hi Dr. Jim,
I just watched your video about Poison Ivy. I thought it was fantastic, but now I have a question: given the persistant nature of Urushiol and how long it lasts as a contaminant, what do you do with the washcloth once you are done with it? I am concerned about laundering it with other products – and am worried about cross-contamination.
Thanks again for your help and great advice!
Jane
Jane. Most people underestimate how powerful the washing machine is at removing contaminants. Common household detergents are very powerful. They are molecules that have one end that is able to bind to oils and another end that is able to bind to water. The oily end of the molecules attach to the urushiol and surround it, enclosing it in a sphere called a micelle, with the oily component inside and the water binding component on the outside. The micelle is carried away in the rinse. Remember, too, these detergents are being agitated in the water for usually 20 minutes or more, so they have time to be very thorough at removing the oils.
In comparison, when we wash our skin we rub it only for a few seconds, and we often miss spots because we are not immersing our hands and arms in an agitator for 20 minutes, we are just washing for a few seconds.
A single cycle in a washer with a standard detergent will completely remove the urusiol.
I have no concerns about mixing my work clothing from the woods in with my other clothing, and I routinely do it. I am very sensitive to urushiol but have no concerns about my clothes after they have been through a wash cycle.
Great website! One question though. How does a guy go about hinge cutting on a new farm that is mostly mature oaks? Even the young trees are oaks. I hate to hing e money trees but this is my dilemma. Any thoughts?
JD. I do not think there is a such thing as a woods that contains all “money” trees. I could be wrong if you have been working with a forester and have your woods perfectly tuned for timber development, but that is usually not the case. I will have a very detailed discussion in the book of how to value trees. The main message is that if you want to grow trees, you have to cut trees, and most people err on the side of not cutting trees, which creates competition among the trees, inhibiting the rate at which the trees can mature. I would consult a forester if future timber harvest is more important to you than deer habitat. But make no mistake about it, if you are going to grow timber, well then you cannot optimize deer habitat. You can have good habitat but not great habitat through managing for timber. Any time a tree has a crown that is out of reach of deer, it is inhibiting cover and food at the deer’s level.
Thanks for the reply Jim. Your right. You can’t have it both ways. I plan to get a forester in there as soon as possible, harvest what I can, and start the remodeling work! It’s going to be tough to find a balance, but my goal is better deer habitat – not growing oaks. Look forward to reading your book.
Dr. Jim. It’s been awhile since I last reached out to ya. Hope all is well. Been very busy clearing plots and hinge cutting my matur oak forest and things are looking great. The deer seem to love the extra cover and all the extra groceries. I do have another question however. I’ve spent a lot of time in one of my LMU’s hinge cutting around my micro plots – transition zones, screens, and trails. What do you recommend doing with the timber outside of these areas? The remaining area is comprised mainly of semi mature hardwoods (10-18 in diameter trees). The stem count is reasonably high, but there is still a large canopy. Would u keep cutting these larger trees, or just concentrate on the smaller ones? The timber is loaded with smaller hickories and oak.
Hi JD. What you do with the surrounding areas depends on your overall plan for the unit. I hinge cut areas or leave them open and canopied based on how I want deer to move. Generally speaking, if I want to discourage daytime movement in a spot I will leave it open and canopied, and if I want to encourage daytime use, I may do some hinge cutting. How much and what type depends on the intended use of the area.
I saw a few of your videos on youtube and thought they were very informative. I am very excited to try your hinge cutting techniques to improve my habitat. I hunt in MN along the MN river valley, my land floods almost every year sometimes more than once. When is floods the water my property is anywhere from 8-14 feet under water. I am wondering if hinge cutting is still a good option and if so will the trees I hinge live for a few years or die right away due to the flooding. Any info would be great. Thanks
Kyle. Many tree species can withstand flooding of the trunk and root system but may be more labile if part or all of the crown is immersed. I assume that water rising above the horizontal trunk and stump of a tree would kill it depending on how long it is submerged. Nonetheless, I would suggest doing some test areas and seeing how trees survive the insult. Also, getting light in is the most important aspect of hinge cutting. Folks worry too much about keeping the hinged tree alive in my opinion, when much is gained by just producing the horizontal cover and letting light in.
I have recently found your videos and website and find them very interesting and informative. I was wondering how may days a season you allow hunting on your small property so that the deer do not go nocturnal due to feeling the pressure.
Hi Paul. Thanks for your question. I do about 50 sits per year, about half on my 130 acre property and half on my 40 acre property. How much pressure the deer feel is less about the amount of pressure and more about the impact of the pressure. Property design, stand placement and approach, and scent control are all factors in reducing the perception of pressure. Scent control is the most important factor. My properties gets better and better as the year goes on even though I hunt them frequently. The reason is that as the seasons progress and pressure is applied on surrounding properties deer are pushed into my heavy cover and a location where they do not smell humans. By December I am seeing twice as many bucks per hour of sitting as I do in October even though many have been killed in the interim. If I had to focus on just three things it would be scent control, scent control, and scent control in that order. See my video on my scent prep in the link. If you do not feel you can be as aggressive as I am, at least focus on getting your boots pristine and keeping them that way. Getting your trail busted is the number one issue with repeated visits. You are only walking through briefly but your trail will stay in place for days afterwards if your boots are not scent free. Hope it helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RplCKVWK8mw
Can you recommend the best palce to buy the Activated Carbon Powder. There are a lot of different ones out there. I don’t want to pay more than I need to.
Can’t wait to get the notice for being able to buy your book this January.
It would probably work. I would call the manufacturer and make sure it is 325 mesh. it probably is if they refer to it as powder, but just to be safe.
I am not good for a metric on how much to use as I probably use 10 bottles or more of 5.5 0z. per year. At least 0.5 oz. goes onto my boots and gets shaken up on every hunt.
Dear Dr. J,
Enjoyed your 2013 QDMA video on hinge cutting. Even though my property is very small I believe it could benefit greatly from such a practice. Wondering when your new book is scheduled to arrive, and also if you have any information for 2015 seminar series.
Thanks Dennis. If you sing in on the sidebar your email will be in my files and I will let you know the details of the book release, which will be coming in late January. I do not have anything scheduled this year yet but follow this site tor my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/extremedeerhabitat for updates.
Dr. Jim;
I reside in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.
Somewhat off the beaten path as I see most of your projects seem to be based in the Michigan area; albeit the strategies of your work will be relevant in any high pressured areas.
Do you consult up here in the Great White North ?
And lastly, will your book be available on line or only in the US.
Cheers;
Allan
Hi Dr. Jim,
I have been recently watching many of your instructional videos on hinge cutting bedding areas (Great stuff). I have property in Pa. that has some possible challenges in creating the “5 star hotel”. The farm has alot of I believe Autumn olive and some very dense brush, with very few trees for hinging. Any recommendations for creating a 5 star bedding within?
Autumn olive can create great bedding. Just trim it back so they can lay under the overhead branches, and make sure the area is raked out so they have bare ground to lie on.
Hey Dr.Jim , I was wondering what the best way would be to go about and getting my land neighbors into letting the 1-2 year old bucks walk , and shooting 3 years and older deer ? I’m tired of always shooting the young ones and want to see bigger and better deer!
