How will logging affect my hunting?

[regulat0r]

Hi all. I have a question for those who might have experienced this or something similar...I was speaking to the owner of one of the properties that I hunt and he told me he will be logging it this summer. He said he will be taking out the “mature” trees and selling them to the logging co. I walked the property today and saw what trees were marked. It’s true that only the very large trees were marked. There still were plenty of small, medium, pines, brush, that will not be touched. 

How will this affect my hunting (bow) this fall? Will the removal of the mature trees impact the deer? What about the commotion of saws, guys, and machinery?  The property has a ton of deer and is surrounded by another property plus a public power line that won’t be touched. (Both hold plenty of deer). Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks,

[YFKI1983]

Hi all. I have a question for those who might have experienced this or something similar...I was speaking to the owner of one of the properties that I hunt and he told me he will be logging it this summer. He said he will be taking out the “mature” trees and selling them to the logging co. I walked the property today and saw what trees were marked. It’s true that only the very large trees were marked. There still were plenty of small, medium, pines, brush, that will not be touched. 
How will this affect my hunting (bow) this fall? Will the removal of the mature trees impact the deer? What about the commotion of saws, guys, and machinery?  The property has a ton of deer and is surrounded by another property plus a public power line that won’t be touched. (Both hold plenty of deer). Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks,

We logged about 7 or 8 years ago. It will give you logging trails for entry and a lot of undergrowth. I feel like it's helped us. I'm sure it will effect the deer trails and movement a bit but nothing too drastic that you can't figure out.

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[G-Man]

If trails are blocked it may make you move a stand you have been using other than that you hunting will improve 110%

[G-Man]

Deer will come to fresh tops and some learn to run to the sound of a chainsaw as a dinner bell. You will have to scout a little as you favorite oak tree may be removed. But the new growth,cover will far out weigh the hassle of moving a stand or two. Deer are creatures of edge . And making new edge is the best thing for hunting

[Hunter007]

Helps 

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

Depending on how drastic it will over the coming years cause the under growth to become very thick,, the deer love it but becomes hard to hunt and see them over time.. 

Well at least one piece of property I hunt  Ive had that experience....

Edited April 16, 2018 by Bowshotmuzzleloader

[dbHunterNY]

your situation just sounds like selectively harvesting trees. it shouldn't effect things too much aside from the humane presence. if you can throw a basketball sized object and see it from 40+ yards away with ease, you might end up with more browse the deer will hit when passing through.

[MPHunter]

The property we hunt was selectively logged about 15 years ago. That fall was the best hunting we have had in the 20 years we have hunted it. The new undergrowth and tree tops definitely seemed to hold the deer.

[chas0218]

17 hours ago, regulat0r said:

Hi all. I have a question for those who might have experienced this or something similar...I was speaking to the owner of one of the properties that I hunt and he told me he will be logging it this summer. He said he will be taking out the “mature” trees and selling them to the logging co. I walked the property today and saw what trees were marked. It’s true that only the very large trees were marked. There still were plenty of small, medium, pines, brush, that will not be touched. 

How will this affect my hunting (bow) this fall? Will the removal of the mature trees impact the deer? What about the commotion of saws, guys, and machinery?  The property has a ton of deer and is surrounded by another property plus a public power line that won’t be touched. (Both hold plenty of deer). Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks,

The season after logging was horrible deer vacated the property, since it hasn't been bad.

Edited April 16, 2018 by chas0218

[Four Season Whitetail's]

16 hours ago, Bowshotmuzzleloader said:

Depending on how drastic it will over the coming years cause the under growth to become very thick,, the deer love it but becomes hard to hunt and see them over time.. 

Well at least one piece of property I hunt  Ive had that experience....

This-Big Time.  It killed us for the first couple years as we really thinned it out but the undergrowth and thorns came back like crazy. Some areas are so thick with it you can walk thru even close to quiet.  But it did help long term.

[grampy]

The thick thorns, and underbrush that will move in, soon after logging, will act like a deer magnet!

[dbHunterNY]

thick thorns and brush may or may not be good. keep in mind with selective harvest a logger might open things up without getting rid of nearby bad stuff. if you've got invasive stuff like bush honey suckle (not the same as honey suckle down south) and buckthorn near these released and opened up areas you should get rid of it effectively. otherwise it'll replace what was there before anything of value grows or grows more. sure it provides cover but doesn't provide crap for nutritional browse. native weeds and plants will provide both and that's what you want.

[Larry]

will help in the long run

[Five Seasons]

we've done it a few times over 30 years. initially it messes up your stands. patterns change and stuff. especially if they leave the tops, which some loggers only after the expensive stuff will do. We've had loggers screw us this way and leave a lot of good firewood behind. highly recommend the owner gets this in writing. On the plus side, the tops will make good cover for critters.

but in 3 to 5 years it'll let in a lot of light and new growth which is great for hunting, but again may require new stand locations. the other con is you might lose some good roosting trees if you're after turkeys too. overall though it's a positive. especially when man now controls natures way of replenishing herself (forest fires).

[Nomad]

Interesting the differences guys have experienced. They did “ my “ woods maybe ten years ago, no tops left didn’t really mess the woods up at all . It did open up areas where the sunlight could reach the ground and created some nice new browse , but nothing one couldn’t still walk through .

Their road they made beacme a nice trail for the deer to,walk .

[G-Man]

I specifically log  portion of my land every 10 years. Sometimes for timber sometimes to remove undesired trees. It keep constant edge as after 10 year growth usually get out of reach of deer. I manage for browse as well and have areas for poplar regrowth. The woods are thick and may seem closterphobic to some but it's worth it in number and size of game the property produces year in and out.. 388 deer in 25 years and still going strong. One third of those being antlerd bucks. It took a few years to get to our goal and then maintain 10 doe and 5 buck is usually the target. But that has been exceeded in years and was much lower for 1st 5 I owned property until I started truly managing it. Logging will benefit more than it ever will injure

[stubborn1VT]

My buddy has 85 acres near his camp that was logged last year, during deer season.  I walked it with him this late winter.  The logger was pulling the entire tree and didn't leave any tops.  It leaves things looking nice, but it sure seemed like a waste to me.  The logger didn't take enough trees to get more sunlight to the ground.  There isn't much food in this area.  

I guess my point is that all situations are different.  I would normally say that logging is good for deer and habitat.  Not in this case.  The only benefits were money for the landowner, and wider log roads that we will be able to seed down.  It doesn't seem like the disruption was worth the outcome.

[sailinghudson25]

Deer need low brush for cover and protection.

Absolutely go for it.

Open mature forests are close to useless for deer.

 

Loggers coming......

Have a plan.....  What you want to keep, what you want left alone.   What extras they might do, what you will do yourself afterwards.

[Doc]

My experience is that short-term effects will be a disaster. Deer will be shifting around, abandoning established trails (buried under tops). Your old stand-by stand locations will be worthless, and you will be totally screwed up.

The long-term effects will be years of a boom in deer population, and the establishment of new hot trails, and some of the best deer hunting grounds in the area all due to the new emerging browse from increased daylight.

[LetEmGrow]

Congratulations.  You now have one big food source loaded with cover.  

[Iluvracks1359]

I agree with everything I'm seeing on here, the clearing should allow for some new growth and should HELP. All of the activity may initially scare the deer off, so MAYBE this year might not be as good, but the next few years will be great, again because of all the new browse that will be growing in. As far as this year goes, I still wouldn't be too worried, like some of the guys have said, some deer have learned to treat the chainsaw almost as a dinner bell, so they may hang around, and move in once the construction is over with. Good luck!!