A big advantage of this method is that the hinge can be clearly cut and inspected before the tree is felled. Ideally, a professional forester or wildlife manager should do the work. Hinge Cut Bedding Observations. Leave about 10% of the width as a hinge. As the name suggests, a corner of the tree trunk is left unsawn for one last cut before the tree is felled. Alright guys, looking at starting my hinge cutting this weekend.. And I have a ton of it to do.. 1. Cut this corner with repeated saw cuts diagonally from above. A hinge cut tree is felled by doing a back-cut without creating a notch. If deer management is a priority for you, here is a much better idea. (circled area) 3. While I consider it a pure luxury to be able to have observed hundreds of hinge cut bedding areas while touring the country designing deer parcels after they have been made, there is no single bedding area experience that was more important within the learning process than that of my own. You need to adjust the hinge to make is possible to roll down the tree. As the tree falls, there is strain on the sides of the tree along the dotted lines. Jim Ward said dropping a tree on top of another tree helps it live longer, providing deer food for a longer period. The 2" hinge is fine 1-3" is acceptable on that size tree in that situation. Once the trees are cut, deer can feed on the resulting stump-sprouts. The only time a hinge can be cut is if the tree does become hung up. The idea is to fell a tree without cutting all the way through it so the tree remains alive. I know Hickory's and Sweet Gum's are both good trees to hinge cut, what others should I be taking down for cover? The length and thickness (width) of the hinge are dependant on the the species of tree and its DBH (diameter at breast height, 4 1/2 feet above the ground). Looking back, it is easy to see why my own hinge cut … How to Hinge-Cut a Tree. Hinge-cutting is extremely dangerous. My technique for this job is half-cutting, also known as “hinge-cutting.” Trees are cut only halfway through. In standard felling practice (figure 1) the hinge lies between the notch and the back-cut, whereas in hinge cutting the hinge is the face of the tree where the notch would normally be made. In standard felling, the sides of the hinge between the notch and the back cut are not sawn when the tree starts to fall. Hinge Cutting for Deer – The Basics of a Hinge Cut. Then cut off the corner on the opposite side from the direction in which you intend to roll down the tree. It may become desirable to cut off one side or all of the hinge so the tree will roll out. The biggest thing to remember is that we are not trying to kill the tree that we hinge. Don't cut through the trunk. Start with sawing off the middle of the hinge so that two corners are saved. Insert the tree-felling wedge into this cut, pointing at the direction you want the tree to fall. 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