Maybe because I establish browse plots and have ample bedding cover- Hinge Cutting to me seems like the internet cure-all flavor of the month- with limited benefits, you can't open a whitetail habitat You Tube video without someone talking about it. I was on a friend's property last fall where they did a larger section on a small ridge all the trees where dead and it looked like a blow down. He sent me a video of a few trees barber chairing when being cut- not only dangerous but is it a good practice?
I assume the goal is to create browse and overhead cover, how long does a tree live/sprout after a hinge cut? I assume certain species of trees give better results? To me best management of forestry provides better results- am I missing out on anything?

I watched a couple videos on it because I didn’t know what a hinge cut was. I don’t get the benefits of doing it. Looks like a giant mess to me.

I know many guys that are vehemently against hinge cutting, mainly because most of the people doing it dont have a clue on what they are doing. Not all trees are suitable for hinge cutting, Done wrong all it does is produce an giant trash heap with no food or cover value at all.

I believe the intent is to create a thick, heavy bedding area.

Started doing it about 10 years ago with Box Elders and Willows.
Mostly along hedge rows at old fence lines.
This was done to improve upland game bird and rabbit habitat.
Planting food plots near and laying cut off lengths of 4" corrugated under drain before cutting helps the rabbits alot.
Best success was on the downwind side to avoid snow drifting.

I was chuckling as I opened this. I was out pulling some sets and noticed one of the nephews had cut some trees in a small area. I called my brother and asked what to heck was going on. He said one of my nephews was hinge-cutting. I said you cannot hinge-cut birch in the winter it breaks! LOL it will and did only snap off. There is a stretch along a highway near me that is turning out ok. I understand it, to me, it is a quick fix for a long-term problem. One thing we changed with modern logging practices is leaving some full tree tops not cut down to twigs. Helps protect young growth coming up through. Has to be done right and the right type of trees will hinge and grow after. Bedding to me is not a quick fix.

We used to hinge cut trees 20 years ago to feather edges of woods. It created awesome habitat for rabbits, quail, and deer. Like a lot of things, it's been picked up as the "new cool thing" for deer, but it's been around for a long time. When done properly, one can feather a woodlots edge creating cover and food for a variety of critters. Not to mention exceptional hunting opportunities.

I have done a lot of edge feathering for cost share. Never hinge cut just cut them all off. I cut them off at the waist as you can just hold the chainsaw at natural height and start in. Great for rabbits, only really works for quail if you spray and kill the grass (fescue.brome). Deer liked it to eat the new shoots from the stumps and it is heavy cover. Have also done a lot of forest/timber stand improvement. Helps deer for the same reason. Hinge cutting is more work than necessary. Easier to just cut them down and accomplishes the same thing.

I understand making the cover

the cutting concept goes against everything safe in cutting a tree

I guess I would go thin out the woods for fire wood and leave brush rows for the cover but I would be doing a dual purpose woods and not just for hunt

it seems to me like people do it largely because it is the less work option to make cover

Not supposed to hinge mature trees, trying to hinge mature trees at 6ft isn't the smartest thing to do. Hinge is to d done to enhance current cover, not to create kt. If you don't do hinge cutting correctly it's a disaster. It's either great or a disaster, no in betweens. Most places would be better select cut or clear cut and burned

A hammer and a sharp chisel will cut in most hinges

Hing cutting looks like a good way to get kilt IMO.

I like to hinge cut cedars into a Blackberry patch or Multi Flora Rose when making RABITAT. Outstanding cover, especially if you lay down a pallet first so the Bunnies can get under it to raise their litter, keeps Coyotes and a lot of other predators out. I have found that Cedars will live a very long time that way. The bottoms die off leaving a fairly thick tangle of sticks that won't rot, and the uppers will continue to grow, providing cover and feed for birds. Several of my Cedar piles have been living for over 20 years.

RABITAT... I love that!

LOL, Thanks, the guy's in my Beagle club like it too!

I had a beagle once- great hunting dog... I'd let him out of the truck and then I'd hunt for him the rest of the day.

We hinge cut. Mostly trees 6" and under. Never had any issues.

and that is where hinge cutting is useful you have 4-6 inch trees every 8-10 feet

but if you have a more mature woods and you have been watching a lot of hinge cutting youtube videos and you try that on a 18 inch tree you might get yourself very hurt especially if you read the lean wrong.

I forgot to mention pallets, they go great with the under drain.
As far as tree diameter, all I do is 3"-6' about 30" up.
If there is to many, I thin out and burn the slash.

I much prefer doing TSI to hinge cutting. It’s less messy, safer, and does a better job long term. You get way more “free feed” so to speak, and it’s much more accessible and beneficial to all wildlife species. Couple it with prescribed fire and wildlife flourishes.