How Long Before Hunting Season.......

On my place where I hunt, I need to do some work to clear brush and trees......it will be an ongoing issue for the next couple of years. I know in a perfect world I wouldn't make a lot of disruption on the same ground where I hunt, but it's work I have to do eventually, and I need to get it done. I'm doing chainsawing and brush hogging. It seems obvious to minimize the amount of noise and machinery prior to hunting season. My schedule only lets me work there every other weekend or so, and I had originally planned to stop doing the work after Labor Day. I didn't get as much done over the summer as I'd hoped. With hunting season fast approaching, should I wait till after hunting season to make more noise, or can I still work a few weekends before hunting season and not disrupt the deer? How long before hunting season is it wise to stop working and let the land be quiet?

I would just wait until after the season. The leaves will be down, it's cooler, and clearing would be easier. Plus it's a great time to scout.

Yo HS2 deer are very curious critters and with them having a sweet tooth for newly grown vegetation and those lovely easy to reach acorn limbs on the ground full of fresh acorns youd be surprised how many deer tracks youll see when you come back and look at your newly scratched ground. I work pipeline construction and do various cleanings in the woods for pads, and Im always amazed at the day after tracks. Heck makes some great fresh dirt for your planting. The deer will love you. You've got to realize that the deer have been eating the same old junk all summer and are ready for some goodies. Ive had deer that I swear that were attracted to chain saws, because in east tx deer relate that to green leaves and acorns. Get it done and get it over with and you wont be second guessing yourself during hunting season because you cant see a damned thing.

Get in, get it done quickly, spread out a lot of corn around the area and get out as quick as you can.

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I envision deer peeking at me when I'm shredding. In the field, I see how critters react to the tractor when shredding. They ain't impressed. Hawks follow me, Swallows and Martins follow me. I had a hawk grab a critter the tractor spooked and flop right down in front of me to eat it. I stopped the tractor and got the stink eye from the hawk. I went around him. He stayed put.

The deer don't care and will come right in after you leave. Just leave corn. Trickle corn coming and going. They will associate the noises with corn.

I do stuff all the time, holler at the dogs, bang on a feeder barrel, drive the Gator, and many deer stand yards away watching me. If it weren't for the dogs, they would come closer. I have stood and talked to them and they cocked their heads like a dog does while they listened. They're curious.

Get your work done in the morning, hunt in the afternoon.

Just go cut don't spend too much time or spread too much scent. Shedding, cut, plowing etc usually won't spook deer and in some places attracts them.

Do it anytime. Deer don't care once you go home for the day. Scent only stays around a few minutes so it won't impact anything. Noise, once saw is off, they will come check out what you cut for them. Our best buck feeder last year was one we put up a couple weeks before the season. If time and being tired wasn't a factor, I would move a few of our setups every year to different areas to change thinks up.

I do everything around the hunting spots with the tractor... mow, plant, feed, even check cameras... deer get very use to equipment being around as long as your not shooting off it... when im driving through the place now they just pick up there heads.. look then go back to doing their thing.. do all this work you talk about and suddenly stop right before season is something deer pick up on easy... hunters are so much easier to pattern than deer

Had a doe come within 30 yards of us just after mowing and clearing around feeders and trimming mesquites. Also had one today to say hi while brushing in bow blinds.

Get it done and reap the benefits. Good luck to ya.

I've cleared shooting lanes early in the morning and had deer there that night. They're not near as worried about that stuff as we think they are. Do what you need to do!