Clearcutting is a forestry/logging technique in which all or most trees are cut down uniformly. Clearcutting is often viewed as a death sentence for serious hunters. Many hunters in the Southeastern U.S. lease land for hunting. Often, clubs and partnerships are formed to pool resources and manage properties. A large portion of the Southeast’s hunting land is owned by timberland companies or private owners who have made investments in the land to grow and sell trees. It will eventually come time to harvest timber from the hunting land. Clear-cut land is nature’s food plot. Clear-cut land is good for hunting, deer and investors. Clear-cuts are often overlooked by recreational land buyers.
Clear-cut land makes a great habitat for deer and is a useful tool in wildlife management. Deer love cutting overs because in the South, after six months, the property is completely restocked with thick, young growth. You don’t even have to spend a dime or lift a finger! If it is during the growing season, the soil will start to germinate. The stumps of hardwood trees and shrubs will begin to re-prout in a matter of days. Although they might not look great, clear cuts are essential for deer to thrive in many parts of the South.
This does three things for deer: 1) It puts food down where deer can access it; 2) it increases the protein level of the food available and 3) it provides sanctuary. Deer can have both nutritious food and bedding in one place. They do not have this luxury in mature hardwood stands. The plant communities that emerge from a clear-cut are more diverse and contain more protein than the mature forest. There won’t be as many mast-producing trees, such as mature oaks and beeches. There will be more food available than ever before, and it will be more nutritious. Mast is high in carbs but low in protein.
Clear cut property is difficult to hunt deer because of its thick vegetation. This is the reason it is a good sanctuary. This can be overcome by creating a network for stalking and shooting trails that are connected to strategically placed ladder stands/shooting homes (similar to the hub and spokes of a bicycle wheel).
Be flexible when hunting in a clear cut. If deer are scavenging a section of the cut, they may switch to the next day. A nearby section of timber could be cut to draw them over the next ridge. To ensure you are in a hot spot, take the time to examine their movement patterns and to monitor new droppings, tracks, and chewed branch tips. Clear cut forests are a blank canvas. A spray rig mounted to a 4-wheeler can transform a cleared property into a deer hunting paradise.
Clear-cut properties are usually more affordable because they are freed from the trees’ value. While it may be ugly for a time, an eager buyer with vision can transform the unsightly sight into something beautiful.
These tracts are usually cheaper since the trees have been removed. Clear-cut tracts are cheaper than those with trees. A land agent can help you understand why.
Clear-cutting land is best for you based on your goals and desires. Clear-cut land is great for hunting and investment in timber. It can be replanted in the pines you choose, wherever you like. Bring in a dozer to clear wide shooting lanes and make food plots. Double win! Clear-cut land is great for deer hunting and makes land investment sense.
Original Blog: https://www.landthink.com/clear-cut-land-natures-food-plot-and-good-investment-land/