Looking forward to hearing from you
Thanks again
– Aaron Stark
Aaron; I think the best way is by example. You have to be passing them and doing lots of documentation with pictures from the stand and trail camera pictures. If you show any form of disappointment in what they are doing or appear to be telling them what to kill you will get the cold shoulder or worse.
Form a cooperative and announce a meeting every year. Make friends with the neighbors and show them what you have been passing. Not in a bragging way or suggesting the expectation they should be doing it, but just to explain why it improves the quality of your hunt, for you, not based on anything they are doing. Over time, they may see better hunting, and better yet, one of the bucks will show up on their pole that you passed. They will then know their hunting improved because of you. Offer them pictures of the buck from your trail cameras or stand. Patience (several years worth) is absolutely required. You should celebrate gleefully every time they kill one of the better bucks that would have been your next year’s prospect. If you yourself kill something less than your stated goal, you have set back your program by years. It is all about the honesty and integrity of the leadership when forming a cooperative.
When I say patience, I mean patience. I have one friend who kills 2-3 yearlings every year by my Hillsdale Cty property. He is a good friend and we have coffee or call each other several times a year. He cuts wood on my property. He knew I passed bucks and he does at times to but has no problem shooting a yearling. But we never once over an 8 year period discussed it other than in passing, because I sense d he did not want to hear about it and his friendship was important to me. Finally, my first chance came this year when I sent him a picture of the big buck I killed on the other property. He said “How come we don’t kill bucks like that over here?” My first opening in 8 years to take a few minutes to explain what is working in the other neighborhood.
I have enjoyed your website and videos online. My buddy and I bought 40 acres of land near Wausau that was completely clear-cut about 8 years ago. The property now is thick with various hardwood saplings about 1-3″ in diameter. Is this stand is too young to start hinge cutting areas for bedding and screening?
My concern of the land in its current state, is that it will be difficult to pattern the deer and access stand locations. They seem to be bedding in a lot of different locations, but my hope is to create those “5 Star” bedding areas so I bed them where I want them. Would you recommend that I experience a hunting season on the land , before I make changes, so that I can see the natural movement?
Dr. Jim. It’s been awhile since I last reached out to ya. Hope all is well. Been very busy clearing plots and hinge cutting my matur oak forest and things are looking great. The deer seem to love the extra cover and all the extra groceries. I do have another question however. I’ve spent a lot of time in one of my LMU’s hinge cutting around my micro plots – transition zones, screens, and trails. What do you recommend doing with the timber outside of these areas? The remaining area is comprised mainly of semi mature hardwoods (10-18 in diameter trees). The stem count is reasonably high, but there is still a large canopy. Would u keep cutting these larger trees, or just concentrate on the smaller ones? The timber is loaded with smaller hickories and oak.
Just watched your poisin ivy video… Wish i had seen this back in the 70s. As i’m highly reactive to it.
As a retired telephone linesman… I was exposed many times thru the years and as i got older the worse it was. October 99 i was again exposed… With a huge reation that caused me to go to the local Emergency Room. They prescribed a 5 day dosage of prednisone.
I in turn then found out that im one of the few folks that cannot handle this medication. Within 2 weeks it killed both of my hips.
4 surgeries since then i now have 2 new hips….
My Grandfather was also highly reactive…. During the depression he burned it…. And just about killed himself from walking thru the smoke….
Thanx so much for getting this info out there… Hopefully it will prevent severe issues with anyone else down the road….
We have had a family of deer–a doe and her twin babies (a new set each year, of course)–make our backyard her home for the last two years. They can enter and exit the otherwise fenced in yard from a place in the fence where a tree fell. We haven’t repaired it so she can come and go. We certainly enjoy having them and watching the little ones grow each year. We have a secluded wooded area in the very back of the yard…we have about 3/4 of an acre in the back area. What can we legally do to make this a safe haven for her as far as providing food, water, shelter, etc.? We live in a heavily populated and high traffic area. But the deer are trying to share the area with us. I have a kiddie pool of water for them. :)I want to do what I can to help these deer survive. Any suggestions? Sadly, on another note, our neighborhood hawk was killed on the road this morning. We are animal lovers–my husband and I–and want to provide what wild life we have around us with the best habitat that we can in our little space.
Thank you.
Pat
Loved the poison ivy video – I learned that a don’t need to run in every couple of hours to shower and scrub like a crazy lady. A damp rag will work!
My ? for you is – pets and urushiol? They bring it in on their fur and then get on me on worse in my bed. What can I do??? Will a damp rag work on them? Wish I could coat them in something so that the oil won’t stick to them.
The 2-8hrs – how’d you come up w/ that? is it different for different people?
A damp rag on the dogs is better than nothing. Best thing is to not let them make contact. But of course in some cases that is unavoidable. Two to 8 hours is really just a gut feel from my experience and the experience of close friends I do habitat work with. You will not completely prevent reactions doing it the way I do but you will prevent severe reactions which are the result of unknowingly leaving it on your skin for a day or two while you give it time to completely work its way in. It move through the skin with half-life kinetics. The more there is on your skin, the more that will get in over a shorter period of time. I almost always have small PI reactions on my skin during the summer but have not had a severe case in years. It works.
Dr. Jim, Do you have any tips on keeping deer from eating plants and flowers? We send a lot of time and money planting but the deer ravage the stuff at night, and sometimes during the day. Thanks. Charles.
You can buy a product called “Plot Saver” and spray it on the plants. You have to use it more often than the manufacturer suggests. It will help but is not a complete solution.
Dr Jim, I purchased your book awhile back and had it saved on my iBooks. Unfortunately, that iPad crashed and I lost it. Is there any way you can verify my purchase and send me the link?
Let me know if I need to send you more info to verify.
Thanks Jim. Love the book. Great ideas and a good model to follow for those of us with smaller acreage. I’m looking forward to seeing how the hinge cutting will affect the deer this year. It’s my second season with the ground and it already looks noticeably different. Still not holding the bucks but I’ve got a huge surplus of happy, healthy does. The bucks still favor the large timber tracts to the west of me, but they’re already showing up. That in itself is an improvement. Keep up the good work and keep the posts coming. And good luck this year!
Hi Jim,
I unfortunately had the same experience as JD Lochman above and have lost the ebook i had purchased. Would you please confirm in your records i paid and send me another link?
Thanks.
if you need more info, i can retrieve the credit card info
I am planning to do some habitat improvement this winter and spring on a 100 acre plot in Wisconsin. It has become overgrown with large trees, which makes the forest too open and the deer are often traveling fast through it. I want to open it up and allow for new growth underneath, while creating bedding area and travel corriders throughout the process. When felling larger trees to “clear” an area for regrowth, do you leave them on the ground? I did this on the front hillside last winter and have not noticed bedding activity in the areas, although new growth is starting to show. Mainly, I am wondering if laying large trees on the forest floor (hillside in this case) will prevent deer from using that hillside since it is tough to get through now. Should I make a few trails (cut up the big trees and either remove them or put them into piles) so the deer can easily move through the area, and bed in the thick cover if they prefer? Or should I just leave it there so it is hard to walk through, and let the deer do with it as they please, knowing that new growth will be following in the years to come now that sun can hit the forest floor?
