiest way to hunt reprod is by glassing from an area where you can look down or into the timber and search for bedded animals.  Look below (downhill side) of stumps and trees, under and behind trees, especially low hanging Doug Fir, cedars, and old vine maple that survived the clear cutting process. 

The deer are hiding for protection.  They are normally not easily found.  Spend 90% of your time in your binoculars, and spend hours not minutes glassing the entire area over and over and over, studying every little thing in your field of view before moving on to the next.  You will likely only see a small part of a deer, not the whole deer, until your brain finds a familiar shape and you realize you've been staring at a deer for the last hour, or one suddenly one stands up where just a minute ago, there was nothing there. 

I hate this type of hunting but still do it occasionally.  Boring, but it does work very well for those with patience.

  I like to stick to the edge of clear cuts. I find a stump and just sit very still for hours and glass the area. As for the age of the clear cut I never have really paid that close to attention. I just like the clear cuts that I can see into that aren't very high with growth. So I guess that would make the clearcut a few years old like around 2 to 5 years I guess.

[JimmyHoffa]

Another technique not mentioned much is a deer drive.  You can do it with one extra person, but usually the more you have the more effective it will be.  Especially when you're in the Christmas trees. 

[cowboycraig]

I have noticed that on the west side in clear cuts deer love to stomp down and bed on old rotted stump wood.  I have seen where the have made beds that they use often.

I have found bedding areas in the middle of cuts only 2-4 years old. Just need a little natural cover like piles of "Shake" think it is called. Those piles of sticks etc they burn sometimes.

Also if grass starts getting tall in a cut, even a newer one, have found fresh bedding areas. Crap, in CA have see Deer sleeping next to the road! lol