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Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer

Posted on by Dr Jim — 12 Comments ↓

This video shows the cutting of over 100 trees by one man in 2 hours on a south facing hillside. This area is currently used for deer bedding, including doe beds and buck beds, but so is the other side of the hill. I want to discourage bedding on the other side because deer can observe my approach to my deer stand from there. To do so, I optimize bedding on the south side of the hill, and destroy bedding on the north side (see earlier blog post “I destroy a buck bed!”). I used a habitat hook that could be extended to 16 feet. Without it, I would not have been able to do so much habitat work or keep so many hinge cut trees from breaking. With the leverage from the habitat hook I was able to stop cutting sooner, so the tree would not lean back to pinch my saw or fall forward on its own with the possibility of breaking off, and push or pull trees down gently. Extendable habitat Hooks are available from www.nationscreations.net I receive no compensation for any product I recommend, but do the recommendations only because I want to get the best tools in people’s hands.

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Hinge cut bedding area for whitetail deer
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How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!

Posted on by Dr Jim — 249 Comments ↓
Holding Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy 150x150 How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!

Scientist and wildlife habitat enthusiast Jim Brauker holding a poison ivy leaf.

I am very allergic to poison ivy yet am no longer afraid to touch it because I understand how to avoid getting a rash.

When I retired as a research scientist I had been involved in studies of wound healing, immunology, and  inflammation of the skin for over 25 years. Get healthy products for your skin, check this link “eye masks amazon“. After retiring I started spending much of my time in the woods doing work on deer habitat. I had several serious bouts with poison ivy before I decided I was either going to figure things out or quit working in the woods.  I figured it out. I know now how poison ivy works, and so I doubt I will ever have a serious rash again. If I do, it will be my fault not the fault of the poison ivy. Watch this video and I believe that you will be convinced that you do not have to fear poison ivy.  How it infects you is actually no mysterious at all but is really quite simple.  You can act to never have a serious poison ivy rash again.

My upcoming book, “Extreme Deer Habitat” will have an entire chapter with lots of other tips about how to prevent and treat poison ivy, oak, and sumac reactions.

Click HERE for more videos and articles on Deer Habitat and Hinge Cutting

 

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again!
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Posted in gardening, toxic plants, Uncategorized, wildlife habitat

Use of an Arborist’s Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area

Posted on by Dr Jim — No Comments ↓

Here I use an arbortist’s hook to push or pull down about 100 trees in 2 hours all by myself. It is an indispensable tool because it allows you to guide the tree to the ground while maintaining a solid hinge that will seldom break.

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Use of an Arborists Hook to Pull Down Trees When Hinge Cutting to Create a Deer Bedding Area
Posted in Uncategorized

I destroy a Buck Bed!

Posted on by Dr Jim — No Comments ↓
Natural whitetail buck bed

I found this buck bed in a small willow stand next to my CRP field. It is a classic example of a buck bed with overhanging willow trees and easy escape results, in good cover, and with an unfortunate view of a trail to my stand only about 10 yards away.

buck bed sized I destroy a Buck Bed!

So I pulled my trusty Silky Sugowaza handsaw from its scabbard and wrecked the bed by cutting willows and dropping them in the bed to make it uninhabitable.  I also wrecked other potential spots and opened up some of the brush with my bush hog so that the cover was reduced.

wrecked bed sized I destroy a Buck Bed!

The bed was located at the base of a small hill. One of my plans this summer is to hinge cut a bunch of black cherry trees on the other (south facing) side of the hill to provide excellent bedding within about 100 yards of this spot. That should solve the problem of bucks bedding where they can monitor my activities.

destroyed bed aerial edited 1 I destroy a Buck Bed!

 

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px I destroy a Buck Bed!
Posted in Uncategorized

Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat

Posted on by Dr Jim — No Comments ↓

Soft maples can really be a problem when hinge cutting because they tend to break off. There are a number of ways to prevent them from breaking but first and most important is to not cut too far through the tree, which is the most common mistake I see people making,  This short video shows how a little bit means a lot.

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Prevent break offs when hinge cutting trees for deer habitat
Posted in Uncategorized

Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association’s Annual Habitat Day at Jim Brauker’s Farm

Posted on by Dr Jim — No Comments ↓

I was honored to invite over 170 people to walk my farm on April 5th 2014.  We heard a presentation from QDMA’s Kip Adams, toured a hinge cut bedding area, demonstrated how to make a hinge cut bedding area, showed how the deer were using transitional food plots and destination food plots, heard about native grasses and how to optimize them from DNR biologist Mike Parker, who also led us on a toru of my hanging fen habitat, and visited an area the deer yarded in during the winter.  It was a chilly morning but it warmed up and I think everybody had a great time.  Plus there were free hot dogs.

 

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Southeast Michigan Branch of the Quality Deer Management Associations Annual Habitat Day at Jim Braukers Farm
Posted in Uncategorized

Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat

Posted on by Dr Jim — 2 Comments ↓

Many people are unwilling to hinge cut oak trees. That may often be a mistake. For optimum mast production, oaks should have some breathing room. A hinge cut oak tree laying on its side may produce valuable browse at a deer’s level 365 days a year rather than just producing acorns seasonally. As with everything, variety is the key to deer habitat.

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Oak Trees are not Sacred when it comes to Hinge Cutting for Whitetail Habitat
Posted in Uncategorized

Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement

Posted on by Dr Jim — No Comments ↓

Here I describe how to improve the cover in a reed canary grass field by cutting and dragging trees to make a travel lane. The grass grows up through the branches of the dragged trees, so that they remain standing all winter long while the other grasses not supported by trees fall to the ground.

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Make A Tree Top Traffic Lane to Direct Deer Movement
Posted in Uncategorized

Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan

Posted on by Dr Jim — 1 Comment ↓

You won’t believe what the deer on my property were eating in the late winter of 2014. We had heavy snow that completely curtailed the use of food plots and forced the deer into areas of brush and evergreen trees.  But the main food source was a plant that grows in abundance in one spot but is not a deer favorite most of the year.  The common name is horsetail.  Now, when you see how this was being hammered by the deer, you may be tempted to try to cultivate it on your property. That may or may not be a good idea.  Their use of it in this case was very situational. This happens to be an area with flowing water about 18 inches below the surface 365 days per year, keeping the ground warmer than the surrounding fields.  Plus there was lots of other food in this spot, including willows, red osier dogwoods and white pines, all of which are preferred browse, and all of which also got hammered. The key to successfully helping deer get through the winter is to provide variety in the habitat.  Have enough variety, and they will figure out what they need at any given time to make it through stress periods, whether it be winter in Michigan or summer in Florida. In this video I add some hinge cutting to the area they were using and they begin to use it within about 5 minutes after I leave.

 

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  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
  • wp socializer sprite mask 32px Winter Deer Yarding and Hinge Cutting in Southern Michigan
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