Thanks!
I am purchasing your book now, just wanted to get a jump start on the my most pressing questions.
Hi Jake. We use fallen trees for a variety of reasons. One is to provide bedding and browse, another is to create transition zones, and the third is to direct deer traffic by making impenetrable areas. Which of these types of cutting you do depends on your overall plan for the property. If you want the deer to bed on that hillside, do the cutting and then go in and make sure they can freely move around it and have spots to lie in. If you want them to not use it, cut at different heights and crisscross the tress, making it difficult for them to move through it. All of these approaches are outlined in detail in my book, as is the need for a plan (chapter 1).
I just purchased your book three days ago and have read it already. It is full of great information that I plan to put to use. I have a 70 farm in Northern KY that has some old fields and mature hardwoods that look very much like a park. Some sections of woods you can see up to 100 yards into. I have the common problem of getting picutures of great bucks after dark but never seeing them in the daylight. Hopefully, increasing the cover will help with seeing more deer in daylight. I plan to start soon on creating the doe and buck beds then continue with hinge cutting the surrounding areas to create more cover.
Hi Jim. Gota say I love what ya do. I myself had started doing some habitat work on my small property. After reserch I found you and have listened to podcast and other things you have done. Id saw that you have done tours of your property and was wondering of any are coming up in the future? Thanks for the help!
I just ordered this book on my credit card. I was thinking I was ordering a book, as a gift. Instead I understand it an e book. Please cancel my order.
I do not. I cannot deliver the product in print version for a reasonable price. E-books deliver so much more content for such a lower cost I do not want to deprive customers of having the whole experience of over 480 color illustrations and 48 linked videos. If I did print it it would cost over $100 and the experience would be so much poorer than the electronic version can deliver for $20. This is the future of publications.
The book will be on the hard drive of your device, not on the web. You would simply be downloading it from the web. No print version will be produced. A print version that retained all the value of the information available in the ebook would be prohibitively costly. I would have to charge $100 per book or more to get the 480 color illustrations and pictures in print form, not to mention the 48 videos. If you have not read an ebook before you will find it to be a rewarding experience, it is the future of how-to books.
Dr. Jim I live in North Central Texas where my woods are very different than yours. Ive tried to hinge cut my red and black oaks with very little success. oak disease is rampid here so I think done with hinge cutting because the oaks is all I have. the briars and trees are so thick you cant walk and I think even the deer have a hard time moving. Im renting a tree mulcher to try to clean up the briars and eliminate 30% of the trees in my wooded areas. Am I on the right track? should I let the new saplings grow then tie them down for bedding or with my woods so thick should I let bedding take care of itself and just worry about trails? I am on 120 acres and have horrible hunters around me but I also have 100 acres onmy north side that is a power plant with no hunting allowed.
Red/Black oaks are among the hardest to remain intact. Getting sunlight in is the main thing. Not sure what you mean by “clean up briars” Briars and brambles are great deer habitat and something that provides tremendous browse and cover depending on the species.
Trying to use poplar (3″ to 4″ diameter) to screen off a road and entry trails to stands. I have found hinging difficult without snapping, unless I keep them at 45 degrees, suggestions? If I hinge should I do it parallel or perpendicular to road/trail with low hinge cuts?
My name is Al Gatt aka (gillcommander) on Michigan-Sportsman. I had the chance to meet you in Tusin (Cadillac Branch QDMA habitat day last year) and thought your hinge cutting presentaiton was great. I am Tim Lipanoga’s (Branch President) next door neighbor.
Anyways, I would like to purchase your book. I do not have internet access at home but would like to download the PDF file onto our laptop so I can view it that way. I am thinking that I can always watch the video links at a different time when I do have internet access.
What is the next step? Can I just pay on your site here and then what is required to download onto our laptop? Is it done right away or can it be done at a later time?
Love all the info your provide at Michigan-Sportsman, your blog, and Youtube page. It has helped immensely with my 40 acre property. I have owned it 2 years and hunted it for 3. This past season was really my first year making significant habitat improvements as I wanted to hunt it for a season or 2 to better get an idea of how the deer were utilizing it. Had success this season killing 2 does myself and my son shot a respectable 8pt with his bow November 13th. 2 of those deer were killed in a travel corridor we created by using hinge cutting techniques from one of your videos. It’s rewarding when you realize success from your planning and hard work. I figure I passed at least 10 different bucks this season so hoping next year will be better.
Anyway, this year my focus will be primarily on improving bedding so hopefully the book will be beneifical.
One question tho…I had some TSI completed the first winter and the deer really love the young aspen regeneration. They do bed in it and I was wondering if you have figured out any techniques that would dictate how to get them to bed in a specifically location in the new clearcuts. I am thinking mostly for bucks as my doe bedding will be closer to the food and will be what I work on this winter/spring. I know the overhead cover from hinge cutting is probably one of the reasons they bed in the h
Thanks again…and let me know what to do in order to get a copy of your book!
Thanks for the nice comments. Any time you have internet access to buy the book it can be downloaded right then. You can then move it to any device you want.
I go into great detail in the book about how to shape bedding areas so that is the best source for you. If your questions are not answered after reading give me a call.
Ordered your book, thought I had downloaded it, but, on checking my “downloads” file after paying my charge card bill today, I find that I do not have it. I vaguely remember seeing someone else’s email regarding similar circumstances when I ordered the book & you gave instructions on how to complete the download. Please let know how I can successfully download the pdf & if you need more information regarding my order & payment.
Thank you for the heads up Justin. There is a problem with my SSL certificate. In the meantime, you can purchase the book directly from the seller here: https://gumroad.com/l/extremedeerhabitatbook
I’ve just purchased Extreme Deer Habitat after viewing your Poison Ivy video on a Facebook post. Question: Have you ever tried rubbing alcohol to remove the Urushiol rather than soap? It tends to cut through oil pretty easily, and much better than soap, and it’s not too bad for the skin. Better for removing oil, of course, would be acetone, naptha, or ether, but much more dangerous. What about those goopy soaps that mechanics use? I’ve used alcohol to clean off loppers and my chainsaw, and it seems to have worked. It’s a lot easier to carry a pint of alcohol and a washcloth than soap and water.
Thanks.
Ed
Yes, alcohol is a solvent for it. Mechanics soap like “Mean Green” is almost identical to Zanfel at a fraction of the price. But in the end it is friction from using a rag that will remove it best, no matter what soaps or solvents you use. http://www.amazon.com/Mean-Green-Power-Hand-Scrub/dp/B00CZIG1MQ#customerReviews
Hey Jim! I just read about your poison ivy trick. I would like to let you know that I have my own and maybe you will want to try it?
I figured that since it was a tough oil that I should treat it as such. I learned that if you want oil stains of any kind out of your clothes you wash it with dishwashing soap.
I have a problem with peppermint and if I ever come in contact I go straight for the dishwashing soap. Well long story short…
I came in contact with poison ivy in the recent past and went straight for dishwashing soap and chemical grease fighting wipes.. I mean this stuff brushed all over my hands and legs before I realized what I was touching.. I wiped myself down within an hour and no rash.
