Great info as always. I was looking for an affordable property in SE Ohio and I normally would have looked for Oak trees near some ag. But I watched about 50 of your lessons. I found a parcel that was inexpensive because it was knarly. Tree tops littered the property, lots of “trash trees” and thick briars of all types. It was a deer cover paradise in a Valley between 3 hardwood ridges. It had super easy no pressure access. I bought it and all last fall I watched beautiful bucks all fall come pouring in and out of my property all day long going from ridge to ridge. The does stayed all day on my property. Just wanted to thank you because I would never have given this parcel a glance in the past. I have the water, cover and browse that the mountains lack. 👍🏻

@jacobjanka7578

2 жыл бұрын

how many acres is your property

Thank you for another great information packed video. Of all the different channels I've watched, you do the best by far explaining the "why" behind all of the recommendations that you make.

Thanks for all the info on hinge cutting. We will be doing more hinge cutting on the two areas you suggested soon. About 20% of the bucks have dropped their antlers. thanks, Bob

🤣 the mental picture of a bunch of trampolines in the woods had me in stitches

Many thanks sir,for all your efforts sharing your experience and knowledge in these videos,they have been very useful,entertaining,interesting and thought provoking.greetings from Mississippi.

0:25 wow really sweet looking Bucks on Jeffs wall, i enjoy your videos so much, ive never learned so much from one channel as i have here, thanks again, you have obviously put in your time.

keep up the great content Jeff. I have been wondering why not use controlled burns and glad you answered in this video

I plan to do some hinge cutting this weekend, mainly for side cover, but for browse too.

Jeff, this is a really great video and I'm basing this off of my own experience on what works and what doesn't work depending on the goals of the property. You're exactly right, can't say never about any of the practices. My farm doesn't necessarily need any hinge cuts other than screening. I am cutting some timber to open up some areas. And placed the doe bedding right against the food. It works. Proven, done, on to the next thing. I do some prescribed burning for the birds. They can't get to the dirt with accumulated debris and they need it, so I pick sections every year to achieve that. But dude, you're right it all depends on what your property goals are and I don't understand why some folks try to knock ya when you say right up front, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR GOALS BUT IF YOU'RE AFTER WHITETAILS DO THIS..... thanks for all the videos bud. I watch ya every day .

Great video. New subscriber . I hunt on 20-25 acres , not much ,but it produces at times. That's what I want to get away from, the at times part. I want it to produce all the time. I want to be able to at least see more. I'm thinking of hinge cutting ,but I want to cut the correct trees . Food plot and water through will soon be on the way too. You have inspired me to try this. The property is only used for wildlife and the conservation of it. No pressure during most of the year. Only when my 12 year old wants to camp and look for box turtles 🐢. Here in Pennsylvania that's just about unheard of lol. Little long winded ,but you truly inspired me to try. Thank you

Another good video. You mention a fair amount that clear cuts are beneficial, and i completely agree, but i haven't noticed a video of yours laying out the how, why, where, and when of it. Just an idea for another video for you.

Thank you sir I love listening to your programs on deer, I copied a couple of them for some of my neighbors that believe if you shoot all the dolls new ones will come in nothing drives me more Wild have a great New Year good hunting to you

I've done a lot of hinge cutting for bedding on 3 different properties in michigan. (After that "bootcamp") even though I have found beds under the canopy in the snow, I agree that the side cover is the most important element. I have seen deer bed within the side cover aswell on the outside. Proving that the overhead was unnecessary.

Oh I seen 8-9 quail on my lease day before yesterday and 4 woodcocks I’m glad to see them

I've done just a few hinge cuts for cover on perimeter trail to conceal in and out of woods

Hey brother how’s your evening going I pray great Amen 🙏. We’re supposed to get a little snow tonight I pray it does Amen 🙏

Where i hunt on public land about 6 or 7 years ago they did a prescribed burn it’s just now getting were i can hunt in the area deer and turkey are starting to use it again it was once my favorite site

excellent vid, thanks!! very well explained..

