Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
    The area I hunt in NH has recently been logged off, not totally, but
    large sections, about 400 yards square. There are several of these
    spread throughout the mountain. 
    
    I have never sat and watched one, but while crossing them a couple of
    times (not a fun thing thanks to the downed trees), I have noticed 
    ALOT of sign. Like all the little saplings have been eaten. THere has
    also be ALOT of droppings in there, problem is that they are almost all
    either moose droppings or very small deer droppings. 
    
    I have seen lots of tracks skirting the edges of the clear cuts, alot
    of larger tracks, but they never seem to go out into the clearing.
    
    I would guess they are visited in the night time or earlier in the year
    than hunting season.
    
    --Bob
    

    re.0 The cut area will probably be loaded with tops and stumps. 
    If the stumps have shoots coming off, the will provide plenty 
    of browse for the deer (*). Also, the understory will be enhanced,
    providing further browse. I'd be looking for runs coming from 
    an unlogged area, where the deer might be bedding, into the 
    logged-off area, where the deer will have plentiful and varied
    food. Then I'd set up along the run and hunt it in the evening. 
    Of course, if the deer are keying on acorns while the hunting
    season is on, this strategy wouldn't be as effective. 
    
    (*) I know loggers here who cut during the winter, they say 
    the deer equate chainsaws with a dinner bell, and come in for the
    buds from the tops. I hunted an area that had been logged a
    few years earlier, and the shoots off the stumps were being
    hit hard by the deer there. 
    
    Dana

    
    re .2
    
    Yes I cut my firewood in the winter and have seen similar things.  Even
    when my dog is with me I've seen deer in the periphery (50-70 yds.)
    moving and milling about and waiting for me to leave.  Sure enough come
    back the next day and they really have hammered the dropped trees.  Of
    course I'm cutting red maple, one of their favorite browse trees
    anyway.
    
    I hunted an area last year that had been cut for wood chips (everything
    was gone except lines of softwood separating the clear cuts  (to
    prevent erosion and wind damage I'm told).  It was next to impossible
    to hunt, berry bushes and saplings thicker than heck.  I saw deer every
    time I was near these cuts though, would have to hunt high (tree) to
    actually get a shot.   Having stumbled onto the area I never had the
    time to do that...

Bob,

Check out the back issues of Georgia Sportsman.  I remember seeing an 
article a couple of years ago on hunting clearcuts.  They had it 
broken out into years of age of the clearcut:

0-2 years - not too productive since it's basically an open field with 
little cover.

2-4 years - getting ok.  more stuff growing, good food supply, etc.

4-8 years - most productive.  Good food, ample cover, etc.

8-12 year - pretty miserable.  The "big" growth chokes out or covers 
all the undergrowth that provides food, it's thicker than hair on a 
dog's back, etc.

12-20 years - getting to be a mature forest again.  Depending on the 
trees growing, could be productive.

20-30 years - mature forest.  Ready for cutting again...

Don't carve the numbers in stone but that's what I remember.

Scott

PS  If you live around Marietta, take a ride up Cobb Parkway to 
Buckskin Archery (if you've never been).  One of the guys who works 
there killed a *HUGE* deer - it's on the wall.  The arrow the guy 
used looks as big around as your thumb!  The shop is a pink building 
with green window-thingies just past the Tidwell Ford dealership if 
you're going North on 41.  It's kinda catey-corner from the Brigade 
Quartermaster store, if you know where that is.  If this one didn't 
make P&Y, I don't know what would...

    Well,
    
    Sunday was such a gorgeous day, my wife Diana wanted to go for a drive.
    I said,"Great. Let's go to deer camp."  We did.
    
    I saw some CONSISTENT patterns that I saw in September, October,
    November, December, and March.  wow.  Learned alot.  I showed Diana
    where I had my tree stand that killed the 8 pointer and doe, and also
    showed her my little winter rye plot, which was starting to show signs
    of needing fertilization or dying.  Not even 20 yards from my stand
    was a scrape that was not there when I harvested that 8 pointer.
    
    I already know where I am going to hunt opening day.  Geez!  I better
    get my mind off hunting, and finish building that fishing boat.  time
    for some rod bending.
    
    ciao,
    Bob