So I just got a 40acre lease this season, (all wooded) and through a leasing agency so I paid a good deal of $ for it not a permission type deal. My Son and I did go out in May and meet the land owner and he walked us around to show us where to park and where to enter and exit the property, while walking he did say that he was going to have the Timber Harvested but definitely not till after the hunting season ends which in Maryland is the end of January. Also never any mention of this happening in the leasing listing either. So today I get a email from the land owner saying that the company coming out to do the Forest Timber Harvest was going to be starting the process here on August 24 which is only 2 weeks from the Sept 11 opener. I’m asking all who have a understanding of this process. Will this process pretty much ruin my early season hunting and or my entire hunting season and does this process involve mostly all the timber and trees being removed from this property. It’s a 40 acre all wooded parcel currently and sets up nicely as there are definitely some real nice deer on this property. I called the land owner and also the leasing agent as while just a bit ago but didn’t speak with them left a message for the both of them. Am I pretty much ruined or can there still be a season to look forward to after this. Thanks Guys !!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Just spoke with the owner. Seems as if everything will be ok as it is select tree harvest and not the entire woods themselves so unless he’s not a man of his word it seems all he will fine Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
It could destroy your season- There will not be enough time for much if any re-generational growth this season It will seriously push deer off of a 40 acre parcel if there's any other cover nearby pre-conditions deer to go nocturnal early ...ask me how I know. If I used a leasing agency I would seriously consider trying to get my money back. In my case; it was my buddy's property and I was hunting in exchange for a little bit of landwork so beggars can't be choosers. All I can say is we went from getting multiple, and I mean multiple 150"+ bucks on camera in daylight to having -0- and even very few at night. This was in WI, the select cut timbering happened the week before opening day, on a 40 acre parcel.
A bit different experience here. For one anyone that has deals with a standard logging contract they knows that loggers reserve the rights to log within a year. Giving no specific time frame . Why people need to know you deal and change whats best for you!!!. If they want your wood they deal period. Contracts can be changed. Now we and everyone around us have logged and its usually just before season on small acres. Most of the time it gets staggered, them one year us a year or two later . They most likely told him what he wanted to hear. We did just 9 1/2 acres one year select cut and as they cut I bow hunted across the street. When they left I switched to the cut. It was sick with deer in those tops. They bedded in them ate them until leaves were gone. Leaf drop here is really late Oct. So most were changed but deer loved them. Then they started on the twigs and tips. Took a couple of doe then a 8 pt. . If you have big predators they'll hang in tops as cover. Tip go in now and check the tree marking. This will give you an idea as to how thick the tops will be and what mast they may be dropping. If its oak then you'll have tops filled with acorns on the ground. Find out if they'll be cutting off your access trails and you will need to find the uncut set up trees. If that piece is surrounded by open land ,you'll have deer in it every night the loggers leave and after. If you are surrounded by woods it will be a transitional area this year. Ps if the owner is clueless most are....it could be a real mess in there. Go check tree markings.
Not your concern but I guarantee that the logger will take some trees that are not marked for removal. There is a possibility that trees along the access strip will die from root compression from the heavy machinery. If they leave the tops tracking will be a treat as well.
Oh I pizzed of one logger in the area, neighbor asked for advise so I told him how to avoid that. They mark their trees with a specific color at head height so the cutters can see. You go in and with your own specific color spray a dot at ground level on each tree they mark. Then let them know you've taken before and will take after video of the cut. I actually trusted our loggers but still did this. I also had them come back and, yes unmark a couple of OUR TREES. yes they thought they'd help themselves to some of my big maple. For that effort I told the neighbor they may not want them to cut the giant red oak they'd marked it was his only oak. That really pizzed them off.
I would be asking for my money back for the lease at least for this year. That would piss me off to high heaven. Even with a select cut they will rip that place up! The years to come should improve the deer habitat with the undergrowth dramatically, The farm I hunt was select cut last year and the deer stayed around on the prop and were browsing on the tops that were left but this was at the end of the season. Good luck.
It really depends on what the deer are using the area for. If it is bedding...not good for you. A proper select cut with holding deer in mind will improve the property. Many loggers around here have told me that they see deer and elk come into a newly cut area while they are still on their equipment and working. It just depends on what feed is in the area and how much the logging disrupts the ground. I personally wouldn't be too excited about it happening during this year when I've paid a premium for a hunting spot, but I would REALLY want to look at the property for next season. You are really in a tricky situation here. Part of me feels that the owner has reneged on his word by having the logging done before the season, and that you should be refunded because of that. You looked at and chose the property because of how it looks now. But...it may be a great property after the logging too, and very desirable in the years to come. But if you piss off the owner this year, it may not be an option for you to lease in the future. I would just explain all of your thoughts and concerns to the owner. I would also do my best to convince him to put off logging this year until after the season like he stated he would...but very gently if I want the property in future years.
Also if you can get there and talk to the lead cutter. Let him know your situation and if they could keep it in mind when cutting. If they hunt they WILL understand. He may even ask where you were planning your sets and cut or drag tops accordingly. Worth a try. The owners well told you a cut would happen regardless the timing. They'll figure you won't want to incur lawyers fees on top of the expenses already laid out.
^ definitely that second part for my buddy's property- surrounded by hundreds of acres of open woods with a 80 acre 10 year old clear cut next door. The deer never came back that season as the cut was just too late for decent regenerative growth. While the owner(s) may be clueless; they definitely should have disclosed the pending cut contract with the leasing company. And any experienced "big money" leasing agency should have asked the owner; and ought to be required to disclose that to you. I know I have seen similar verbiage in HLN listings.
I agree ,though as with loggers not all leasing companies are * straight arrows" PS I went back and looked, he said the owner told him that logging was going to happen. This when he went to walk the parcel. So important that people read contracts carefully,BECAUSE spoken verse contract, well contract wins
I sent the guy a email as the owner gave me his info. Just waiting for a reply as that’s my plan. I even said (and not his worry) if I’d have known this was the deal I wouldn’t have leased the property Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
