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Closed Edge Hinge Cuts

The trees in the picture above were hinge cut parallel to the edge of a food plot to block deer travel. This is an example of a “Closed Edge Hinge Cut.”

A “Closed Edge Hinge Cut” is a section of trees that are Hinge Cut in a row, all hinging in the same direction. Whether it is along a field edge or confined within a woodlot, this technique is an effective way to encourage predictable deer movement patterns with the intent of getting deer within range of your stand.

Hinge Cutting in a Bedding Thicket

Whether it is it a bedding thicket, a micro clear-cut, or a temporary forest opening, it is the same thing. A change in forest structure encourages sun-loving species to establish and increase the stem density to break up the monotony of the woodlot.

This is accomplished by opening up the canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate the forest floor. When executing a bedding-thicket cut, in my opinion your goal should be 80% sun exposure. Of the trees that you cut, no more than 25% of them should be hinged.

The reason for the handicap on hinged trees is two-fold. These bedding thickets will mature as time passes. They should be maintained every couple of years by treating invasive species, selectively felling trees that begin to shade the site, and observing how much deer use has occurred at the location. The more trees are hinged, the more difficult it is to maneuver within and maintain the site.

On February 25, 2023 one of my game cameras took a picture of the first buck that had shed it’s antlers after the 2022 deer season in our area.

So now, I have an eye out for more shed buck  pictures.

What is a Hinge Cut?

The purpose of hinge cuting is to get the tree canopy to the forest floor without killing the tree. After cutting most of the way through the trunk, you leave a portion of the trunk intact to act as a hinge as you push the tree over.

What used to be 15 feet in the air is suddenly 3 feet off the ground. You now have browse, food and cover in a spot that previously possessed neither.

Once hinge cut, a tree stays alive because the cambium layer, which is responsible for nutrients and water transfer within the plant, remains unbroken. You get immediate cover on the ground, and you now maintain new browse where deer can reach it.

The Drawbacks of Hinge Cutting

Many forest stand improvement (FSI) projects are difficult to undo. Whether it is a thinning, a bedding thicket, an edge feather, or a hinge cut, it can take years to regenerate a poorly executed cut.

I see it often with hinge cutting. The landowner completes a hinge cut along an access trail and then jump deer every time hunters to access their stand. By creating horizontal structure, which is often absent in mismanaged woodlots, they have conditioned the deer to loiter in that location. Unless heavy equipment such as a forestry mulcher or bulldozer is used, the landowner is stuck with the mess until the trees finally succumb to their injuries and are shaded out by the remaining standing timber.

Florida bowhunter Ryan takes us with him via Video on a bowhunt in a wild hog infested Florida swamp and arrows a huge wild hog.

   It’s A Wild Life

An adult wild hog’s stomach holds 5 to 8 quarts of food, and they consume 5% of their whole body weight each day.

Wild hogs are omnivorous opportunists. This is because they eat both plants and animals. They eat lizards, wild mice, bird eggs, rodents, insects, or snakes as well as wild acorns and planted crops.

They frequently adjust to being nocturnal during the summer. Once the summer weather heats up wild hogs begin searching for food at dawn and at dusk in order to avoid the intense rays of the sun.

One reason the heat bothers wild hogs is they do not have sweat glands, so they can not cool off from naturally from the heat. So in the summertime they they sleep during the day’s heat and hunt at night.

Here is a list of some of the plants, fruits, and crops a wild hog consumes:

GrassWild OnionsWild GarlicAcornsRootsBulbsFungiPeachesPersimmonsWheatOatsPotatoesCantaloupeRiceCornMyloCloverWatermelon

And these are the animals wild hogs eat:

EarthwormsBirdsSnailsCarrionDeer FawnsInsectsCrayfishReptilesFrogs

At times wild hogs will consume tree bark if usual wild foods become limited. Wild hog soil disturbance by aggressive rooting and foraging accelerates the spread of invasive plants. Although it does not happen often, there has been at least one recorded case of a pack of wild boars attacking, killing, and eating an adult, healthy female axis deer.