AwEsOmE! God Bless you Sir, and THAnKS

Great information jeff

@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Rich...I hope it helps you out!

Hurricane Michael did plenty of hinge cutting to the roots, so there is plenty of woody browse for the deer now!!!!!

Just did a bunch of hing cutting today to make a travel corridor

I'm working on my land that is packed with smaller black ash and it hinge cuts very well. The few largest ones I'm just dropping on the ground and then the wood becomes food for the mycorrhiza fungi that will feed the other growth in the surround. Nice talk (again).

@RickLarsonPermacultureDesigner

4 жыл бұрын

On the burning issue every time a burn happens it kills soil life and seriously reduces available nitrogen and potassium - could take 30 years to be reestablished. With every burn the clock is set ever backwards from a sustainable fertile condition.

Jeff, I always enjoy your videos. I'm curious why you don't do your hinge cuts even lower (say 18 to 24 inches). It seems the new shoots would be within reach of the deer longer. Is there a reason not to go lower? Is it because you think you get better side cover? Thanks.

So what would you recommend for mature stands of poplar and aspen? They cast alot of shade and have very little to offer underneath them.

Jeff- Any experience with planting the hybrid Pitch Loblolly Pine inside timber regen areas? As a faster growing substitute (and less likely deer browsed) than white pine or white spruce?

Jeff, I have a few old apple trees on the field edges on the property that I hunt. Do you think it is important to trim them as part of the food supply or not worry about them if they are not in the correct location.

Using what I learned from following Jeff, I did some hinge cutting (in pockets) that was mostly pole timber size mixed forest (no side cover) with no deer bedding (they were bedding on the neighbor's). Within 1 week I had deer bedding in those cut areas. Add a little fertilizer to help the new under-story growth (given adequate sun) and these areas get thick fast! That Habitat Hook really helps control the process.

Hey Jeff, was hoping you still had April 22nd open for a property visit in Cass City Michigan. Sorry to keep bugging you. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t lose my opportunity to book with you as I know you are about full for this year. Diane also said you would be in Michigan June 10-17. Just wanted to lock in my spot. Thanks again.

@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Andrew, it will be awesome to see you! I do not handle bookings in any way and we only hold bookings with a deposit...at least within 2-3 weeks of booking. Make sure to follow up with Diane...she handles all of my bookings and is the boss of the schedule 😁 I just go where she tells me

@andrewmuntz4981

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jeff. I only messaged you because I followed up with an email and voicemail after me and Diane talked. Thanks again.

Hey Jeff what do you thank I should do I have a train track on the one side of my 15 acre parcel do you thank the train is spooking deer. And what should I do?

Would love to see a show on what to do with buckthorn. So much on my property.

Is there any reason to hinge cut cedars or should you just cut them and remove??

I told the landowner the other day I’m goin to put a big plot on top this year he said do what I want to do. I knew he wouldn’t say anything but I run it past him anyways. We’ve got extreme flooding here it’s goin to be a month before it dries out enough to turn the ground enough to put a plot out. One guy I know told me this morning that they got 5 inches of rain yesterday and last night. Schools are closed here on account of roads flooded. A big boat dock floated off and boats came down the lake a mile away

The landowner on my lease is getting the idea to cut the timber on the place. The white oaks are starting to get dead limbs in the tops now I noticed. There’s some great oaks and poplar on the place I’ll admit. I’m not sure if I’m goin to keep suggesting the timber get cut on the place or not

I heard you talk about basswood in other videos is it worth planting if I don’t have it thanks

Hey Jeff, what do you recommend doing with areas of hardwoods that have been select cut 8-10 years ago and at this point I have a bunch of red/white oaks that are 10-18" diameter that are too young to harvest but create a full canopy/picnic area style of habitat? Only a 25 acre property so I don't want to waste any potential timber value.... Thanks Also having a hard time finding info on the invasive honeysuckle bush (not vine) that we see a lot of here in South-Central Pennsylvania. Deer do not seem to like it to browse or bed.