Good afternoon. I am currently a student at Adrian college and a life time hunter in the south west Michigan area. I have hunted public property in the Adrian area with some luck but was not able to put a deer on he ground. I’m new to hunting this area and have heard it is big buck country. Do you have any tips to hunting this area?
Jim
Your videos on habitat are excellent and have a great deal of information. The question I have is how to compete with boarding pine plantation that is in its 13 year of growth. I have a 13 acre woods with 4 acres of tillable land for food plots. This past winter I start to transform the property to help more deer but don’t believe I can compete with the pines for bedding. During the gun season the area is pressured hard and the deer disappear as the gun season goes on with no pressure being put on my property.
Quality deer hunting is rather simple in essence. Doe families control the movement of bucks during hunting season. And doe families are very predictable. They are interested in only two things in life, food and bedding, bedding and food. An owner of a 13 acre property usually does not have the luxury of providing both. So if you know the neighboring property has good bedding, I would concentrate mainly on providing food. You need food in small plots surrounded by cover, and good cover between the bedding and food, and hen get between the bedding and food.
Dr. Jim i have watched a lot of your videos and the main thing for creating cover is hinge cutting. i have two questions behind this. 1. our property was clear cut about 20 years ago and its just now starting to open up underneath a little bit but it still has areas with a lot of cover already there but its all scattered and i cannot pin point deer movement. they have so many options they seem unpredictable.2. also i have areas i want to add cover to but do not want to hinge cut in in those areas is there anything i can plant such as and shrubs, or just smaller vegetation to make deer travel there more predictable? thanks!
It is hard to say without knowing more. but if you have a regenerating clear cut that is cover all over, you will likely need to do barrier cuts to steer the deer where you want them to go. I cover how to do that sort of thing in my book.
For the most part, you cannot plant anything in areas with canopied forest. if stuff could grow there, it would voluntarily from the seed bank. Planting is usually a waste of time and money. Plants need sunlight. You need to provide sunlight if you want good cover. It is the number one necessary factor. Why don’t you want to cut there?
just purchased your book and still reading but had a question. My land is very hilly can you successfully hinge cut for bedding on the side of a hill and is one side of the hill better than the other? Also I have a narrow strip between a creek and the neighbors fence [ 30 yards wide } can that be a good bedding area or will it be to restricted for them to feel safe, thanks for your time Jeff
Jim Ward at Jim Ward’s Whitetail
academy has lots of information on line about making bedding on hillsides.
Whether that creekside area will make good bedding depends on a variety of factors, most importantly the overall plan for you property. Just about any place can be bedding but it depends on your plan.
I purchased the book a while back and would like to do an online consultation. Do I just put a check in the mail and wait for you to contact me to schedule a session or can I pay via paypal as with the book?
Jim, Will deer bed under hinge-cut cedars (Eastern Reds- Northern KY). I have 3 ridges almost dominated by them, but they are too tall for deer to bed in them now because it is very open under them, with no understory or browse, but was thinking about hinging for bedding. thanks! Got your book, by the way. I’ve working through it for the 3rd time. Wonderful information!!!
Dr. Jim, you didn’t ask me to do this but I felt like it might help others. We just finished up the online consultation this morning. I’ve also purchased your book and am working through it but honestly it takes me a while because I go to every link and the detail is eye opening and valuable! The consultation went great, very interactive and we shared ideas as fellow hunters and I was very comfortable working with you through the design. I appreciate all of the advice you shared with me. I am excited to begin implementing the plan and eager to see the results that I’m confident will transpire over the coming years. Best, Brian
Dr. Jim,
Bought, loved and have watched/read repeatedly your book. I would love to see a video of you repairing a poorly done hinge cut. I know my efforts (and I suspect others,too) often create tornado zones when we desire bedding or transition. Obviously doing right the first time, as you council, is best but sometimes we shoot (cut) first and ask questions later. Thanks so much, I believe my deer hunting will be transformed!!
I just bought your book and I loved how detailed it was. I heard of hinge cutting before, but didn’t know the different kinds and the effects it has on properties. I have 60 acres. 30 field, 30 woods. My field is to the north and my woods is to the south. I have a 3 acre field right in the middle of northern part of the woods. I am having a difficult time setting up my deer stands so that the deer travel past me to the north heading south. Their movement is often to the north to get to the food plots, field. I don’t want to get winded either. Any tips would be great. I often travel through the middle field to get south of the deer, but I am afraid of dragging my scent though the plots.
Hello. I have Just under 70 acres. I would love to talk to you about this system. Is there away we can talk and you give me some pointers Via phone, online ?
This is Melitta and I am a professional illustrator.
I was discouraged, to put it nicely, when I came across my images at your website. If you use a copyrighted image without my permission, you should be aware that you could be sued by the copyright holder.
It’s illicitly to use stolen images and it’s so nasty!
Take a look at this document with the links to my images you used at extremedeerhabitat.com and my earlier publications to get evidence of my copyrights.
If you don’t remove the images mentioned in the document above within the next several days, I’ll write a complaint on you to your hosting provider stating that my copyrights have been infringed and I am trying to protect my intellectual property.
And if it doesn’t work, you may be pretty damn sure I am going to report and sue you! And I will not bother myself to let you know of it in advance.
If you believe I am using an image that you have copyrighted, please provide a watermarked version of it to me via email. I will not download a file from an unknown source. All images I use are either ones that I have taken myself, have permission for, or purchased a license for. If I used a copy of your image I probably purchased a license for it from a third party.
hi Dr. Jim,
I just watched your video about Poison Ivy. I thought it was fantastic, but now I have a question: given the persistant nature of Urushiol and how long it lasts as a contaminant, what do you do with the washcloth once you are done with it? I am concerned about laundering it with other products – and am worried about cross-contamination.
Thanks again for your help and great advice!
Jane
Jane. Most people underestimate how powerful the washing machine is at removing contaminants. Common household detergents are very powerful. They are molecules that have one end that is able to bind to oils and another end that is able to bind to water. The oily end of the molecules attach to the urushiol and surround it, enclosing it in a sphere called a micelle, with the oily component inside and the water binding component on the outside. The micelle is carried away in the rinse. Remember, too, these detergents are being agitated in the water for usually 20 minutes or more, so they have time to be very thorough at removing the oils.
In comparison, when we wash our skin we rub it only for a few seconds, and we often miss spots because we are not immersing our hands and arms in an agitator for 20 minutes, we are just washing for a few seconds.
A single cycle in a washer with a standard detergent will completely remove the urusiol.
I have no concerns about mixing my work clothing from the woods in with my other clothing, and I routinely do it. I am very sensitive to urushiol but have no concerns about my clothes after they have been through a wash cycle.
Great website! One question though. How does a guy go about hinge cutting on a new farm that is mostly mature oaks? Even the young trees are oaks. I hate to hing e money trees but this is my dilemma. Any thoughts?
