Deer hunting terminology

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

I’ve really gotten into listening to some hunting podcasts. Really cool info. Some of the terminology they are using is throwing me off.

I am aware of most of these but let’s discuss the differences and any relation to each other

SMZ
Cutover
Fire break
Oak flat
Cut
Clear cut
Thicket
Hardwood bottoms



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[AgHntr10]

I’ve really gotten into listening to some hunting podcasts. Really cool info. Some of the terminology they are using is throwing me off.

I am aware of most of these but let’s discuss the differences and any relation to each other

SMZ
Cutover
Fire break
Oak flat
Cut
Clear cut
Thicket
Hardwood bottoms



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Here are my interpreations, may differ to others.


SMZ- Stream management zone, term used in logging. The area left on either side of creek to prevent erosion.
Cutover ?
Fire break-Generally between an SMZ and plantation or clear cut.
Oak flat- For us these are normally located in the above mentioned SMZ's.
Cut-?
Clear cut-Just like it sounds an area that all of the trees have been harvested and not yet replanted.
Thicket- Can be located in any of the above but to me the best/thickest ones are in young plantations where the pines haven't outgrown the underbrush and older plantations that have been thinned and allowed sunlight to reach the understory and let yaupons grow back up. The middle aged plantations that haven't been thinned can get pretty wide open under the canopy.
Hardwood bottoms-Again where I hunt these normally fall into the SMZs but on NF and private land that isn't being used for timber production these would be areas along creeks and rivers that are old growth natural timber. Might get seasonal flooding from the creeks/rivers. Fairly open understory due to the canopy and seasonal flooding.

[Johnny44]

SMZ is to get land owners used to the idea this ain’t their property. Its not if but when they find an endangered species of fish, clam or insect in the waterway. The Government plans to control all waterways. The SMZ is supposed to be off limits for timber cutting.

Cutover is after a timber crew has been through, before or after replanting uses same term.

Clearcut is referring to an area that has been harvested and sprayed with defoliant

An oak flat can actually occur in the Hill Country of Texas. Some Federal land I hunt here in Central Texas has some oak flats that look like I’m in Arkansas. Kinda cool. Many oak flats can rise up into a head. The youngins and does will readily feed down in the flat while the bucks creep around the head.

Hardwood bottoms have a high canopy low undergrowth and various hardwoods or nut trees. I find the bucks and older does tend to run the hillside prior to the bottom, maybe 60 yards up from where the vegetation changes.

A firebreak is where you setup your mock scrape and shoot that big buck or setup your stands without being ate up by chiggers during the warm weather

Thicket, if thick enough, will have a tunnel through it if its well traveled and a good place to watch.

A cut is usually a lane purposely cut/cleared for hunting or if the timber crews saw something they wanted to go after instead of cutting everything. This happens if they spot a big pine, cedar, or walnut they wanna make extra bucks for. It also refers to the regular clearcut. Someone might say “I’m gonna put a stand at the north end at the edge of the cut where it heads up so I can watch down into the oak flat and the fire break”. “I have a small green patch planted just inside the cut and I’m watching that trail coming through the briar thicket.“

[lovemylegacy]

I’ve really gotten into listening to some hunting podcasts. Really cool info. Some of the terminology they are using is throwing me off.

I am aware of most of these but let’s discuss the differences and any relation to each other

SMZ
Cutover
Fire break
Oak flat
Cut
Clear cut
Thicket
Hardwood bottoms



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Cutover and clearcut are basically the same

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

Cutover and clearcut are basically the same

This was one of my main questions.


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[Deerguy]

clearcut is the removal of everything (clear), cutover harvestable timber removed while leaving something (hardwoods for example).

[Razorback01]

Cutover and clearcut are basically the same

We always used them interchangeably as well.

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

clearcut is the removal of everything (clear), cutover harvestable timber removed while leaving something (hardwoods for example).

So hunting East Texas it sounds like everything that everyone here calls clearcuts are actually cut overs to the rest of the planet.


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[lovemylegacy]

clearcut is the removal of everything (clear), cutover harvestable timber removed while leaving something (hardwoods for example).

That's one way of putting it, however a "cutover", as you defined it, is a thing of the past. Most logging companies now will spray after cutting to kill the hardwoods. Such a waste. At least that's what they just done to our lease.

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

I feel like listening to these podcasts have opened my eyes to a completely different world. Been hunting East Texas public for 15yrs. This is all I know.

Clear cut
Fire lane
Thicket
Oak flat
Logging road
Horse trail
Creek
Pipeline
Woodpecker area

Terms like these have never applied:

Ridge
Head
Cut
Saddle
Valley
SMZ
Cutover



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[marshhunter]

Do you mind sharing which podcasts you've been listening to?

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

Do you mind sharing which podcasts you've been listening to?

Southern outdoorsman
The hunting public
The Element
Wired to hunt

Those are my 4 favorites right now


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[Johnny44]

You forgot the wordS “oxbow” and “Cypress knees”