Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Bedding Thickets

Recently finished up two new bedding cuts in an attempt to localize some secure cover and better define deer movement.

One is in an area that was low quality timber, not necessarily a signature bedding location naturally, and the other is on the point of a ridge where deer naturally would bed. Hinged some select species, flush cut others and terminated some based on species, and girdled/treated the large and low quality stems. Lots of sunlight hitting the ground and lots of instant horizontal structure. Already had fawns hiding in some tree tops within the cuts. Will make for quality cover/woody browse this season and even better in years to come. What was low quality, closed canopy forest now offers an island of secure cover/nesting and more browse for the late winter stress period.

Both are in close proximity to food and centrally located on the property. The addition of a mock scrape at the road intersection should make for a good bow hunting setup between the two.

Let the hinge cutting debate begin lol

*bedding cuts in brown/black
*TSI unit in black/grey

Have not tried hinge cutting but do try to keep bedding/fawning cover available on my property by small timber cuts every 6-7 years. I have been lucky enough to get smaller cuts done and c cut 40 acres in a strip right down the middle of my property last year. Should make for some fine hunting in 2-3 years.

Bucks love a big blown down tree to use as bedding structure……especially ones along creeks or on the side of a ridge where they can use wind current to their favor. Its very common to blood track bucks back to these type spots. Some wind damage in some open hardwood ridges away from main doe bedding can be money for isolated buck cover.

Good stuff! If your landowner can get back in there with fire every 3 to 5, he can keep it forever. I've covered a lot of acres with a 5.5 pound arborist top handle hanging off my left hip and a hypo hatchet. I wish I had a nickel just for every gum and hickory I've killed. Southern rainfall and long growing season can change habitat dramatically in one summer.

How well do the hypo hatchets work? Never seen one used, but I have always just imagined they don't offer enough advantages relative to the cost.

I commend your efforts! It is a great idea that I just haven’t taken time to do. I hope it works out for you!

Oh I still grab a squirt bottle if I'm just working on a 1/4 acre bedding block or if I'm girdling big stuff. The hatchet for me makes a difference if I'm trying to TSI 20 or 30 acres in a fall by myself. Its surprising how much more I can do just spending a few seconds less per tree in a high stem under-story.

One thing I love to do (that most are afraid of) is to run a low intensity backing fire through hardwood CRP then inject undesirables. Removing years of leaf litter and adding that sunlight makes for an awesome flush. I can't find my after picture.