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Clearing out some paths

The woods that I bowhunt for deer has had several blown down trees this year and most of them have fallen across the deer's usual paths/trails. The deer seem to have taken different paths in and out of the woods, as well as while they're traveling through the woods. It's almost as if these blow-downs are clogging up their travel routes and they've not re-established new ones. :smiley_chinrub:

So, I've taken up the task of clearing out the old deer paths. This includes cutting up the fallen trees, using a leaf blower to clear paths thoughout the woods and building a few ground blinds off to the sides of some of the trails. The deer really seem to like the trails that I've blown the leaves out of, as it makes for quieter traveling for them. :smiley_bril: These paths are ATV wide.

I'm hoping that this extra effort will put the deer back in their old travel routes. As it stands, I only know that they're in the woods from time to time, but it's not as clear as it was as to where they're coming in and going out.

Every time that I use my leaf blower to clear out travel routes, it seems to make the deer use them more often. I think they like how quiet it allows them to travel.

Have you ever taken the effort to clear travel routes/paths/trails?

Thank you, Bowhunter57
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
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Ohio
Yes sir I have. In fact I did so last week for a couple reasons. One was to help them find some corn I had out for my cousin and his boy on the bonus weekend. The other is to clear the leaves off the clover I had started back there. Much easier to clear out now than in the spring. I will be overseeding some clover in Feb/Mar in an area which receives some sunlight.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
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SW Ohio
I have to check if my son still has a working leaf blower. Sounds like a good idea.
Frank
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
I have the exact same stuff to do 57. I'm a bit angry at myself for not doing it before season. My normal "Go to" areas for the rut saw little travel mainly because these areas were just too clogged with downed trees from the storm. After the New year I plan on firing up the chainsaw and helping the deer re establish these travel corridors. I dont have a leaf blower but a rake and broom should work
 
Thanks for the brush clearing "atta boy", guys, but I wasn't seeing any tracks before and am not seeing any since. This isn't about giving the deer time to adjust, they just aren't in there. My best guess is coyotes, as I'd been hearing the howling at sunset back in November and I've never heard coyotes in this woods. I gave some thought to putting out some feed, like cracked corn, sweet feed or some bird seed...but, if the deer aren't there it would only feed the tree rats, coons and birds.

Until I see some tracks in this section, I'm done deer hunting. I hate to do this with more than a month to go to the season...especially since I just aquired a new ground blind (and it's a doosey), but the facts are the facts. I may switch modes and do some coyote hunting in the neighboring sections and see how that goes.

AccuWeather has a snow storm coming in late Tuesday and early Wednesday with 3 to 6 inches of snow. Afterwards the temperatures are supposed to drop for a couple of weeks of daytime 20s and night time teens. Those temps will put me out on the ice, which is fine by me.

Anyway, I'm ready to kill some turkeys in the spring with this new ground blind. It's an Ameristep Carnivore, that I picked up in the Bargan Cave at Cabelas for $160. It didin't have a scratch on it and the new tags were still on the zippered door.





Bowhunter57
 
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