I was up to my hunting land the other weekend and I am kind of bummed out at how much of the county land right next to the property we lease got clear cut for logging. you cant even tell its the same land and the thick woods are clear cut for hundreds of yards.

my deer stand was on the edge of it, now I dont know if the guys who hunted that county land will still use their stands, out in the new clear cut, or try to push into our property


where do you guys prefer ? wide open field, fresh clear cut, or in the thick woods for rifle season ?

Edge of woods and field.

Deer will be browsing in that clear cut big time. My father in-law had part of his property logged, deer were in eating the tops everyday.
On a side note I drew a wolf tag, ah snap.

Done both, killed deer both ways. I prefer to hunt the thick cover, my biggest bucks have come there.

Best times were hunting at the top of a hill on a clear cut.

Ill take my towers on the field edges any day..

I prefer thick woods for deer hunting from the stand.

I've found I still bring a handgun with as I can't swing my rifle barrel down below me if the deer sneak up below. Its happened and the 44mag had severed a spine on one occasion.

Beyond that, just getting out of the wind/elements is kinda nice.
I have mirrors bolted onto the corners of the deer stand to see whats "behind me".

Last time I was out deer hunting, I got the buck less than 45min into the stand. Before that, it was a 4 day hunt before bagging doe.

Woods for sure

It depends on a lot of things. If it's windy and cold the deer tend to stay in the woods. At that time of year the bucks are chasing the does everywhere but the does will still try to eat and drink normally. My idea of a good spot is some place between a feeding and bedding area that has some scrapes and rubs. If there is a full moon it pays to be closer to the bedding areas because they will generally feed at night and you can some times catch them starting to move as the sun sets.

I picked a large pine thats about 15 yards from the thick 25 foot patch of pines the logging company planted years ago. the tree i am in is in an OLD clearing, and the NEW clearing starts about 100 yards east of me.

So I have the thick pines right behind me, old field with random trees all throughout with the next tree line 150 yards in front of me, and the new clear cut to my right. a very good mixture surrounding me.

in the tree line behind me, there was a fresh rub and scrape just 10-15 feet into the tree line. we noticed last year that thick low area of pines is like a highway, so many rubs, scrapes etc in there it was unbelievable but its too think to hunt "inside" of.



I also bought a ground blind I may set just inside that tree line overlooking the new clear cut, as long as the other hunters arent out in the new clearing. we also found an area on our property no one has ever hunted, lots of blow down, sort of thick woods that a guy could simply sit on a folding chair and it actually had a good amount of room to watch over / shooting lanes etc.