Jeff, you talk about the diversity in switch grass patches. Would planting Thicket plums or raspberry bushes mixed in the switch grass fields make sense?

What about tying down younger tress that will bend to force hinge like growth?

Glad got this part of deer habitat out of the way last season now waiting for it to bear fruit speaking of bear hoping they don’t take over my waterholes that I put in last season suckers gonna be in for a surprise if they show this spring

How much of what you put in your videos, is specific to your area? I'm in the deep south (Louisiana), do these techniques work for Virgin wooded area? Or would removing entire trees vs hinge cuts be better? Thanks!

Some places in my timber the trees are between 8-14” diameter to big for hinge cutting, too small for tree harvest. Should I wait until their large enough to do a TSI or just cut the larger down and hinge the smaller ones!

I have a wide assortment of trees such as : birch, tamarack, lodgepole pine, white pine, western red cedar, douglas fir, grand fir, and ponderosa pine. Out of these tree's species, what would be the best for tree to hinge cut?

When you come to your clients lands do you take into account for what the neighbors are doing or do you just make it a “sanctuary” on the clients land?

Jeff I have two pockets of storm damage in my woods where the poplars got uprooted and piled up naturally on opposite ends of my woods(about 15 acres of woods). My question is do I leave them or log out and let the new shoots go crazy? Live in central WI it all happened during the July big storm, deer really seemed to like them, but need firewood too. HAHA

Jeff, you stated that you do not recommend hinge cutting aspen, poplar, or conifers. Would you please comment on why this is so? The areas that I would like to improve bedding on my land are predominantly the above species of trees. Help?

Jeff, I own a 10 acre pc in SE WI. The land is wet from fall until spring green up. I have many large silver maple trees. How can I create the best bedding habitat with or without these big silver maple trees? Thanks, KYLE

Hey Jeff, how exactly do I tell if my property is in need of hinge cuts?

Why in your video are the hinge cut headlight when you recommend waist high ?

Great video. Answered a few questions that I had. Example; side cover, where to cut as comparison to food plot. Question though; my hemlock stands are opening up. There are no low hanging branches, at eye level I can see quite some distance. Suggestions?

@ericjenson7734

4 жыл бұрын

Jeffrey Malinowski they need to be thinned out so the sun can reach the ground

You mention not to hinge cut conifers, what if a property is all mature conifers to the point where there isn’t understory and side cover? You had wrote an article a few years back about hinging cedar to create pockets of bedding, I had that in my mind for my property. White cedar vs red cedar make a difference?

I live in the south near Jackson, MS. What trees should we hinge cut here and what trees should we not hinge cut?

We Still have deer diving for acorns here in mn in February

Sorry if this has been asked previously but I have a lot of mature 10-12” sassafras trees about 75 yards from my creek that has bedding grass on both sides so I dont really want to disturb it. What do you recommend with that scenario?

I question which species of tree is appropriate for hinge cutting.

Jeff I have heard you say that not all properties should have hinge cuts. What is the criteria you look for to determine if a property does or doesn't need hinge cuts?

How many acres of hinge cut do you need to create enough cover that attracts deer ?

Jeff, what is your opinion on hinge cutting elm trees?

Another great video! Can you explain a little how to "tie down 2 year hinge cuts to the main trunk"? This is a thing I've never heard of, but am interested in. I'd also like to point out that many of your videos show cuts at chest/shoulder height. Is that intentional in those cases and if so, for what purpose?

@nunyabizness7792

Жыл бұрын

Take the new growth off the laid down tree, bend it over and tie top portion to the main tree. Offshoots from the horizontal 'newer' branches will shoot vertical creating new browse.

I live in Fayetteville tn can I send a map to Jeff Sturgis of my property and you tell me if I need to hinge cut it also it is very rocky all I've got to put a food plot in is about an acre right in the middle of the property

See a lot of guys asking how ya know if you need to hinge cut.. if you can see 100+ yards in your woods, ya need to hinge cut. If you can look up at your canopy in summer and barely see the sky, you need hinge cuts. If ya look at your understory, and there’s little or no new/ young growth.. you need hinge cutting.

