Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

I was hoping for a phone call saying you got that 'ol buck but you got some time left right?
That logging operation just may be a good thing down the road if it isn't too extensive. A few clear cuts with new browse acting as foodplots with your "thick cover" land acting as the bedding area. Setup on the perimeters and it might just make your hunting better.

yeah it could be good, I just hope they don't leave it in too bad of shape, it seems often times these new clear cuts are left a terrible mess, so bad sometimes that you can't even walk them.

They are brutal to walk in, here in Oregon anyway. In a way, it's better that way. They are removing so much biomass (think fertilizer) as it is, that to then clean up (burn or remove) all the debris would just make it that much worse. That stuff SHOULD be on the ground, rotting... but it makes for hard hiking, that's for sure.

Those cuts are deer magnets, though. I don't think it will hurt your hunting one bit!

-jeff

Well, I know they have always been "dave magnets" because I have always been drawn to the clear cuts

something about being able to see....

they sure like the fresh short red willow that usually grows up shortly after cutting.

I bet they do! My goats love willow...

Yeah, the cuts are hunter-magnets in Oregon, for sure. The deer have wised up some and are pretty nocturnal these days, as far as being out in the open in daylight... though I have killed a couple blacktail in clear cuts.

-jeff

I have enjoyed this thread about your new cabin and hunts. About two years ago we had a logging operation on land abutting ours about 50 miles west of your area. This year it was home to many deer even though it was tough to walk through. Does the wood stove pictured in the photos keep your cabin warm enough in the winter?

The deer do like the clearcuts, and no they don't seem to mind if it's hard for the humans to go where they like to go

yeah the little cast iron "boxwood" jobby?

Yeah it seems to do the trick, I've spent nights out there where temps dipped under the -20 area, granted, I go through more wood on nights like that & I let it burn a little hotter/faster (let it have more air through the draft & let it breathe a little better out the damper) but yeah it does ok.

The tougher task is getting it to burn mellow enough on the warmer nights. I've found that 20 above zero & warmer can end up being warm nights in the cabin, a little too warm

30 above zero... well, plan on having a window or 2 cracked if you want to keep the stove lit all night.

Last friday night was perfect, 15 degrees outside, that's nice. Seems to kind of be the sweet spot, actually I'd say anywhere from -5 to 15 above is pretty easy to keep the temp nice inside the cabin. colder than -5 I end up feeding it a little more, 20 above & warmer, crack a window a bit.

my little stove is a vogelzang, I got the "boxwood deluxe" delux just meaning it's a little bigger than the regular "boxwood" they sell & it has a spinner type draft on the face of the door were the regular boxwood doesn't.

My uncle has a regular boxwood & he has a hell of a time with it over running, there is a large gap at the bottom of the door where it pulls air pretty hard. It's tough when they pull draft air hard that low because it acts like a blast furnace, air directed right at the base of the fire, gets too damn hot & burns the wood up too fast. Mine also has a gap at the bottom of the door where it likes to pull air, but I've learned that if I open the spin draft on the face of the door all the way it acts like a vacume relief of sorts... it lets the stove pull draft air at a little higher level which sweeps across the surface of the fire, this slows the blast type draft from coming in down low & huffing up your fire.

50 miles west of me huh?

that would pert near put you in nor-dakoda.... ?

Dave,

ForkyToes has eluded me so far too... Your not alone..

I;ve been out but just nothing close enough or I've goofed up the shot with my bow awhile back on a nice one. Keep at it and I want to read the sleighing reports here later on too.

By the way you haven't ran into any wolf packs or pitbulls lately with women attached by leashes to the pits with pepperspray have you?

Thanks for the info on the stove. Might have misjudged where you are. Our place is near the center of area 264 but east of 59. Not quite to nor-dah-ko-ta!

no, I think I misjudged, you would be at least 50 miles west.

