The loggers rolled in and they will be clear cutting the hardwoods through the end of the year (if the weather cooperates). It's about 150 acres and an area that was difficult to access with no roads. I hear that clear cuts are great to hunt but how long does it typically take for the hunting to rebound?

Less than 24 hours. Especially in January. It won't phase them a bit when they start looking for does. May be a little slow in the early season

My lease in Va is bordered on three side by National forest. The govt came in and logged some of the NF for select cut. The did roughly 5500 acres. The bucks are using the outsides of the cut for cruising. I have several pics of some big ones as well as saw some good ones last year at the edge.

My lease is only 500 acres. There are four of us on the lease. We don't hunt the lease at all. It was clear cut about 12 years ago. We hunt the NF land behind our lease. He only way to get to that area is thru out lease or a 7 mile hike. There ain't no roads thru public land there unlike here

Wow, you don't want to lose that lease.

Yeah no kidding. I have had the lease for 7 years now. I personally have taken 3 bucks over 130 and one over 140 of the property. Not bad I don't think for public land. I think total we have taken 8 bucks over 140 in seven years. We take care of the place also the landowner takes care of us.

Same experience here 2dogs. Lot of land locked public ground in NC too. If you can get the access there's good hunting to be had.

So I don't de-rail here.. I saw a turn around on some private land I hunt in a year. There were deer in it the season after it had been cut. Some places could be less but this was a small tract and the only clear cut I have experience with.

Well, I hope you don't have the same experience that we did a few years ago... On our 660 block, they came in around October and spent about a month and a half thinning some pines and clear cutting another portion. It absolutely, 100% thoroughly, destroyed that land for the whole season. It was d.o.n.e done! And unlike others on here, I do not enjoy a fresh clear cut. I want it to be about thigh/belt high briars / regrowth, and that will probably be in year 2 or 3.

I hunted a place that had the hardwood clear cut on it and it took two seasons to get back to normal. It probably is different in every area.

I hate it whem they clear cut too much.
A little clear cut is ok.
Select cut is perfect

As a few others have said, the second and third year after they clearcut is some of the best hunting you will ever have. Especially on cold mornings. But at our place the first year isn't bad either especially once bucks start looking for does.

I once saw a group of bucks eating acorns from fallen oak trees after a storm. They will do the same thing with oaks cut by loggers after the workers leave.Hunt Safe

I've gone in as loggers were leaving during the early season and sat on the rows throw the pines they had just made. deer piled into them eating the browse they cant reach from the ground. Also, three out of 4 mature bucks taken on our place have been taken out of a clear cut from the the first year it was cut to last year.

I hunted in a club about 6 years ago that was heavily thinned two weeks into bow season and the loggers left the last week of gun season. Totally destroyed my season. saw maybe 3 deer the entire season. then the land was sold the second week of turkey season without any advanced notice and we were told to clear out.

Hunt the edges and corners around the clear cut.

The new open area will funnel the deer around the edges and corners to stay out of the open area, so use that to your advantage.

It will rebound next year.

In my opinion the first season after a clear cut sucks. I also think a clear cut drastically changed patterns and travel routes. The following 2-3 yrs it is much better hunting.

Hunt it, but I would be pissed if I had much in it.

The bottom line is deer like thick cover and food that is near that cover. Year 1 of the clearcut (or just after they spray it), the clearcut provides neither cover nor food. You may see one crossing through occasionally but deer will mostly avoid it. Year 2-5 is some awesome hunting though because it provides thick cover and food from the deer's perspective, but you can still see down into it from a tall stand. After about year 5 it will still be excellent deer habitat but you won't be able to see in it and will have to hunt roads and food plots.

The worst years in the timber cycle in my opinion are that first year after the clearcut and then around year 10-12 before it is thinned when the pine tree canopy blocks out the sun and the ground beneath the trees is a desert of pine needles and trees with no cover or food.

X2 on after 5 years. It will be great for bedding but nothing else (granted it is left alone)

Don't know if you turkey hunt but it should be good for the first year but not sure about the next.

I killed a turkey in March 2011 in a cutover from the previous summer. Now the planted pines are 15-20 ft and as thick as molasses (landowner hasn't burned at all)

The area being cut is a low lying area that stays wet after the river rises. They are in a hurry to cut it before the weather runs them out. I have not seen a year that the bottom has been dry all season. It's likely the won't be able to cut it all this year.