Hunting a blowdown area?

  • rwestb
    Posts: 5
    September 10, 2012 at 12:21 am #203228

    The area my family and I have been hunting for the last ten years was hit hard by straight line winds this summer and left a complete mess of the woods. Almost impossible in most spots for four wheeler travel and walking is an absolute nightmare. So my question is before we fire up the chainsaws and start clearing out our trails does anyone have any experience with how the hunting is in an area after it has been totally blown up. Should we go through the week worth of work it will take to make it possible to get to and from our stands or should we look for another area to hunt. Just wondering if the deer will stay in the area or leave. I know I sure as hell wouldn’t like walking around and jumping over logs every step I had to take.

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    September 10, 2012 at 12:35 am #122888

    Welcome to IDO!!!

    There were areas like this out in the Black Hills that I hunted alot growing up. The forest service would clear cut the trees all about waste high and just let the trees lay. Not sure why, I’m assuming there is a biological reason. Anyway, those areas were great bedding areas. A real pain the butt to hunt though, very hard to be quiet climbing over tree after tree. The ones we hunted were all established, so I’m not sure how a new one is going to affect your deer.

    tdhowen
    Posts: 78
    September 10, 2012 at 1:49 am #122891

    That happened to our land a few years ago and the deer still used the area. You can here them coming from a long ways away jumping over the wind falls.We cut trails and the deer used them for ease of travel also. So you can cut a trail to your advantage and have them walk right by your stands.

    walleyebuster5
    Central MN
    Posts: 3916
    September 10, 2012 at 1:01 pm #122893

    Quote:

    That happened to our land a few years ago and the deer still used the area. You can here them coming from a long ways away jumping over the wind falls.We cut trails and the deer used them for ease of travel also. So you can cut a trail to your advantage and have them walk right by your stands.

    I would think that is going to work nicely for you. And I second the fact that it should be a great bedding area!!

    rwestb
    Posts: 5
    September 10, 2012 at 3:15 pm #122897

    Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it.

    deerdragger
    Posts: 346
    September 10, 2012 at 6:00 pm #122904

    This happened to an area I hunt about 15 years ago – it was the best thing ever…it discouraged pretty much anyone and everyone from hunting the area for a number of years. Yes, it was tough to get into/out of, but it was well worth it. The deer were left alone (they didn’t leave) and they saw much less hunting pressure.

    I’m not a big fan of 4-wheelers, so take this suggestion for what it’s worth – but cutting/clearing paths for them is probably the worse thing you could do. It’s like an invitation for others to get in there.

    tdhowen
    Posts: 78
    September 12, 2012 at 2:33 am #122956

    Deerdragger I guess I should have added this was all on private property where others don’t belong.

    todders
    Shoreview, MN
    Posts: 723
    September 12, 2012 at 5:36 am #122973

    How large of an area are you talking about? If smaller I would leave it be and hunt the edges. If it is vastly larger I would only cut the trails wide enough to walk through but cut twice as many to benefit the deer and take advantage of existing stands. Good luck with whatever you decide

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