Why Strategic Clearing Improves Hunting
The best hunting properties are not completely cleared OR completely overgrown. They are thoughtfully managed through professional land clearing to create a mix of open areas, edge habitat, and security cover that makes game feel comfortable AND gives you shooting opportunities.
Research shows that "edge habitat"—where cleared areas meet brush or timber—holds more wildlife than either open fields or dense brush alone. Strategic clearing creates more edges and dramatically increases wildlife use.
🌱 Food Plot Opportunities
Cleared areas can be planted with food plots that attract and hold deer on your property. Properly located plots concentrate game movement and create predictable hunting opportunities.
🎯 Clear Shooting Lanes
Strategic lanes provide clear shot opportunities and allow you to see deer traveling between bedding and feeding areas. Well-designed lanes funnel movement past stand locations.
🌿 Native Browse Increase
Clearing cedar and brush allows native forbs and browse plants to flourish. Deer actually have MORE food after strategic clearing, not less—just the right kinds of food in the right places.
🏠 Edge Habitat Creation
Every cleared acre creates edges where wildlife congregates. Biologists call this the "edge effect"—more species and higher densities along habitat transitions.
Food Plot Clearing
Food plots are the heart of most hunting property management plans. Here is how to plan and execute food plot clearing for maximum effectiveness:
Location Selection
- Near bedding areas: Deer should be able to reach plots without crossing open ground
- Multiple plots: 3-4 smaller plots beat 1 large plot for security
- Terrain considerations: Bottomlands hold moisture better; slopes drain well
- Wind patterns: Place plots so you can hunt them with favorable winds
Size Recommendations
| Property Size | Total Food Plot Acreage | Recommended Layout |
|---|---|---|
| 20-50 acres | 1-2 acres total | 2-3 plots, 1/2 acre each |
| 50-100 acres | 2-4 acres total | 3-4 plots, 1/2-1 acre each |
| 100-250 acres | 4-8 acres total | 4-6 plots, 1-2 acres each |
| 250+ acres | 8-15 acres total | 6-10 plots, distributed |
Food Plot Clearing Process
Site Clearing
Forestry mulching removes trees and brush while leaving the soil intact. Mulch layer helps suppress weeds and retain moisture.
Stump Treatment
Treat any mesquite or resprouting species with herbicide to prevent regrowth in your food plot area.
Light Grading (Optional)
Minor grading to create a level planting surface. Not always necessary with forestry mulching.
Soil Prep & Planting
Soil test, amend as needed, and plant appropriate food plot blends for your goals and season.
Shooting Lane Clearing
Well-designed shooting lanes are essential for getting clear shots at game, especially in the thick brush common to Texas hunting properties.
Shooting Lane Design Tips
For Rifle Hunting
- • Width: 20-30 feet
- • Length: 200-300 yards when possible
- • Include gentle curves (avoid straight corridors)
- • Clear ground-level brush completely
For Bowhunting
- • Width: 8-15 feet
- • Length: 30-50 yards from stand
- • Multiple narrow lanes from each stand
- • Clear shooting heights, not just ground
Strategic clearing creates shooting opportunities while maintaining cover for game security
Travel Corridor Management
Deer prefer to travel along edges and through transition zones. Strategic clearing can create or enhance natural travel corridors that funnel deer past your stand locations.
Creating Funnels
A "funnel" is a narrowed travel area that concentrates deer movement. Clear brush on the sides of natural pinch points (draws, saddles, fence corners) to enhance the funneling effect.
Example: Clear 50-yard strips on either side of a creek crossing, leaving only a 30-yard brush strip at the crossing. Deer will funnel through the remaining cover right past your stand.
Clearing for Different Game
🦌 Whitetail Deer
Deer need both food and security cover. Create a mosaic of small food plots (1/2-2 acres), shooting lanes, and LEAVE brushy bedding areas.
Key: Do not over-clear. 20-40% of property cleared is typically optimal. More edge habitat = more deer activity.
🦃 Wild Turkey
Turkey need open areas for strutting, scattered trees for roosting, and brush edges for nesting. Clear open "strutting areas" but preserve mature oak clusters.
Key: Create larger cleared areas (3-5 acres) with scattered remaining trees. Turkey like to see danger coming.
🐗 Wild Hogs
Hogs bed in the thickest cover they can find. Reducing dense brush eliminates daytime bedding areas and forces hogs to move more.
Key: Clear aggressively near feeders and bait stations. Create open areas where hogs are visible. Less cover = easier hog control.
Hunting Property Clearing Costs
| Project | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Food plot clearing (1 acre) | $2,500-$4,000 | Including light site prep |
| Shooting lanes (per 100 yards) | $200-$500 | Width dependent |
| General habitat improvement | $1,500-$3,000/acre | Strategic thinning |
| Complete hunting property package | $8,000-$15,000 | 50-100 acres, 3-4 plots + lanes |