There is increased interest in creating cover specifically for deer bedding. Hinge-cutting has been used to develop “bedding blocks,” but there has been no evaluation of deer use. Hinge-cutting creates visual obstruction via the directional fell as well as regenerating stems and increased ground cover. We established four sites in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania in 2021 to evaluate deer response to hinge-cutting and the effects on vegetation. We established a 5-acre treatment unit and an adjacent 5-acre control unit at each site. We placed four camera traps in each unit. We quantified deer use pretreatment from February 2022 to February–May 2023, before implementing the treatment. We quantified deer use posttreatment through December 2023. We measured visual obstruction within 37 ft and recorded overstory and midstory stem density per acre surrounding camera traps in September 2024. We recorded understory species and grouped them into classes: forb, grass, semi-woody, and woody. Visual obstruction increased 154%, and midstory stems increased 34% following treatment. Hinge-cut tree survival was 72%, and girdled tree mortality was 97%. Understory coverage increased 63% for forbs, 100% for semi-woody, and 120% for woody species following treatment. Percent coverage of grasses decreased 4% in treatment and control. Daily deer detections during fawning season (May–July) decreased 6% in control and increased 146% in treatment after cutting. Daily detections during hunting season (October–December) decreased 24% in control and increased 78% in treatment. Our data indicate hinge-cutting can be used to increase visual obstruction and enhance bedding/loafing areas for deer.