How close can you hing cut to ur tree stand

You said hinge cuts are not necessary on 90% of your visits. What makes you decide when it is? We have 190 acres in E TX that I'm starting to steward and I've been watching lots of you tube about attracting older bucks from the surrounding properties

Just curious why you dislike burning so much? It's true, where light makes it to the floor, legumes and forbs will grow but in a hardwood forest, that's not usually the case. If stems per acre and browse at deer level is your goal, fire will accomplish that at a much less effort level than hinge cutting. Granted you can't create corridors that way but I think RxB has a more universal use than hinge cutting. It's not lost on me though that you mention hinge cutting is only needed on 25% of properties 👍

Is there certain trees to cut? Can I hinge cut any trees?

I was out hinge cutting a few weeks ago on one of our properties and had a bad accident with a chainsaw kicking back on me going in my leg! Very fortunate to be alive the Lord was looking out for me for sure! I will make sure I have steel chaps on next time before I ever pick up a chain saw! So until then I’ll be watching Jeff’s videos and reading his books keep them coming and guys be careful so you don’t make the mistake I made! Good luck this season!

@blazeice111

4 жыл бұрын

Curious bc this is always a concern for me, was there anything you did "wrong"? Or that you could've done differently?

@drewharman1690

4 жыл бұрын

Nick Presley yes pay more attention! I had been doing it a few hours and had let my guard down the tree was falling and it kicked back and I panicked and without thinking pulled it right into my leg! If your that hesitant then I would wait and get someone who has more experience do it for you! Make sure you have chaps on! I will make sure before I ever pick up another saw up to make sure I have the proper gear it’s just not worth it

@blazeice111

4 жыл бұрын

@@drewharman1690 Thanks, I'll probably invest in some chaps. I'm not hesitant, we've cut hundreds of trees at the property, but it's always a concern in the back of my mind. I carry a tourniquet at all times when cutting. I only knew that accidents could happen, but not sure what caused them given that saws has a chain break.

@thesouthernlife4061

4 жыл бұрын

Please don't hinge cut it's very dangerous use the hack and squirt method and fire if you can it's way better results and way safer the fire gets alot of plant growth jump started and brings out plants you won't get with just doing hinge cutting watch growingdeertv on KZread he's a deer biologist and very knowledgeable he tells you why hinge cuts really aren't worth doing and actually can do more harm than good he has a lot more videos alot more knowledge and alot more proof he actually has a bunch ofland and you get to see how everything works first hand instead of listening to somebody ramble about stuff they may not even have much experience about Dr Grant woods actually does what he speaks and shows you the benefits on his property I would listen to him over this guy Jeff has some good info but imo Grant woods has was better and more accurate Info u will thank me go watch his videos they are awesome

@drewharman1690

4 жыл бұрын

Trey Harper definitely give it a try but Jeff Sturgis has a lot knowledge and knows his stuff about Whitetails as well and one thing I like about Jeff is he has results to prove it and he consistently kills big bucks year after year so I get what your saying and I think their is a time and place for everything but I’m going with Jeff you can’t beat hinge cuts but it goes back to their is a time and place for everything

love the info, i have a small 5 acer lot in middle michigan i hunt on is it worth putting a small .5 a acer food plot on with a water hole?

@loutepas7286

2 жыл бұрын

Did u put in a water hole and or plot ?

I have a property where about 8 acres of maple trees were planted in rows I’m guessing about 30 years ago. They’re all small I think due to the population of the planting. Can I send you some photos and get some advise?

@brianjonker510

4 жыл бұрын

A thinning is done by looking at the canopy.

What are your thoughts on planting red osier dogwood with cave n rock switchgrass?