Feral Hog Numbers in All 50 States

Here’s a list of the wild feral hog populations by each state for all USA states:

Alabama: 250,000Alaska: noneArizona: 1,000Arkansas: 200,000California: 400,000Colorado: noneConnecticut: noneDelaware: noneFlorida: 500,000Georgia: 600,000Hawaii: 400,000Idaho: noneIllinois: 20Indiana: 1,000Iowa: 1,000Kansas: 400Kentucky: 2,000Louisiana: 750,000Maine: unknownMaryland: noneMassachusetts: noneMichigan: 5,000Minnesota: noneMississippi: 200,000Missouri: 100,000Montana: noneNebraska: noneNevada: unknownNew Hampshire: unknownNew Jersey: 1,000New Mexico: 500,000New York: noneNorth Carolina: 100,000North Dakota: noneOhio: 2,000Oklahoma: 1,500,000Oregon: 5,000Pennsylvania: 3,000Rhode Island: noneSouth Carolina: 450,000South Dakota: noneTennessee: unknownTexas: 3,000,000Utah: unknownVermont: noneVirginia: 3,000Washington: unknown but sighted in eastern countiesWest Virginia: 1,000Wisconsin: 1,000Wyoming: none

Wild hogs are omnivorous and eat both natural fauna and planted farm crops and also wild animals of all sizes and species. Wild Pigs have heads and shoulders designed for plowing up the ground with their snouts and sharp tusks to unearth roots of plants with dirty, but apparently tasty, tuberous roots.

Hogs are perfectly equipped to dig up the burrows of ground-dwelling animals. They locate, kill and eat tens of thousands of small and young animals that succumb to their violent attacks when they are caught unawares. Ground-nesting birds are a wild hog favorite; wild hogs of all ages attempt to kill or run off the adults. They eat the eggs, and trample the nesting grounds.

They compete with deer and wild turkeys for some of the same food sources, causing them to migrate out of the area when food becomes scarce. Studies have shown that the biodiversity of lower vertebrates in forested areas infested with wild hogs is 26% lower than normal.

They also trample, root around in, and wallow in natural and stock ponds, streams, and springs;  polluting them for fish or for other animals to drink. Another invasive spinoff is introducing disease-bearing bacteria into the water that can go far downstream. In fact, feral pigs can host up to 34 diseases that livestock, wildlife, or human beings can catch from contact with them, or even eating their meat or being bitten my them.

Wild hogs also do tremendous damage to farmland and other private property. They uproot and trample valuable crops in fields, destroy gardens and landscaping, and can break down or root under fences, allowing other animals to escape. They can be quite aggressive and are able to inflict serious injuries with their tusks and teeth.

Today’s Wild hogs are descendants of Eurasian wild boars and sows brought to America by explorers from Europe and Asia to be released as a food source for colonists. Once released in America these wild pigs bred prolifically.

It is interesting to note that the original Pigs were first brought to the ‘New World’ by Christopher Columbus and were released to multiply on islands of the West Indies to provide a food supply for future colonists. This practice continued with the Spanish and other explorers in the 16th-17th centuries arriving who arrived at the West Indies and southern parts of what is today the United States.

These domestic pigs periodically escaped from Farms and joined the ever growing feral (wild) pig populations of nearby areas. Now, 500 years after their introduction to the Americas the feral numbers today are estimated to be as high as 9 million, just in the United States.

Wild hogs are an invasive species that has multiplied across the United States for 6 centuries and now numbers close to 10 million. They do huge damage to the environment in 40 states of the U.S.A. Their damage brings economic and ecological damage to thousands of farms and rural area homes. Also they carry many different diseases that can spread through populations of both domestic and wild animals as well as humans. Furthermore they can be aggressive toward people and domestic animals.

States are using a variety of methods to attempt to get them under control, including hunting, trapping, poisoning, and sterilization. Humanely decreasing their numbers is vital to preserving the diversity of the natural environment as well as valuable farmland and other private property.

