Cutovers are deer magnets; here’s how to make the most of that logged-over area on your hunting lease.
In the 1980s, farming practices changed drastically, with millions of acres removed from crop production and replanted in pine trees. Those planted pine plantations began to grow and grow and led to a well-documented deer population explosion over the next 25 years.
As these pines reached different levels of maturity, logging operations ensued, with deer thriving in the clear-cut areas that remained with the chain saws left. The new growth and browse that emerged once sunlight could hit the ground provided opportunities for deer and other wildlife to flourish.
Seeds that had lay dormant for decades began to germinate and prosper. Both beneficial seeds and nuisance seeds grew, and deer and other wildlife flourished. Hunters, who were first repulsed by open areas in the woods, soon learned that deer and other wildlife love cutovers for the browse they provide.
Soon enough, hunters began to adapt, and more and more found themselves yearning for clear-cut areas to hunt. For the first time, they could see beyond the bushes and brambles of typical Carolina landscape, and they realized that cutovers offered hunters the chance to hunt deer that were not 40 to 50, but hundreds of yards from their stands.
Buddy Lester of Newberry, S.C., has flourished in cutovers for decades. Long before most hunters, Lester was climbing high on the edges of these areas and killing deer — lots of deer and big deer.
“I find the biggest tree on the edge of the clear-cut, and I climb as high as I feel comfortable,” he said, so he can “see down into the growth (and) spot movement a long way off.”
Lester prefers a portable climbing stand because of its portability and because there’s no restriction on the height to which he can climb and set up.
“Ladder stands are restrictive to a certain height, and they are just not suited for clear-cuts, in my opinion.” Lester says. “My climber lets be get 25-, 30- or even 35-feet high if I need to.”
With deer seasons in the Carolinas covering several months, hunters know that cutovers are more productive at certain times.
October being acorn month, hunting hardwood ridges is far better than sitting over a clear-cut that has nothing close to the pallet delicacy as acorns. As October rolls toward the peak of the rut, many hunters turn to areas does frequent in hopes that these does will lure bucks into range, and clear-cuts enter that picture. Does often frequent these areas for safety, and where the does are, the bucks will not be far behind. Add to this the chasing that is going on, locating bucks moving through these areas is easier, since you are really looking for movement.
As the first frosts begin to remove vegetation, many weedy plants die, the natural thinning opening large areas to see into the young growth. As the deer have grown used to the clear-cut, they not only use it for browsing, but also for bedding. Cooler weather will draw bucks into the clear-cut to warm in the rising sun.
In the rolling hills of the Piedmont or Midlands, or in the mountains, there isn’t the need to climb as high to achieve the same success as it is in flat terrain.
“If I can, I like to keep the sun at my side so that it will keep the deer comfortable,” Lester said. “When the sun first tops the trees, the glare is harsh, I don’t like looking into that sun, and I don’t think deer do either. I never see deer walking directly into the sun when it is low. I set up with the sun to one side so I can get the deer moving towards or away from me.”
The perfect scenario, he said, is a long, sloping hillside. Climb a tree near the bottom of the slope, with the hill still sloping away, to help see deer through the brush.
“This setup helps me to see the deer easier because they are almost illuminated by the sun,” he said.
Granted this is not always possible, in fact, it seldom is, but keeping this in mind helps hunters try and push the odds in their favor. Another good scenario is setting up at the highest part of the clear-cut, climbing as high as you feel comfortable and sitting as long as you can.
“I always think that if I haven’t seen a deer yet, the longer I sit, the better my chances are.” Lester said, relating that it’s not uncommon to first see deer late into the morning. He hunts mostly public land and has learned most hunters leave the woods by 9:30 a.m., and the resulting movement often pushes deer into his areas.
Topographical features are key elements on how bucks move through these open areas. The same terrain features that bucks travel in the woods still appeal to them in a cut-over. Look at the terrain, find saddles or low points between high points; many deer will use them to move into the clear-cut. Washes, ravines and gullies are all corridors for deer to enter and maneuver through cutovers, and this is especially true during the first year or two when vegetation is low. As vegetation grows taller, deer will feel more secure in a clear-cut and will wander more aimlessly through them; their entrance will still be the same, however.
The colder, the better is a rule for hunting clear-cuts. Without question, deer do not enjoy being cold. They will seek out the south-facing hillsides to catch every ray of morning sun and warm themselves. Setting up in the mornings with the wind in your face in an area where you can and see south-facing slopes will help put the odds in your favor.
Sometimes, this means having to deal with a quartering sun; in this case, many hunters will opt for a stand that faces the tree trunk, enabling hunters to use the tree as a shield from the sun so they can hide and see deer better. It is better to have the sun at or towards your back, but sometimes this is not possible. To combat this, set up stands on opposite sides of the clear-cut to hunt in the morning or evening.
Clear-cuts can be intimidating to many. But when approached from the right angle, these can be some of the best opportunities for hunters to bag a great trophy.
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