Cutting Trails..

[Jackalope]

Went down to the hunting land in southern Ohio a few months ago to do a little trail clearing.. There are two killer setups that i had to go the long away around to get to for a couple years. Mead came in about 3 seasons ago and timbered Out around 250 acres of 50 year old hardwoods. They left the logging roads passable by skidders only.. I was so pissed. They took the tops and drug them into the skidder trails and crunched them down.. Great for keeping a skidder from sinking but impossible for four wheelers. Another way through was by cutting through a old gravel strip mine. However an ice storm 2 years ago decided to make it impassable. Since the hardwoods were not there to offer protection to the pines along the high walls they got covered with ice and fell into the mine.

Needless to say some chainsaw work was in order.. I thought i could knock it out rather quick and clear some other trails a log or two fell across... 3 hours and 2 gallons of gas later i had made it through the mine.. Walking around it i never noticed how many were actually in there... All that saw work and looking around reminded me of being back home after a hurricane came through.

The good news is now i can stay below ground level and sneak in.. One of the stands is on the edge of the clear cut on a big ridge shelf.. They left 8 big oaks on the shelf for erosion control. So it's just a clear cut with 8 big oaks and over 200 acres of pines to my back.. The problem is it didn't leave much cover for a stand..

I'll be sure to post some pics from that stand this year.

 

[RedCloud]

Did you toss the cutoffs over to the side ? That is a ton of work buddy and I hope it works out for you and can't wait to see some more pics. Looks like a great spot to hunt.

 

[Jackalope]

Yeah I tossed em to the sides.. But tried to pile them up in spots so i didn't block any deer trails. Did I mention I HATE cutting fallen pines.. Good thing i had a bunch of experience doing it as a kid after hurricanes. You really have to read the logs. Every log is under pressure, and every limb is under pressure. Cut the wrong one and you could get your jaw broke right now.. Or worse they shift and roll on you... Many a logger has been killed after getting hit in the chest or throat by a springpole. Other than that, you just have to read the logs so the saw blade doesn't get pinched. But you know that being a landscape guy.

And for some reason, pine sawdust burns like hell when it hits sweat... Our cabin doesn't have running water, unles you count the crick. The crick happened to be running at a good clip. I went up the holler with some soap and a rag and took a bath.. Nothin like standin naked taking a shower in the middle of the woods.

 

[Buckmaster]

That's one thick mess. That should hold some deer very well. Good area.

 

[rgecko23]

hahahahahaha.......for some reason you taking a bath in the creek doesnt surprise me at all hahahahah

I hear ya though, when I was cutting trails and doing my food plot on last sunday I spilled gas all over my ass and fourhweeler when the can came loose, then the pine was burnig my arms, glad i brought some extra clothes....pretty much sucked

 

[brock ratcliff]

Dang, Jack, that's a ton of work. I hope it pays off for ya. I trim paths into my stands around home. The woods are so small, you are sneaking right in on top of deer, so you have to get in there sneaky-like. Amazing how close you can get to deer without a bunch of sticks snapping underfoot.

 

[swantucky]

Funny how quick the deer will take over "your" trails. When the leaves start piling up I take the leaf blower to the trails behind the house. You can slip right into your stand....

 

[formerbowhunter1023]

I've had great luck clearing trails and having deer take them over. Hopefully you see the same results buddy!

 

[CJD3]

Ball busten work but now its done and the deer will use em. I feel for ya regarding cutting pines. Hard work...
The picts really get the point across.

 

[jagermeister]

Good work there, Joe. It'll definitely be worth the effort when deer season starts.