JD. I do not think there is a such thing as a woods that contains all “money” trees. I could be wrong if you have been working with a forester and have your woods perfectly tuned for timber development, but that is usually not the case. I will have a very detailed discussion in the book of how to value trees. The main message is that if you want to grow trees, you have to cut trees, and most people err on the side of not cutting trees, which creates competition among the trees, inhibiting the rate at which the trees can mature. I would consult a forester if future timber harvest is more important to you than deer habitat. But make no mistake about it, if you are going to grow timber, well then you cannot optimize deer habitat. You can have good habitat but not great habitat through managing for timber. Any time a tree has a crown that is out of reach of deer, it is inhibiting cover and food at the deer’s level.
Thanks for the reply Jim. Your right. You can’t have it both ways. I plan to get a forester in there as soon as possible, harvest what I can, and start the remodeling work! It’s going to be tough to find a balance, but my goal is better deer habitat – not growing oaks. Look forward to reading your book.
JD
Dr. Jim. It’s been awhile since I last reached out to ya. Hope all is well. Been very busy clearing plots and hinge cutting my matur oak forest and things are looking great. The deer seem to love the extra cover and all the extra groceries. I do have another question however. I’ve spent a lot of time in one of my LMU’s hinge cutting around my micro plots – transition zones, screens, and trails. What do you recommend doing with the timber outside of these areas? The remaining area is comprised mainly of semi mature hardwoods (10-18 in diameter trees). The stem count is reasonably high, but there is still a large canopy. Would u keep cutting these larger trees, or just concentrate on the smaller ones? The timber is loaded with smaller hickories and oak.
Hi JD. What you do with the surrounding areas depends on your overall plan for the unit. I hinge cut areas or leave them open and canopied based on how I want deer to move. Generally speaking, if I want to discourage daytime movement in a spot I will leave it open and canopied, and if I want to encourage daytime use, I may do some hinge cutting. How much and what type depends on the intended use of the area.
Hi Jim
I saw a few of your videos on youtube and thought they were very informative. I am very excited to try your hinge cutting techniques to improve my habitat. I hunt in MN along the MN river valley, my land floods almost every year sometimes more than once. When is floods the water my property is anywhere from 8-14 feet under water. I am wondering if hinge cutting is still a good option and if so will the trees I hinge live for a few years or die right away due to the flooding. Any info would be great. Thanks
Kyle
Kyle. Many tree species can withstand flooding of the trunk and root system but may be more labile if part or all of the crown is immersed. I assume that water rising above the horizontal trunk and stump of a tree would kill it depending on how long it is submerged. Nonetheless, I would suggest doing some test areas and seeing how trees survive the insult. Also, getting light in is the most important aspect of hinge cutting. Folks worry too much about keeping the hinged tree alive in my opinion, when much is gained by just producing the horizontal cover and letting light in.
Dr Jim:
I have recently found your videos and website and find them very interesting and informative. I was wondering how may days a season you allow hunting on your small property so that the deer do not go nocturnal due to feeling the pressure.
Paul
Hi Paul. Thanks for your question. I do about 50 sits per year, about half on my 130 acre property and half on my 40 acre property. How much pressure the deer feel is less about the amount of pressure and more about the impact of the pressure. Property design, stand placement and approach, and scent control are all factors in reducing the perception of pressure. Scent control is the most important factor. My properties gets better and better as the year goes on even though I hunt them frequently. The reason is that as the seasons progress and pressure is applied on surrounding properties deer are pushed into my heavy cover and a location where they do not smell humans. By December I am seeing twice as many bucks per hour of sitting as I do in October even though many have been killed in the interim. If I had to focus on just three things it would be scent control, scent control, and scent control in that order. See my video on my scent prep in the link. If you do not feel you can be as aggressive as I am, at least focus on getting your boots pristine and keeping them that way. Getting your trail busted is the number one issue with repeated visits. You are only walking through briefly but your trail will stay in place for days afterwards if your boots are not scent free. Hope it helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RplCKVWK8mw
Can you recommend the best palce to buy the Activated Carbon Powder. There are a lot of different ones out there. I don’t want to pay more than I need to.
Can’t wait to get the notice for being able to buy your book this January.
Hi Mike. Any food grade activated carbon powder will work. Do an Amazon search on activated carbon powder. Here is an example of one available by the pound. http://www.amazon.com/Hardwood-Activated-Charcoal-Powder-Mylar/dp/B0026XWKKM/ref=pd_sim_hpc_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BVQB447Y7E4KS04VZKA#customerReviews
Thanks Jim.
Would this product work?
http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/product/activated_charcoal_powder/hardwood/sn20/bulk
It is quite a bit less if you buy a 2 gallon or 5 gallon bucket of it. How much would you guess you use in a year’s time?
Thanks,
Mike
It would probably work. I would call the manufacturer and make sure it is 325 mesh. it probably is if they refer to it as powder, but just to be safe.
I am not good for a metric on how much to use as I probably use 10 bottles or more of 5.5 0z. per year. At least 0.5 oz. goes onto my boots and gets shaken up on every hunt.
Dear Dr. J,
Enjoyed your 2013 QDMA video on hinge cutting. Even though my property is very small I believe it could benefit greatly from such a practice. Wondering when your new book is scheduled to arrive, and also if you have any information for 2015 seminar series.
Regards,
Dennis Burden
Thanks Dennis. If you sing in on the sidebar your email will be in my files and I will let you know the details of the book release, which will be coming in late January. I do not have anything scheduled this year yet but follow this site tor my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/extremedeerhabitat for updates.
Dr. Jim;
I reside in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.
Somewhat off the beaten path as I see most of your projects seem to be based in the Michigan area; albeit the strategies of your work will be relevant in any high pressured areas.
Do you consult up here in the Great White North ?
And lastly, will your book be available on line or only in the US.
Cheers;
Allan
The book will be an ebook available anywhere.
I do not do on site consulting. I suggest contacting Jake Ehlinger at http://www.habitatsolutions360.com
Hi Dr. Jim,
I have been recently watching many of your instructional videos on hinge cutting bedding areas (Great stuff). I have property in Pa. that has some possible challenges in creating the “5 star hotel”. The farm has alot of I believe Autumn olive and some very dense brush, with very few trees for hinging. Any recommendations for creating a 5 star bedding within?
Looking forward to the new book!
Derek
Autumn olive can create great bedding. Just trim it back so they can lay under the overhead branches, and make sure the area is raked out so they have bare ground to lie on.
Congratulations on the book release…..
how,where can I purchase your book ?
Jim I tried to call you back–no answer. It is available only as an ebook and can be downloaded here: https://gumroad.com/l/extremedeerhabitatbook
Hey Dr.Jim , I was wondering what the best way would be to go about and getting my land neighbors into letting the 1-2 year old bucks walk , and shooting 3 years and older deer ? I’m tired of always shooting the young ones and want to see bigger and better deer!
Looking forward to hearing from you
Thanks again
– Aaron Stark
Aaron; I think the best way is by example. You have to be passing them and doing lots of documentation with pictures from the stand and trail camera pictures. If you show any form of disappointment in what they are doing or appear to be telling them what to kill you will get the cold shoulder or worse.
