Just have a question if anyone has did hinge cutting in June, I know late winter early spring is best time when they are dormant but I have a lot to do and know that leaves are on trees just wondering if anyone has hinged in summer? Scoot
Hinging can safely be done at anytime during the year, yes winter/early spring is best but honestly the trees can thrive at any time of the year. However, I would caution those desiring to do so to keep an eye on the weather...a good rain after the drastic shock to the tree will greatly increase the success rate of them when the "sap" is flowing during the warmer months of the year.
I have done it in June and July before with good results. As a matter of fact I'm doing it right now. http://forums.bowhunting.com/food-plots-habitat-improvement/48387-hinge-cutting.html
Scoot, the main goal of clear cutting and hinge cutting is to break up the canopy and allow sunlight to reach the forest floor. In time, creating conditions for the existing seed bank to produce browse at ground level. The fact that the trees continue to survive for several years are just a bonus, but in the end the trees die. So cut whenever, because in the end youre still getting light to the forest floor. Mature hardwoods are somewhat of an ecological desert for whitetail deer. So the more early successional habitat you can create through disturbance, the better off youre going to be.