Following the rut and entering late winter, all deer voluntarily reduce their daily activity, including basic moving around and even feeding, to slow the burn of those fat reserves until the first green plants emerge in spring. As crazy as it sounds, faced with extreme winter weather and having already lost weight, deer eat less. Even captive deer with unlimited food available reduce their daily consumption and continue to lose weight during winter.

Why? If you think about it, from a survival standpoint and proliferation of the species, relying on the best winters when temperatures are mild and food is abundant doesn’t make a lot of sense because those conditions are rare occurrences. So, deer have adapted to live through the worst winters possible. It’s probably one reason they’ve survived for so long.

However, there is a limit to this strategy and the supply of fat reserves that carry them through winter: time. Researchers have shown that a typical healthy doe begins winter with a 90-day fat supply. Deer can survive almost anything Mother Nature throws at them during those three months. The ticking clock begins winding down in March and is the reason why weather patterns in this month often play the biggest role in winter deer mortality.

If you’re concerned about deer survival, the best thing to do to help them get through the critical last days is break out the chainsaw and provide more of the food they are adapted to eat in winter.

Deer Behavior During Severe Weather

People avoid severe winter environments by simply changing locations to get away from the cold. Even though deer don’t have the ability to go inside or fly south for a few months, they in essence do the same. In general, deer will move to and congregate in areas that provide the best protection from the weather when conditions aren’t favorable, such as seeking shade when the mercury rises.

Thinking about a new crossbow?  TenPoint has beefed up its flagship bow for 2023 with special bracing to thrive in tough hunting conditions.  At 460 fps, it sends a sizzling arrow to the target and can be cocked and uncocked with the turn of a handle.  Check out what’s new for ’23.

 

Don’t forget support gear like a custom bow case to keep dust and dirt from cables and cams.  TenPoint offers broadheads in fixed and expandable models.  www.TenPointcrossbows.com 

Maryland has one of the most liberal deer limits in the East.  A non-resident can buy one license and take up to four bucks, two turkeys, and small game for less than $200.  The swamps and thickets of Maryland’s Eastern Shore have long been the haunt of big bucks using this dense terrain to grow old.  The Hopkins family offers hunts for all seasons as Brad explains in this video:

Check out the Hopkins website at www.hopkinshunting-clays.com or email them at hopkinshunting@gmail.com

The cost of a guided Alaskan moose hunt is around $25,000, well beyond the reach of most hunters.  However, if you are willing to put your woodsmanship to the test, Willow Air of Alaska will set you afloat on a DIY hunt for about $12K.  That’s still a fair piece of change but it will never be less.  This brief video tells the basics and can be the first step to a dream hunt come true.  Since hunts have been restricted by COVID in recent years, the timing is right for a monster bull.

 

Among the many wonders of the white-tailed deer, antlers ALWAYS cast the longest shadow. We have talked about the formula for big antlers multiple times in this blog over the years. It is (in this order):

Age, thenEnvironmental conditions (e.g., food quantity and quality), and thenGenetics.

Despite the fact that letting a deer grow older, having better nutrition, and reducing stress produces larger antlers on all males, genetics still gets much of the attention.

 From Penn State College Of Agricultural Research: Whitetail Deer

Fortunately, our ability to monitor genetics in a population has become easier and less expensive in the past decade. Two presentations at recent scientific meetings provide some insights into the importance of genetics in white-tailed deer and human’s ability to manipulate genetics to produce more males with larger antlers. Both studies were conducted by the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University – Kingsville.

The first study tested the “inferior” genes dogma by culling 1.5-year-old males with small antlers at 3 different rates: no culling (a control), moderate, and intensive. They captured 2,937 individual males and culled 1,333 of them. Over the 7 years of the study, they culled 85% – 100% of yearling males at the ‘intensive’ culling rate.