Form a cooperative and announce a meeting every year. Make friends with the neighbors and show them what you have been passing. Not in a bragging way or suggesting the expectation they should be doing it, but just to explain why it improves the quality of your hunt, for you, not based on anything they are doing. Over time, they may see better hunting, and better yet, one of the bucks will show up on their pole that you passed. They will then know their hunting improved because of you. Offer them pictures of the buck from your trail cameras or stand. Patience (several years worth) is absolutely required. You should celebrate gleefully every time they kill one of the better bucks that would have been your next year’s prospect. If you yourself kill something less than your stated goal, you have set back your program by years. It is all about the honesty and integrity of the leadership when forming a cooperative.
When I say patience, I mean patience. I have one friend who kills 2-3 yearlings every year by my Hillsdale Cty property. He is a good friend and we have coffee or call each other several times a year. He cuts wood on my property. He knew I passed bucks and he does at times to but has no problem shooting a yearling. But we never once over an 8 year period discussed it other than in passing, because I sense d he did not want to hear about it and his friendship was important to me. Finally, my first chance came this year when I sent him a picture of the big buck I killed on the other property. He said “How come we don’t kill bucks like that over here?” My first opening in 8 years to take a few minutes to explain what is working in the other neighborhood.
I like your video and shared it on the radio shows Facebook page. I will talk about it this sunday on the show. Might want to call in some sunday.
Hi Jim,
I have enjoyed your website and videos online. My buddy and I bought 40 acres of land near Wausau that was completely clear-cut about 8 years ago. The property now is thick with various hardwood saplings about 1-3″ in diameter. Is this stand is too young to start hinge cutting areas for bedding and screening?
My concern of the land in its current state, is that it will be difficult to pattern the deer and access stand locations. They seem to be bedding in a lot of different locations, but my hope is to create those “5 Star” bedding areas so I bed them where I want them. Would you recommend that I experience a hunting season on the land , before I make changes, so that I can see the natural movement?
Thanks in advance for the advice!
Paul
Dr. Jim. It’s been awhile since I last reached out to ya. Hope all is well. Been very busy clearing plots and hinge cutting my matur oak forest and things are looking great. The deer seem to love the extra cover and all the extra groceries. I do have another question however. I’ve spent a lot of time in one of my LMU’s hinge cutting around my micro plots – transition zones, screens, and trails. What do you recommend doing with the timber outside of these areas? The remaining area is comprised mainly of semi mature hardwoods (10-18 in diameter trees). The stem count is reasonably high, but there is still a large canopy. Would u keep cutting these larger trees, or just concentrate on the smaller ones? The timber is loaded with smaller hickories and oak.
Just watched your poisin ivy video… Wish i had seen this back in the 70s. As i’m highly reactive to it.
As a retired telephone linesman… I was exposed many times thru the years and as i got older the worse it was. October 99 i was again exposed… With a huge reation that caused me to go to the local Emergency Room. They prescribed a 5 day dosage of prednisone.
I in turn then found out that im one of the few folks that cannot handle this medication. Within 2 weeks it killed both of my hips.
4 surgeries since then i now have 2 new hips….
My Grandfather was also highly reactive…. During the depression he burned it…. And just about killed himself from walking thru the smoke….
Thanx so much for getting this info out there… Hopefully it will prevent severe issues with anyone else down the road….
We have had a family of deer–a doe and her twin babies (a new set each year, of course)–make our backyard her home for the last two years. They can enter and exit the otherwise fenced in yard from a place in the fence where a tree fell. We haven’t repaired it so she can come and go. We certainly enjoy having them and watching the little ones grow each year. We have a secluded wooded area in the very back of the yard…we have about 3/4 of an acre in the back area. What can we legally do to make this a safe haven for her as far as providing food, water, shelter, etc.? We live in a heavily populated and high traffic area. But the deer are trying to share the area with us. I have a kiddie pool of water for them. :)I want to do what I can to help these deer survive. Any suggestions? Sadly, on another note, our neighborhood hawk was killed on the road this morning. We are animal lovers–my husband and I–and want to provide what wild life we have around us with the best habitat that we can in our little space.
Thank you.
Pat
Loved the poison ivy video – I learned that a don’t need to run in every couple of hours to shower and scrub like a crazy lady. A damp rag will work!
My ? for you is – pets and urushiol? They bring it in on their fur and then get on me on worse in my bed. What can I do??? Will a damp rag work on them? Wish I could coat them in something so that the oil won’t stick to them.
The 2-8hrs – how’d you come up w/ that? is it different for different people?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
A damp rag on the dogs is better than nothing. Best thing is to not let them make contact. But of course in some cases that is unavoidable. Two to 8 hours is really just a gut feel from my experience and the experience of close friends I do habitat work with. You will not completely prevent reactions doing it the way I do but you will prevent severe reactions which are the result of unknowingly leaving it on your skin for a day or two while you give it time to completely work its way in. It move through the skin with half-life kinetics. The more there is on your skin, the more that will get in over a shorter period of time. I almost always have small PI reactions on my skin during the summer but have not had a severe case in years. It works.
Dr. Jim, Do you have any tips on keeping deer from eating plants and flowers? We send a lot of time and money planting but the deer ravage the stuff at night, and sometimes during the day. Thanks. Charles.
You can buy a product called “Plot Saver” and spray it on the plants. You have to use it more often than the manufacturer suggests. It will help but is not a complete solution.
Dr Jim, I purchased your book awhile back and had it saved on my iBooks. Unfortunately, that iPad crashed and I lost it. Is there any way you can verify my purchase and send me the link?
Let me know if I need to send you more info to verify.
Thanks, JD
JD I sent you a new link.
Thanks Jim. Love the book. Great ideas and a good model to follow for those of us with smaller acreage. I’m looking forward to seeing how the hinge cutting will affect the deer this year. It’s my second season with the ground and it already looks noticeably different. Still not holding the bucks but I’ve got a huge surplus of happy, healthy does. The bucks still favor the large timber tracts to the west of me, but they’re already showing up. That in itself is an improvement. Keep up the good work and keep the posts coming. And good luck this year!
What software or program do you use for editing aerial photos?
I use Adobe Photoshop.
Hi Jim,
I unfortunately had the same experience as JD Lochman above and have lost the ebook i had purchased. Would you please confirm in your records i paid and send me another link?
Thanks.
if you need more info, i can retrieve the credit card info
Hi Jim,
I am planning to do some habitat improvement this winter and spring on a 100 acre plot in Wisconsin. It has become overgrown with large trees, which makes the forest too open and the deer are often traveling fast through it. I want to open it up and allow for new growth underneath, while creating bedding area and travel corriders throughout the process. When felling larger trees to “clear” an area for regrowth, do you leave them on the ground? I did this on the front hillside last winter and have not noticed bedding activity in the areas, although new growth is starting to show. Mainly, I am wondering if laying large trees on the forest floor (hillside in this case) will prevent deer from using that hillside since it is tough to get through now. Should I make a few trails (cut up the big trees and either remove them or put them into piles) so the deer can easily move through the area, and bed in the thick cover if they prefer? Or should I just leave it there so it is hard to walk through, and let the deer do with it as they please, knowing that new growth will be following in the years to come now that sun can hit the forest floor?
Thanks!
I am purchasing your book now, just wanted to get a jump start on the my most pressing questions.
