Explode Deer Habitat In Winter Time!
Having a good deer habitat in winter time is critical not only for the health of the local herd but to also have a better hunting property.
Hinge cut areas can provide excellent winter habitat for deer and other wildlife by providing food and cover.
Whitetails need food water and cover to survive. When looking at your hunting land this needs to be evaluated. I place food as number 1 of importance then cover then water. Deer will always find a place to bed down for cover and that changes throughout the year for bucks. Does typically stay in the same area as long as they have food.
Having quality food controls deer movement to help pattern deer as they move through bedding to food. Food plots are very important in any habitat project. You need a quality food plot program so you are feeding 365 days a year.
adding water holes to your habitat plan is a great way to provide deer water in the fall and winter months.
Water is last on my list because deer get most of there water content through green food. winter time is of importance when it comes to water needs.
Increasing winter habitat through hinge cuts, select cuts and clear cuts is a sure fire way to provide the quality tonnage needed to feed wildlife. Select cuts allow sunlight in to the ground to allow regrowth of woody browse. Woody browse is what deer naturally turn to in the winter months. After a select cut you will get a flush of green food but may take a couple years to actually see the woody browse.
This was a area we did some cutting in and hinge cuts to provide instant food and to also allow woody browse to regenerate.
When designing a habitat program your self or hiring someone to plan it out think of food and food placement. If you are in your woods can you see straight through for 100 yards or so with no food and or cover? Then you need more food on your land.
There is so many options we have as deer hunters and habitat managers. Sometimes we have to just think outside the box. Hinge cuts, clear cuts, select cuts are all great tool we can use in our tool box.