No wabster, I aint run into any of that. I just can't help myself on those woof posts sometimes... I really should just leave it all alone, but pit bulls in the same thread as wolves? I couldn't leave it alone!!

Dave,

I wouldn't fret that clear cut. We had one on the state land near our camp on the Range. It was totally cut in a big "L" shape. It is 80 acres long and 20 wide on the short piece of the L and at least 120 long on the long side by 20 acres wide.

It grew up in all pines. In about 5 years they were about waist high, and a few years later, about shoulder hight. The deer are in there thick as thieves, with trails every where in there.

My stand has been near it since the 01 season and has produced more deer sighting by probably a 3 to 1 margin. I can't see more than 50 yds in to the cut anymore, but the deer still come out of there like crazy at times. I don't know what they are eating in there because all the trees are pines but they're eating somthing. They deffenatly bed in there, and my stand is at a creek crossing about 100 yds off the cut. So they don't have to go very far for anything but a little lovin'. There is not a ton of buck sign at the crossing, but they cruise it for the ladies.

I would find a few stand sites on that cut and have at it. It may take a few years for the numbers of deer to show up, but they will. The good part is, is usually when the cut grows up, the people tend to leave it alone because they can't see across it anymore.

Sorry I went on and on, but I like those cuts too. The last 6-8 years they have gotten me a fair share of deer.

Tom

I like the clear cuts too, it just takes a bit to get used to what things look like when the loggers move out.

One thing's for sure, get us a firewood permit & go in & clean up what they leave & we won't have to worry about forewood for years.

hmm, time to leave work. what should I do this fine January day?

Hmm, maybe I'll grab a rifle & go deer hunting..

This is just strange... feels wrong.

but i'll do it anyways!!

:0

later

The absolute last weekend to rifle deer hunt or for that matter any type of legal deer hunting is coming up this weekend.

I have to try to muster some enthusiasm about this....

never thought I'd need help getting excited about trudging off into the woods with a high powered rifle to lower the boom on unsuspecting timber goats.... but it's just so out of season!!!

Didn't get out when it was all 40F last Sunday?

Me either, was so nice I HAD to go ice fishing ... then sat for yotes at dark.

Speaking of which I can't rave about this Sightron Big Sky enough. I still had shootable light at 5:47 when I called it good.

GE

PM on the way, I might be in the market for a decent varmint rig scope.

PM replied to.

BTW, Weather Underground sez sunset was 4:44 pm for Bemidji on Sunday. An hour past sundown ain't bad ...

GE

Guys, the whole deer camp experience thus far has been just fantastic.

I look forward to spring/summer when we will put in our sand point well, my uncle bought a hand pump for that project & another friend has donated a sand point & all the pipe I need for the project.

We'll cut more trails, put in a food plot or 2, build some more stands, probably some enclosed ones... I'll close up the soffit & fascia on the cabin, with any luck we can build our sauna.

Might build a wood shed as well, some gas lights.... but mostly I think we'll just hang out & relax.

the interaction, tips & advice given here was well received & much appreciated, thank you all so much.

Fantastic memories were made in this first season together. Many more will follow.

Thank you all again so very much.

i do believe I will try to find a way to print this whole thread so I can save it as there is a lot of good info & advice shared here. It will make for good reading in a scrap book out at "the shack"

so there ya go, for all those who contributed & shared thoughts & advice, your words will be printed & stored in the little shack in the forest that your advice & words kind, wise & sometimes humorous aided & supported.

Thanks again,

Dave

Heck Dave, thank you for letting us share in your adventure. Look forward to doing it myself some day!

Allen

Dave,

I would also like to thank you for letting us share in this experience with you. It has been by far one of the most enjoyable parts of coming to the Fire for the last several months. I hope you keep us all updated on how things progress and how the hunts turn out in the future.

Dave,

Big Drift and I will endeavor to find and provide autographed Beltrami County Jail Mugshots of HIS SHERPULANCE. Provided they receive due appreciation ...

GE