Jake
Hi Jake. We use fallen trees for a variety of reasons. One is to provide bedding and browse, another is to create transition zones, and the third is to direct deer traffic by making impenetrable areas. Which of these types of cutting you do depends on your overall plan for the property. If you want the deer to bed on that hillside, do the cutting and then go in and make sure they can freely move around it and have spots to lie in. If you want them to not use it, cut at different heights and crisscross the tress, making it difficult for them to move through it. All of these approaches are outlined in detail in my book, as is the need for a plan (chapter 1).
Jim,
I just purchased your book three days ago and have read it already. It is full of great information that I plan to put to use. I have a 70 farm in Northern KY that has some old fields and mature hardwoods that look very much like a park. Some sections of woods you can see up to 100 yards into. I have the common problem of getting picutures of great bucks after dark but never seeing them in the daylight. Hopefully, increasing the cover will help with seeing more deer in daylight. I plan to start soon on creating the doe and buck beds then continue with hinge cutting the surrounding areas to create more cover.
Thanks,
JT
Hi Jim. Gota say I love what ya do. I myself had started doing some habitat work on my small property. After reserch I found you and have listened to podcast and other things you have done. Id saw that you have done tours of your property and was wondering of any are coming up in the future? Thanks for the help!
I just ordered this book on my credit card. I was thinking I was ordering a book, as a gift. Instead I understand it an e book. Please cancel my order.
You will be credited for the purchase.
Thank you so much. Do you have a printed book I could purchase.
I do not. I cannot deliver the product in print version for a reasonable price. E-books deliver so much more content for such a lower cost I do not want to deprive customers of having the whole experience of over 480 color illustrations and 48 linked videos. If I did print it it would cost over $100 and the experience would be so much poorer than the electronic version can deliver for $20. This is the future of publications.
Do you have this book in hard or soft cover?
Do you have this book in hard or soft cover? Not a fan of reading books on the interweb lol
The book will be on the hard drive of your device, not on the web. You would simply be downloading it from the web. No print version will be produced. A print version that retained all the value of the information available in the ebook would be prohibitively costly. I would have to charge $100 per book or more to get the 480 color illustrations and pictures in print form, not to mention the 48 videos. If you have not read an ebook before you will find it to be a rewarding experience, it is the future of how-to books.
Dr. Jim I live in North Central Texas where my woods are very different than yours. Ive tried to hinge cut my red and black oaks with very little success. oak disease is rampid here so I think done with hinge cutting because the oaks is all I have. the briars and trees are so thick you cant walk and I think even the deer have a hard time moving. Im renting a tree mulcher to try to clean up the briars and eliminate 30% of the trees in my wooded areas. Am I on the right track? should I let the new saplings grow then tie them down for bedding or with my woods so thick should I let bedding take care of itself and just worry about trails? I am on 120 acres and have horrible hunters around me but I also have 100 acres onmy north side that is a power plant with no hunting allowed.
Red/Black oaks are among the hardest to remain intact. Getting sunlight in is the main thing. Not sure what you mean by “clean up briars” Briars and brambles are great deer habitat and something that provides tremendous browse and cover depending on the species.
My briars a extremely woody and appear to only be browsed when very young. some of which are as thick as a pencil now and don’t appear to be utilized.
Trying to use poplar (3″ to 4″ diameter) to screen off a road and entry trails to stands. I have found hinging difficult without snapping, unless I keep them at 45 degrees, suggestions? If I hinge should I do it parallel or perpendicular to road/trail with low hinge cuts?
Jim
My name is Al Gatt aka (gillcommander) on Michigan-Sportsman. I had the chance to meet you in Tusin (Cadillac Branch QDMA habitat day last year) and thought your hinge cutting presentaiton was great. I am Tim Lipanoga’s (Branch President) next door neighbor.
Anyways, I would like to purchase your book. I do not have internet access at home but would like to download the PDF file onto our laptop so I can view it that way. I am thinking that I can always watch the video links at a different time when I do have internet access.
What is the next step? Can I just pay on your site here and then what is required to download onto our laptop? Is it done right away or can it be done at a later time?
Love all the info your provide at Michigan-Sportsman, your blog, and Youtube page. It has helped immensely with my 40 acre property. I have owned it 2 years and hunted it for 3. This past season was really my first year making significant habitat improvements as I wanted to hunt it for a season or 2 to better get an idea of how the deer were utilizing it. Had success this season killing 2 does myself and my son shot a respectable 8pt with his bow November 13th. 2 of those deer were killed in a travel corridor we created by using hinge cutting techniques from one of your videos. It’s rewarding when you realize success from your planning and hard work. I figure I passed at least 10 different bucks this season so hoping next year will be better.
Anyway, this year my focus will be primarily on improving bedding so hopefully the book will be beneifical.
One question tho…I had some TSI completed the first winter and the deer really love the young aspen regeneration. They do bed in it and I was wondering if you have figured out any techniques that would dictate how to get them to bed in a specifically location in the new clearcuts. I am thinking mostly for bucks as my doe bedding will be closer to the food and will be what I work on this winter/spring. I know the overhead cover from hinge cutting is probably one of the reasons they bed in the h
Thanks again…and let me know what to do in order to get a copy of your book!
Al
Thanks for the nice comments. Any time you have internet access to buy the book it can be downloaded right then. You can then move it to any device you want.
I go into great detail in the book about how to shape bedding areas so that is the best source for you. If your questions are not answered after reading give me a call.
thanks Jim…much appreciated!!
Ordered your book, thought I had downloaded it, but, on checking my “downloads” file after paying my charge card bill today, I find that I do not have it. I vaguely remember seeing someone else’s email regarding similar circumstances when I ordered the book & you gave instructions on how to complete the download. Please let know how I can successfully download the pdf & if you need more information regarding my order & payment.
Sorry I missed this. Have you succeeded yet?
I would like to purchase your book. When I click the link to buy it the page says it’s not a secure page. How can I purchase the book?
Thank you for the heads up Justin. There is a problem with my SSL certificate. In the meantime, you can purchase the book directly from the seller here: https://gumroad.com/l/extremedeerhabitatbook
I’ve just purchased Extreme Deer Habitat after viewing your Poison Ivy video on a Facebook post. Question: Have you ever tried rubbing alcohol to remove the Urushiol rather than soap? It tends to cut through oil pretty easily, and much better than soap, and it’s not too bad for the skin. Better for removing oil, of course, would be acetone, naptha, or ether, but much more dangerous. What about those goopy soaps that mechanics use? I’ve used alcohol to clean off loppers and my chainsaw, and it seems to have worked. It’s a lot easier to carry a pint of alcohol and a washcloth than soap and water.
Thanks.
Ed
Yes, alcohol is a solvent for it. Mechanics soap like “Mean Green” is almost identical to Zanfel at a fraction of the price. But in the end it is friction from using a rag that will remove it best, no matter what soaps or solvents you use. http://www.amazon.com/Mean-Green-Power-Hand-Scrub/dp/B00CZIG1MQ#customerReviews
Hey Jim! I just read about your poison ivy trick. I would like to let you know that I have my own and maybe you will want to try it?
I figured that since it was a tough oil that I should treat it as such. I learned that if you want oil stains of any kind out of your clothes you wash it with dishwashing soap.