@sethhause1781

3 жыл бұрын

Make sure the red osier establish before the switchgrass germinates otherwise the switchgrass will overtake the ROD and kill it. Plant red osier in pockets in between the switch, not directly in it

Question for ya. I have a side hill with quite a few Balsam and hemlock trees in it. I know it's not really beneficial to hinge those trees but would it be ok just to knock them down like a hinge to allow the maple and popple to come back in those areas? It's a small area maybe a quarter acre. No markets for the pine so figured maybe just dropping them as a hinge would work a little bit to help more desirable trees come back.

@Scofari

4 жыл бұрын

Don't hinge hemlock. Depending on your current habitat, the hemlock might be important winter bedding right now and you might want to leave it.

@kylecasetta4091

4 жыл бұрын

@@Scofari it's along a cedar swamp that they bed in. Short 50 yards up hill into the hardwoods area I'm looking at cutting .

Jeff, what do you think of hinge cutting along a property line in order to deter neighboring hunters from wandering in and shooting deer on my property?

@michaeltepe3573

4 жыл бұрын

I know im doing that on one side of my land

Can you do a prescribed burn video about why you don't recommend them? I just went through a wildlife conservation class that was conducted by Oklahoma State University and they repeatedly stated the importance of fire for deer habitat and how that was the single most cost effective improvement an individual can do for their land. You may not be too familiar with Southeast Oklahoma and Northeast Texas but every wildlife biologist that I've watched stated the same thing.

@nathangrabe7698

4 жыл бұрын

I second this question? I am in southern Michigan and planning a prescribed burn. Would love to hear the reasons not to. Jeff is one of a couple people who's advice I actually listen to. 👍🏼

@thesouthernlife4061

4 жыл бұрын

@@nathangrabe7698 watch Dr Grant woods the channel is growing deer tv on KZread it's the best channel for deer management over 500 videos and alot on prescribed fire he has about 1500 acres and the prescribed fires really work well way better than hinge cuts and he explains why he is a deer biologist I would listen to him over Jeff no offense but he has alot of knowledge and he explains why fire and hack and squirt is way better than hinge cuts and it makes alot of sense and he has over 20yrs of experience with it on his property

@nathangrabe7698

4 жыл бұрын

@@thesouthernlife4061 I have watched all of those! That's how I came to the conclusion to do it. Lol. 👍🏼 No one ever says why not to, only the benefits when done properly. I am a huge fan of Jeff's I'm just wanting to know his perspective on the negatives. Because just like this video describes every property is different. Thank you for suggesting those videos. I would have been watching the crap out of them if I hadn't already seen them. 👍🏼

Ah ha! Now I know what to do with all these old trampolines around the neighborhood!

Doesnt apply to everybody but if you are taking out firewood each year that can provide a great way to make deer habitat in your patch of woods

@kurtpearson8597

4 жыл бұрын

Brian JOnker my folks heat with hardwood fires 6 months out of the year. Little by little they are working their way through a section! Two birds one stone!

Do you have a link to purchase switch grass seed?

@sethhause1781

3 жыл бұрын

North woods whitetail seed

Hinge gutting is great if done correctly, but it can be terrible if done wrong. Personally I prefer to hinge cut lower than at the waste. Of course waste high can be different, all depending on how tall people are. I suspect that most tend to hinge cut waste high because it is easier and more labor efficient. As soon as you start to cut lower than your waste, you will get more tired and it can be hard on your back. My experience is that I get a better results from hinge cutting if I cut lower than my waste. I prefer to cut at about 3 feet or a bit less than that. I am no fan of hack and squirt at all. If you just want to remove the tree and not get any regrowth, I prefer to cut and squirt. Grant Woods is a big fan of hack and squirt and always says that hinge cutting is the worst you can do, and then he goes on showing examples of why hinge cutting doesn't work. And every time he shows examples of hinge cutting done totally wrong. Maybe it is about time that he opens his eyes and goes to places where hinge cutting is done correctly and see the benefits of hinge cutting when it is done correctly. I am tired of all the "experts" telling people that their way is the only solution and only they have solved the riddle. I think the "Buffalo System" and "No Till Methods" of Grant Woods is great for making food plots and it is fantastic for doe factories and building herds and I do think the prescribed fires have their benefits in some places, but they are not the only answers for creating fantastic hunting areas.

