Thread: Effect of logging on animal numbers in forestry blocks

Hi team,

I went for a walk today to a forestry block that was logged in 2018 and 2019.
It was the most open country I've ever hunted in. Most of my previous hunting has been in tight bush. I was actually really looking forward to doing some longer range hunting.

However there wasn't a single animal to be seen. I thought 2 to 3 years would be plenty of time for the animals to come back after logging. Recent hunts in nearby blocks that weren't logged have been successful every single time.

For those of you that hunt in forestry blocks, do you find the animal numbers tend to be higher when the trees haven't been logged?

I haven't hunted much forestry but in my experience the animals prefer to have somewhere to hide, even if the hunting pressure is quite low they just don't seem to like being so exposed.

Food. Shelter from the wind. Cover from predatory eyes. Not seeing any of it, not country I'd bother with, you could bump pigs down in the gully bottoms though.

The only animal I saw today was this. Got within 5m.

i used to work at a local timber mill and had access to a large forest.deer were always in the trees and would find pigs out in the open sometimes

Originally Posted by Synthetic

The only animal I saw today was this. Got within 5m.

Attachment 169561

Neat pic, 5m is pretty damned close, well done that man!

Food and close handy cover are nescessities.

Originally Posted by Synthetic

The only animal I saw today was this. Got within 5m.

Attachment 169561

So you saw at least one hunter there.

Country like that is a waste of time. needs more cover and at least younger trees half grown before animals move back in there.
At night the odd animal may wander in but they not going to be out there in the day time.
Wasting your time. Anyway, if animals were appearing in that open country every man and his dog would be in there and wiping them out.
Theres a reason they not, cover, food, shelter and that has not much of either

Yep I agree with most of the guys comments, as an avid regular production forest hunter, food cover/shelter. It wont bee long the animals will bee back. Hunt the edges, gullies with water or scrub, early mornings or warm overcast/light rainy days.

Around the fringe country where there is still cover is a good place to start looking. They don't disappear just shift around a bit, once suitable cover grows back these areas would be primo.

Good long range practice for the 260

Originally Posted by BeeMan

Yep I agree with most of the guys comments, as an avid regular production forest hunter, food cover/shelter. It wont bee long the animals will bee back. Hunt the edges, gullies with water or scrub, early mornings or warm overcast/light rainy days. Attachment 169574

Nice one, prime example of what we are saying.

Just before the new trees are planted most areas are blanket sprayed and although it looks like there's plenty of feed around there's normally bugger all around. Its always handy when there's a patch of native left. Bonus if there's a patch of karaka trees, there berries once dropped seam to be very appealing. Plus the loggers normally hit the area pretty hard, normally shooting anything that moves. Strangely enough the noise and activity dosent seem to bother the deer very much, they normally feel safe as they know everyone is working, its when it goes quite the soon know to dissappear.

Find that if the deer were living in the area prior to logging they will return after dark, especially straight after logging finishes. Most "cut over" get hammered by the "Murapara moonbean" and thermals. Coming to the time of the year also where more cover, handy food plus warmth becomes a priority.