Eddie Salter has been a leading turkey caller and hunting expert for decades.  Here at the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show, he speaks directly to bowhunters on ways to up their game.  If you are thinking about hunting turkeys with a bow, Mr. Turkey has the plan.

You can find more information from Salter at [email protected] or call (251) 227-0741.

 

Mark Kayser is one of the nation’s leading experts on hunting public land.  At the Great American Outdoor Show, he speaks to applying for preference points in order to draw coveted big game licenses.  I caught him just before he gave a seminar on deer and elk hunting.

 

Search Mark Kayser on YouTube and you will find a host of information.  He’s the guru of DYI, and his tips can save you thousands of dollars while increasing success.

A Florida hog hunt is the perfect adventure between deer and turkey season.  Escape the cold weather of winter to the moderate temps of Florida’s Western coast.  You can hunt with bow, crossbow, rifle, or pistol, but be prepared for action.  These hogs have just been trapped from the wild and they are mad as hell.

Spot and stalk if you dare.

Perfect Eating Size

Tiger Island’s special has been three 100-pound hogs for $250 and I’ve maxed out on my three trips to hog heaven.  Last year, I had to “help” two buddies with their harvest and took a total of five.  Using a Wicked Ridge 400 fps bow and Burris rangefinding sight, I took all five pigs with five arrows.  I stalked two of them that never moved after the shot, incredible stopping power from an arrow.

150-grain Sevr Robusto heads proved incredibly durable and lethal.

Great Gear Test

If you are considering a new bow or broadhead for 2023, this is the perfect test track.  These wild hogs have grown up amongst the gators, snakes, and other predators of the swamps and have great stamina.  Your shots need to be accurate and well-timed for instant lethality.  Using a 400 fps bow and Sevr broadheads, I’ve never had a hog run more than 30 yards.  The Burris Oracle X crossbow sight performed flawlessly, even in dense swamp cover.

Tune up before you hunt.

Great Facilities

Tiger Island Outfitters has a small cabin and target range adjacent to the hunting area.  Groups of 6 or fewer can stay overnight at the cabin with a campfire and outdoor adventure.  Targets are adjacent so that you can assure your bow is precisely on target.  This arrow came from an Excalibur 360 Micro using a Burris FastFire red dot scope.  Since most shots are 30 yards or less, a red dot sight is an excellent choice.

Several tree stands are permanently set on the property.

Ambush or Stalk

During my three trips to Tiger Island Outfitters, I’ve hunted high and low.  The property has several tree stands and ground blinds that are ideal for ambush hunting.  Spot and stalk hunting is the most action-packed, yet you must be nimble on your feet.  I got within 50 yards of a feeding bore when it suddenly charged me like a freight train.  This hog was running as fast as it could right for me.  I waved my arms and yelled, causing it to veer off course, but my heart pounded noticeably in my chest.

The NRA Great American Outdoor Show offers some of the greatest hunts in the world.  Van Hale’s spring black bear hunts are the perfect example.  He has exclusive access to Native American reservations where bears grow to a huge size such that many of Hale’s clients take Boone & Crocket specimens.

Van Hale specializes in hunting the Southwest for deer, elk, bear, and mountain lion.  You can reach him at www.trophyoutfitters.com or call him at 928-333-5290.  Better yet, talk to him in person at the GAOS that runs through Sunday.

 

Sharing the video of a hunt is exciting whether you take the shot or not.  Doing so can reduce your chance of success, especially with bulky tripods and large cameras.  Now you can have your smartphone on your crossbow where it’s easy to control and capture great video.  This clip is from the NRA Great American Outdoor Show going on through Sunday in Harrisburg and is definitely worth the trip.

MAG-PRO X CROSSBOW PHONE MOUNT

The Painted Arrow MAG-PRO X is the ultimate POV Smartphone solution for Crossbow Hunters. The MAG-PRO X mount is designed so you can quickly and silently attach your smartphone to your crossbow and then video your hunts and shots.  Videoing your hunts has never been easier! Check their website at www.paintedarrowoutdoors.com or phone (419) 318-9370