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Thread: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

  1. #1
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    Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    Hey folks,

    Just wondering how you approach choosing between hunting cut blocks or hunting in the timber, assuming there's adequate food sources in both places. Like do you hunt the cut blocks in the early season in September/October and maybe switch to the timber during late season in Nov/Dec? Do you hunt cut blocks at first and last light and sneak through the timber in the middle of the day? Is there a general rule of thumb that some of you adhere too?

    Personally I mostly just hunt the timber because I hunt in highly pressured areas where there are tons of road hunters cruising through the cut blocks, but I've still never come across another hunter while I'm hunting the timber and I definitely see more sign in the timber too.

    So what do you guys/gals do?
    "It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." - Benjamin Franklin

    "The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it" - George Orwell

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  3. #2
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    Don’t matter about pressure I hunt timber it is where I am more comfortable and have had more success

    Lots of deer and other game for that matter avoid open areas in daylight hrs. In my opinion timber hunting increases the hrs of the day that are productive. With deer I find many move around for periods mid day in the bush as well. There are way more hunters that target open areas so it is much easier to find peaceful areas. I like close range hunting and clear cuts do not provide good conditions do to noise made by crap on the ground and less cover

    Each to there own but clear cuts are my least fav areas to hunt. Some get excited to see areas get logged myself I get pissed I need to find a new area to hunt. Timber or small natural opening for me

  4. #3
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    Great reply and insight Wild one. This is exactly the type of response I was hoping for. I guess I should have clarified that I'm referring mostly to deer hunting, but also bear and moose. I too thoroughly enjoy hunting inside the timber - just feel more at ease
    "It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." - Benjamin Franklin

    "The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it" - George Orwell

  5. #4
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    I hunted cut blocks in the south caribou when i was growing up, for moose and deer. The timber in that area was to tight to quietly move through and i never saw much game when i did try to hunt it. Now i have a place in the south Ok and the timber is much more open and i find thd game uses it more or its is easier to hunt more effectively so I find myself hunting it more. But thats not to say i don't rule out the cut blocks I still find deer in them aswell! Moose will always be suckers for cuts and swamps.

  6. #5
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    I really dislike hunting cutblocks. I would much rather glass natural scenery. Although I always seem to end up hunting cuts. Still hunting the timber is my favourite, but the dry crunchy deadfall super thick forests I seem to encounter in region 3 make this difficult, without a trail or some rain.

    I think im going to take a different approach to still hunting. Maybe slowly and quietly as I can, creep though bush and find sign, or game trails, then sit for an hour maybe 2. And repeat. I find sittting for longer then 2 hours difficult, especially without a large area to glass.

  7. #6
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    You don’t need to be 100% stealth still hunting deer but you need to sound natural. Metal, fabric, plastic, and squeaky are bad sounds but you can getting away with natural noise sticks, leaves, and rocks if you can make it sound natural

    animals make noise in the bush even squirrels. Most animals I find still hunting I hear them before I see them. I don’t try to be 100% silent I try to sound like a deer when I move. Breaking a twig or lightly crunching leaves is not a big deal as long as it’s not with a heavy foot or dragging feet. A handful of well placed slow steps and a long pause and it can be ignored. Stopping is key this is when you hear game and when the animals relax in the bush around you and make mistakes where you can plan your next steps. I am a very slow still hunter when I am in an area I believe holds deer and I mean I sit way more the walk

    Adding calling makes a huge difference and this does not need to be in the rut. Deer vocalize year round so I use the odd fawn and doe bleat to help cover my noise. Often deer step out in curiosity after a bleat or two but it’s not a come to you response like calling in the rut. Come the rut antlers and estrus bleat come out

    No doubt there is timber that is too thick or too noisy to still hunt but there is tricks to effectively push the boundaries. If that fails me I will sit in ambush before I hunt cuts lol

    When it comes to the wind you can’t beat it so never try to work against wind conditions deers nose beats any scent control

    Its not about being a ninja it’s about being seen as non threatening

  8. #7
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    Good idea. I started using a pop up ground blind a few years ago and its been a real game changer. Can get away with movements (which I still have a tough time controlling) much easier than without the blind. And if you have a decent sized blind you can stand and stretch or quietly bounce up and down to get the blood going and wake up. It definitely is tough sitting for long periods of time and not seeing game and being exhausted and freezing your ass off. That's I why I started using a blind because it makes sitting for long periods of time much easier. And being able to use a heater when its below zero is pure gold. Also, much easier to leave the blind up for the season on public land inside the timber than out in the cut blocks where it would not doubt get jacked.

    Still hunting is my favourite too, but I can only hunt weekends and more often than not there's not enough wind, rain or snow to drown out the sound - I hear you on that.

    Great replies guys!
    "It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." - Benjamin Franklin

    "The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it" - George Orwell

  9. #8
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    I like to be about 50 70 yards off the cut in the timber and a few steps stop look around another few steps again look around just as the deer do

  10. #9
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wild one View Post
    You don’t need to be 100% stealth still hunting deer but you need to sound natural. Metal, fabric, plastic, and squeaky are bad sounds but you can getting away with natural noise sticks, leaves, and rocks if you can make it sound natural

    animals make noise in the bush even squirrels. Most animals I find still hunting I hear them before I see them. I don’t try to be 100% silent I try to sound like a deer when I move. Breaking a twig or lightly crunching leaves is not a big deal as long as it’s not with a heavy foot or dragging feet. A handful of well placed slow steps and a long pause and it can be ignored. Stopping is key this is when you hear game and when the animals relax in the bush around you and make mistakes where you can plan your next steps. I am a very slow still hunter when I am in an area I believe holds deer and I mean I sit way more the walk

    Adding calling makes a huge difference and this does not need to be in the rut. Deer vocalize year round so I use the odd fawn and doe bleat to help cover my noise. Often deer step out in curiosity after a bleat or two but it’s not a come to you response like calling in the rut. Come the rut antlers and estrus bleat come out

    No doubt there is timber that is too thick or too noisy to still hunt but there is tricks to effectively push the boundaries. If that fails me I will sit in ambush before I hunt cuts lol

    When it comes to the wind you can’t beat it so never try to work against wind conditions deers nose beats any scent control

    Its not about being a ninja it’s about being seen as non threatening
    This is something every hunter needs to realize. Great post.


    Timber hunting near a food source like a cut block or other will yield results. I will add some advice also, while timber hunting try to hunt ridges and climb the knolls for possible bedded bucks.
    Hunting the promised land

  11. #10
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    Re: Hunting the timber or cut blocks - how do you choose?

    As a REAL novice, i just want to say thank you to all of you putting effort into your posts to help others with your particular prefered methods. Definitely sounds like some solid tips here!!!!
    ~Wes

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