We have a piece of property that was clear cut probably 20-25 years ago. It's always been thick but with a few nice open hardwood bottoms running through it. However there is one large section on the back side of it that has always been so thick that it never gets hunted. Not like briar patch thick but lots of blue beech and holly all tangled together to the point where you wouldn't be able to shoot more than 15-20yds on the ground with a rifle and no shots at all if you were to hang a stand. Last year towards the end of deer season I took a walk through there and ended up finding several patches of really nice white oaks spread around through the thicket.
I really wanted to be able to access this part of the property and be able to hunt those oaks so a few weeks ago a buddy and I took off down through there with chainsaws and blazed a narrow trail to a few of the better looking oak patches. From there we started cutting down everything that wasn't an oak tree and completely cleared out a spot in about a 50yd radius from the center of the oaks. Picked out our climbing trees and cut shooting lanes where needed and then left it alone. This was about two weeks ago now. We put out a couple cameras that I haven't been able to go check yet, but I have high hopes for the new "killing holes". We'll see come the 15th.
Anybody else ever done a project like this? If so, was it successful? I'll try to get a few pictures up of the new spots in a little while.

I always do mine in February. It's much better weather for working in the woods and the bucks have time to get used to it.

Yeah, I wish I had done mine earlier but I didn't think about it in time. But if it doesn't produce this year then it should be good next year.

No doubt. Good luck.

Yes. Those are my favorite types of places to bowhunt. I normally cut shooting lanes to 45yds from my stand and leave the rest of the brush.

I did the same thing on an old fire break one year. Oct. 15 they pulled in and clear cut it so it kinda ruined my plan.

I don't know what date you'll get to hunt that stand, but I fully expect to see you with a dead deer that day.

Deer are curious and will come check out the new, cut brush. Already sounds like you're in their bedroom/kitchen. Take your time, pick a spot and squeeze the release.

Bet it will be a good spot

I would hunt it the first time the wind is right.

I got a spot I wish I'd done this to. Maybe in February or March.