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Blazing trails

This past weekend we were down at the farm there in Ohio and some of the things I wanted to do was to check and possibly clear some of the trails that went past some of our stands. I would have much rather done this earlier in the summer but this year time has not on my side. Last fall I had a big buck pass by on a trail that was too far away and I found out while shed hunting the reason was because branches had fallen on the trail closer to my stand and caused them to re-route around it.

Since I didn't take any pictures I won't bore you all with trying to spell out what I did and all. Out of 4 stand sites that had major trails going past, all 4 had logs, deadfalls or even just so much undergrowth that the deer had actually changed their routes some. Two trails were completely blocked which would have been a complete disaster for those stand locations.
 

Steelheadtracker

Junior Member
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I feel your pain. I did the same thing today. I was shocked at all the fallen dead limbs/trees and the amount of growth. Not done yet though.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
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Ohio
Couldn't have picked a much hotter weekend. I second the mention of hoping your efforts are rewarded. Curious if you used the limbs and stuff you trimmed up to block off some of their other travel routes?
 
Couldn't have picked a much hotter weekend. I second the mention of hoping your efforts are rewarded. Curious if you used the limbs and stuff you trimmed up to block off some of their other travel routes?

The one stand where the big buck gave me the slip I moved several branches into the other trails to try to persuade them to get closer. Also cut a much better shooting lane in case they still try to slip by further out. Where I want them was at about 20 yards, where they have slipped past was about 35 yards but a bunch of twigs were in the way about half way there. The first stand/trail cleaning I actually connected another trail up in the thicket down to the one closer to me which will make a difference I think. My big holla creek crossing stand I actually improved two good trails, one that comes off a point and goes right past the stand and another that used an old logging road. The logging road had several branches and logs on it and hadn't been used much this year. As I cleaned it on the way up I was excited to see it ran right into a trail I found with 3 giant beds on it. The bottom of that logging road ended in a big mess of multifloral rose and really had no way out til I cut my way through it. That trail steps out at 30 yards almost exactly from that stand.

Thanks for the replies everyone!! Sure hope it does pay off for me of the kids!!