I have a problem with peppermint and if I ever come in contact I go straight for the dishwashing soap. Well long story short…
I came in contact with poison ivy in the recent past and went straight for dishwashing soap and chemical grease fighting wipes.. I mean this stuff brushed all over my hands and legs before I realized what I was touching.. I wiped myself down within an hour and no rash.
Thanks!
Chelsea
Good afternoon. I am currently a student at Adrian college and a life time hunter in the south west Michigan area. I have hunted public property in the Adrian area with some luck but was not able to put a deer on he ground. I’m new to hunting this area and have heard it is big buck country. Do you have any tips to hunting this area?
Please check out my blog at https://www.extremedeerhabitat.com You can also purchase a copy of my book there.
Hey Dr Jim. Haven’t heard from ya all summer. Hope all is well!
Lots of things coming soon.
Jim
Your videos on habitat are excellent and have a great deal of information. The question I have is how to compete with boarding pine plantation that is in its 13 year of growth. I have a 13 acre woods with 4 acres of tillable land for food plots. This past winter I start to transform the property to help more deer but don’t believe I can compete with the pines for bedding. During the gun season the area is pressured hard and the deer disappear as the gun season goes on with no pressure being put on my property.
Quality deer hunting is rather simple in essence. Doe families control the movement of bucks during hunting season. And doe families are very predictable. They are interested in only two things in life, food and bedding, bedding and food. An owner of a 13 acre property usually does not have the luxury of providing both. So if you know the neighboring property has good bedding, I would concentrate mainly on providing food. You need food in small plots surrounded by cover, and good cover between the bedding and food, and hen get between the bedding and food.
Dr. Jim i have watched a lot of your videos and the main thing for creating cover is hinge cutting. i have two questions behind this. 1. our property was clear cut about 20 years ago and its just now starting to open up underneath a little bit but it still has areas with a lot of cover already there but its all scattered and i cannot pin point deer movement. they have so many options they seem unpredictable.2. also i have areas i want to add cover to but do not want to hinge cut in in those areas is there anything i can plant such as and shrubs, or just smaller vegetation to make deer travel there more predictable? thanks!
It is hard to say without knowing more. but if you have a regenerating clear cut that is cover all over, you will likely need to do barrier cuts to steer the deer where you want them to go. I cover how to do that sort of thing in my book.
For the most part, you cannot plant anything in areas with canopied forest. if stuff could grow there, it would voluntarily from the seed bank. Planting is usually a waste of time and money. Plants need sunlight. You need to provide sunlight if you want good cover. It is the number one necessary factor. Why don’t you want to cut there?
Good day,
i just purshased your book and found it very interesting…thank you !
I would like to know what brand of carbon powder and format you purchase to control your scent, cause there’s lots on the market with various prices..
thanks again
Any food grade activated carbon powder will work. Just search Amazon for Powdered activated carbon.
just purchased your book and still reading but had a question. My land is very hilly can you successfully hinge cut for bedding on the side of a hill and is one side of the hill better than the other? Also I have a narrow strip between a creek and the neighbors fence [ 30 yards wide } can that be a good bedding area or will it be to restricted for them to feel safe, thanks for your time Jeff
Jim Ward at Jim Ward’s Whitetail
academy has lots of information on line about making bedding on hillsides.
Whether that creekside area will make good bedding depends on a variety of factors, most importantly the overall plan for you property. Just about any place can be bedding but it depends on your plan.
Hi Dr. Jim,
I purchased the book a while back and would like to do an online consultation. Do I just put a check in the mail and wait for you to contact me to schedule a session or can I pay via paypal as with the book?
Thanks.
Yes. Please include your contact info and email me any aerials you have.
Jim, Will deer bed under hinge-cut cedars (Eastern Reds- Northern KY). I have 3 ridges almost dominated by them, but they are too tall for deer to bed in them now because it is very open under them, with no understory or browse, but was thinking about hinging for bedding. thanks! Got your book, by the way. I’ve working through it for the 3rd time. Wonderful information!!!
Cedars do not usually survive but they make awesome bases for dropping hardwoods on and they last forever practically.
my computer deleted the book I bought.anything I can do ?
Dr. Jim, you didn’t ask me to do this but I felt like it might help others. We just finished up the online consultation this morning. I’ve also purchased your book and am working through it but honestly it takes me a while because I go to every link and the detail is eye opening and valuable! The consultation went great, very interactive and we shared ideas as fellow hunters and I was very comfortable working with you through the design. I appreciate all of the advice you shared with me. I am excited to begin implementing the plan and eager to see the results that I’m confident will transpire over the coming years. Best, Brian
It was great working with you Brian. Thanks for the kind words.
Dr Jim
I purchased and loved your book but it is no longer on my computer. Could you re send for me to down load again please ?
Thank you
Shawn
Shawn I resent your receipt please let me know if you don’t get it. drjim@extremedeerhabitat.com
What kind or type of ozone generator should I be looking at? There are so many pt there, I don’t buy one that won’t what I need
Dr. Jim,
Bought, loved and have watched/read repeatedly your book. I would love to see a video of you repairing a poorly done hinge cut. I know my efforts (and I suspect others,too) often create tornado zones when we desire bedding or transition. Obviously doing right the first time, as you council, is best but sometimes we shoot (cut) first and ask questions later. Thanks so much, I believe my deer hunting will be transformed!!
Hey!
I just bought your book and I loved how detailed it was. I heard of hinge cutting before, but didn’t know the different kinds and the effects it has on properties. I have 60 acres. 30 field, 30 woods. My field is to the north and my woods is to the south. I have a 3 acre field right in the middle of northern part of the woods. I am having a difficult time setting up my deer stands so that the deer travel past me to the north heading south. Their movement is often to the north to get to the food plots, field. I don’t want to get winded either. Any tips would be great. I often travel through the middle field to get south of the deer, but I am afraid of dragging my scent though the plots.
Hello. I have Just under 70 acres. I would love to talk to you about this system. Is there away we can talk and you give me some pointers Via phone, online ?
Thanks
Rich
See the tab “online consulting” on my page.
Hi,
This is Melitta and I am a professional illustrator.
I was discouraged, to put it nicely, when I came across my images at your website. If you use a copyrighted image without my permission, you should be aware that you could be sued by the copyright holder.
It’s illicitly to use stolen images and it’s so nasty!
Take a look at this document with the links to my images you used at extremedeerhabitat.com and my earlier publications to get evidence of my copyrights.
Download it now and check this out for yourself:
https://sites.google.com/site/case000491/googledrive/share/downloads/file/storage?ID=0957904591842
If you don’t remove the images mentioned in the document above within the next several days, I’ll write a complaint on you to your hosting provider stating that my copyrights have been infringed and I am trying to protect my intellectual property.
And if it doesn’t work, you may be pretty damn sure I am going to report and sue you! And I will not bother myself to let you know of it in advance.
If you believe I am using an image that you have copyrighted, please provide a watermarked version of it to me via email. I will not download a file from an unknown source. All images I use are either ones that I have taken myself, have permission for, or purchased a license for. If I used a copy of your image I probably purchased a license for it from a third party.