Is there a Reddit community for fans to share photos, get advice, share failures and successes?

Why don’t you like prescribed burns and TSI ?

@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751

4 жыл бұрын

Really just over prescribed. Often they burning folks are burning low quality CRP...to get MORE, low quality CRP. Or, burnings in woods that creates herbaceous growth that provides green growth for the summer months...that is dead during the Fall and Winter months when deer need wood browse. I've seen woods virtually cleaned out of food, woody growth during the Fall and Winter due to unfortunate prescribed fires. I love TSI. However, if TSI means killing good wildlife trees in favor of money trees/hardwoods...than that is a horrible practice for a landowner. Girdling creates giant messes no different than stands of dead ashes and are a danger to landowners. Often, girdling or hack and squirt kill the wrong trees, in favor of low value money trees. Great for large corporate not public lands management over thousands of acres...very bad for a small landowner that can benefit greatly from the hardwood browse provided by low value timber. TSI has many meanings. I create TSI opportunity on my client lands every time I visit. That could include timber harvest, hinge cutting, mature tree canopy removal by cutting, pocket clear cutting...but in the end the landowner needs side cover and hardwood regen. Unfortunately most "TSI" improvements are created for timber dollars...which is the opposite of wildlife TSI. We've had to take bulldozers in and open up and clean up, "professional TSI", on client lands. Very unfortunate and costly...mostly on hack and squirt and girdling operations by money TSI foresters. Lots of scientific practices for big parcels that many "wildlife professionals" only know or have experience with. Basically fitting a square peg in a round hole because unfortunately that's all they know. I truly feel bad for folks. Show me someone completing hack and squirt or girldling on small parcels regularly, and I will show you someone that shouldn't be working on small parcels, ever...basically anything less than 500-800 acres or smaller. Luckily those individuals can't make a living to a large degree by performing poor TSI practices, because most landowners educate themselves first 😉 That's also why I will turn away over 1000 clients this year...because of the more experienced and practical ways that I recommend TSI for my clients.

@chrisredell1020

4 жыл бұрын

What if you are more concerned with the increased cover from prescribed burns and dropping trees from TSI then you are with the benefit of woody browse? Do you think there is a happy medium for both?

👍

Hey Jeff! You talk a lot about waist-high hinge cuts but some of the footage in this video shows cuts made around shoulder high. How do you determine when to cut lower and when to cut a little higher?

@travisethridge4062

4 жыл бұрын

If you watch the video thoroughly, you will see the hinge cut was made waist high but as tree was falling broke at a higher point, also why cutting head high is dangerous.

@Scofari

4 жыл бұрын

If he is unable to respond, I have noticed that he says to cut higher when your goal is to actually block the view of the deer. You are probably talking about the high cuts on those trees on the ridge.

@normyoder2622

4 жыл бұрын

It's great to hear someone who knows what the heck he's talking about.ive learned a lot, am currently looking for a hunting property and since hearing what you say about large hardwood timber verses ( junk trees) it'll certainly save me money and time, Love it!

@docpoco

4 жыл бұрын

@@travisethridge4062 I'm not so sure about that. Watch from 30-1:00. Several higher than waist cuts. I'm just curious how to know when to cut higher.

Ash will soon be gone here in Pa....

@joshford7828

4 жыл бұрын

Same in upstate ny. Tons and tons of trees

In the south, controlled burns are 1,000 times more advantageous than "hinge cuts". Arborists, of which I am one, avoid those barber chair cuts at all costs because they are extremely dangerous.

My land is not like that, it all soft wood. Fur, spruce.

I’m like you brother I do not recommend cuttin a tree off or hinge cuttin it that high it’s just askin for trouble is my opinion. I cut timber for 30 years