Hinging

If someone asks me what is the #1 thing at a hunter's disposal to up his hunting success, my answer would be hinging. Hinging is a tactic that brings trees down to a horizontal state providing many different things depending on desired affect. They always provide food and decrease canopy cover no matter the purpose; they can also provide bedding, cover, blocking or subtle steering. The following video takes you through some hinging we did this past weekend and I show some different times we have used different types of hinging which include but are not limited to the following types:

-For bedding purposes hinge high so they can step under, walk through and provide overhead cover which they love to bed under.

-For blocking/steering purposes you want to hing at a medium height (roughly knee to waist depending on height). This height discourages movement through the hinged area, which can block or steer deer to move elsewhere.

-For basic food purposes you can cut anywhere or cut really low. By hinging really low you are guaranteed to have all browses (including stump shooting) at the deer's level.

All these approaches though provide food and depending on what each particular deer wants may get bedded in or around. Bottom line is they make your woods thicker, provide more food and cover...everything deer desire to feel safe and supplied with nourishment.

Myths about hinging:

-You can't hinge in the cold. FALSE

The video you are about to see was filmed on February 23rd, 2013 in Northern IN with a high of 29 (but with wind was even colder).

-You can't hinge larger trees. FALSE

Yes, it's easier to hinge smaller sized trees (calf and smaller) but we've hinged some trees that are wider than my chest in size with success.

Time for the video: