Hinge cutting

Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
701
Location
Mount Airy, NC
How many are experienced and have seen it work for them.

Ive been scouting a new area, and selected a stand location on a steepish slope funneling down to a creek. Seems the bucks work the bottom beside the creek in the thicker cover. Above where my stand is there are a doe trails meandering everywhere. The trails converge about 100 yards from where I'm at.

Since I don't want the does above me, winding me all the time, I decided to do a hinge cut up the hill to block passage. Most of what i cut was young holly, which I doubt they eat over all the other better food nearby. So I don't think the browse will attract them. Does this sound reasonable or am I doing it wrong?
 

bwlacy

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
424
Location
West Michigan
I've done quite a bit on my property. If you are trying to block trails make sure to hinge it low, about knee high. If you hinge it head high you may create a bedding area on accident. I just started doing a lot of work on my property last winter trying to create bedding areas. I've been blocking off trails for years.
 

Rolando

FNG
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
73
Location
KY
I've done hinge cutting on the edge of food plots to prevent travel routes. You have to be mindful of potentially creating thick bedding cover that may be attractive to deer.
 
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
374
Haven't done any myself due to not owning the land, but know people who have used it mainly for reasons stated above...improve the bedding area and browse on property. Worked amazing for that. One friend did it in a very small area in a grove of trees. That next fall he rattled a nice 5x5 out of that little area of thick cover. As far as blocking trails I don't have much to say. My gut would say they travel there for a reason and would still want to travel there even after you do some cutting there, however, that is just a hunch. Good luck! Hope it works great!
 
OP
A
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
701
Location
Mount Airy, NC
I think the trick with blocking travel is to cut it heavy and low to the ground. You aren't totally blocking travel just creating you're own pinch so to speak.
 
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
374
They makes sense. Either way it will benefit your area and I feel is an under untilized tool for land owners. Everyone is planting food plots, but a good hinge cut can improve browse, bedding, and alter travel patterns in your favor.
 

bwlacy

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
424
Location
West Michigan
You can hinge an are heavy then go back in and cut trails. Deer are lazy and will take the easy trail versus climbing thru the thicket as long as they aren't pressured. I'm just starting the work on my own property. Hinged and dropped a lot of trees last winter, going back and cutting trails. See how the new growth is and cut more next winter. A lot of guys now are planting rye or clover on the trails to encourage them to use them, then make a parallel faint trail for the bucks to use. Make sure you have entry and exit planned for your stand sites.
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
805
Location
Wisconsin
Ugh....If you are new to this type of cutting learn how to do it from someone that knows how. Don't just watch a video. Intentionally making a tree barber chair is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a saw. Loggers strive to never make it happen when cutting trees because it is so dangerous and weekend warriors are intentionally doing it.
 

bwlacy

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
424
Location
West Michigan
Ugh....If you are new to this type of cutting learn how to do it from someone that knows how. Don't just watch a video. Intentionally making a tree barber chair is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a saw. Loggers strive to never make it happen when cutting trees because it is so dangerous and weekend warriors are intentionally doing it.

Very good advise. I sometimes forget that not everyone knows how to use a chainsaw. Get some protective gear, use wedges and a tree hook, get some lessons if you don't know how to fell trees. More things to go wrong than right when cutting trees down, especially when trying to hinge large trees. Hollow trees, hang ups, barber chairs, etc....
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,241
Ugh....If you are new to this type of cutting learn how to do it from someone that knows how. Don't just watch a video. Intentionally making a tree barber chair is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a saw. Loggers strive to never make it happen when cutting trees because it is so dangerous and weekend warriors are intentionally doing it.

^ What he said.

Buy a pair of chaps and find an S-290 course in your area. They probably won't want to show you how to hinge cut for wildlife, but you'll have a lot better understanding of how to do it safely.
 
OP
A
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
701
Location
Mount Airy, NC
Update: went and checked some cams and wanted to see if my spray on the clover plot worked today. Basically all my hinge cutting is working. New shoots are growing, some have already been gnawed on. My "trail blocking" cuts are working too, as a new trail was visible going right to the stand tree.

As per safety, I cut and burn almost 3 cords a year and did grading/clearing/logging for a year. Nothing I cut was over 4" and was easily pushed over by hand.
 

JigStick

WKR
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
337
Location
Pittsburgh
We've hinged cut acres of pine trees on our property, purposefully creating dense bedding areas. And it has paid off wonders. We plant our food plots in close proximity to these bedding areas. We have been over run with deer compared to our neighbors. And we tend to hold deer year around, and even more during the hunting season. its amazing how many people focus on food plots but not good cover and bedding.
 
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