Hunting Land and Food Plot Clearing in North Georgia
Northline Forestry Group clears food plots, shooting lanes, trails and stand access on hunting land across North Georgia and metro Atlanta. We mulch brush and trees in place with a tracked forestry mulcher, so hunting land owners and clubs get open, usable ground without burn piles or haul-off.
Hunting Land & Food Plots, the Northline way
A lot of North Georgia hunting land is grown up. Old cutovers turn into thickets, privet fills the bottoms, and the trail you used five years ago is gone. Deer and turkey like edge and cover, but you still need places to plant, places to see and quiet ways to get in and out. That is the work we do. We open plots, cut lanes and trails, and shape the property so it hunts better.
We grind brush and small trees in place, which means no piles to deal with and no trucks rutting up your roads. The mulch stays on the ground. For a food plot, we can mulch the area, then follow with light grading to push mulch back and smooth the ground for planting. Stumps come down to about ground level. We do not offer below-grade stump grinding.
Our background is 30 years of sitework, so we pay attention to the things that make a plot last. Where water runs, where a slope will wash, how a trail crosses a drainage. A plot laid out on the right ground, with a little shaping for drainage, is easier to plant and holds up better. We are owner-operated and fully insured, and we treat your property like it is our own lease.
Best for
- Hunting clubs and leases
- Grown-up cutovers and thickets
- Old fields and pastures turned to brush
- Private tracts that need stand access
- Bottoms choked with privet
- New land purchases being set up to hunt
What we cover
Food plot clearing
We clear plots out of brush, cutovers and woods, mulching everything in place. Plots can be shaped to fit the terrain and your setup.
Plot prep for planting
After mulching, we can do light grading to push back heavy mulch and smooth the ground. That gives you a cleaner seedbed to disk or till.
Shooting lanes
We cut lanes from stands and blinds through brush and small trees. You choose the trees to leave for cover.
Stand access trails
Quiet entry and exit trails are cut so you can reach stands without walking through the bedding area.
ATV and service roads
We open and widen trails and interior roads for trucks, ATVs and equipment, and shape them to shed water.
Edge and cover work
We can thin and feather plot and field edges to create the soft transition cover wildlife likes to use.
Clearing food plots on North Georgia ground
North Georgia hunting land runs from rolling Piedmont farmland to steep mountain ridges. Most of it sits on red clay or rocky ground, and that shapes how a plot should be cleared. Georgia's clay and Piedmont soils erode quickly when bare, so a plot cut on a steep slope can wash before the seed comes up. We look for flatter benches and shape the ground so water moves across the plot gently.
Mulch is great for holding soil, but too much of it on a food plot can be a problem for planting. Heavy mulch can tie up nitrogen as it breaks down and keep seed from reaching soil. On plots, we usually push back the heaviest mulch and leave a lighter layer to be worked in. A soil test before planting is a good idea, since a lot of Georgia ground runs acidic.
Bottoms and creek edges are often the best hunting spots and also the most sensitive. Georgia requires a 25-foot buffer along state waters, 50 feet on trout streams, for land-disturbing activity. We lay out plots and trails to respect those buffers. If a road needs to cross a drainage, we talk through the right way to do it. If you plan to dig or set posts, call Georgia 811 first.
Our process
Call or send a map
Tell us about the property and where you want plots, lanes and trails. An aerial map with marks on it is the best place to start.
Walk the property
We walk the tract with you, look at slope, soil, drainage and wind, and flag stands and trees to keep. You get a free quote.
Cut trails and access
We open the roads and access trails first so the rest of the work, and your hunting, can get in quietly.
Clear plots and lanes
Plots and shooting lanes are mulched in place. Where agreed, we push back heavy mulch and smooth the plot.
Final walkthrough
We walk the plots, lanes and trails with you to make sure they are where you want them and ready to plant.
Hunting Land & Food Plots FAQ
Can you clear a food plot in the woods?
Yes. We clear food plots out of woods, thickets, cutovers and grown-up fields using a tracked forestry mulcher. Brush and trees are ground in place, and stumps come down to about ground level. Afterward we can do light grading to push back heavy mulch and smooth the ground, so you have a cleaner surface to disk or till. Picking the right spot, with decent sunlight and gentle slope, matters a lot.
How much does it cost to clear a food plot?
We give a free quote after seeing the property. Cost depends on the size and number of plots, how thick the brush is, the size of the trees, slope and rock, access to the site, whether you want plot prep grading after mulching, any trails or lanes that need cutting, and travel distance. Clearing several plots and trails on one trip is usually more efficient than coming back for each one.
How long does it take to clear hunting land and food plots?
A few plots, lanes and trails often take one to a few days of machine time, but it depends on the property. Thick brush, large trees, steep ground and rock slow production. A whole tract setup takes longer. We will give you a realistic schedule with your free quote. Plan ahead so the work is done well before your planting window.
Can I plant right into the mulch after you clear a plot?
Planting straight into a thick mulch layer usually does not work well. Seed needs soil contact, and heavy mulch can tie up nitrogen as it breaks down. We recommend pushing back the heaviest mulch with light grading, then disking or tilling the lighter layer into the soil. A soil test helps you know how much lime and fertilizer to use. Stumps are left at about ground level, so disk carefully.
What is left behind after clearing hunting land?
You are left with open plots, lanes and trails, a layer of mulch on the cleared ground, and stumps at about ground level. We do not offer below-grade stump grinding. There are no brush piles to burn or haul. On plots where we do prep grading, the heaviest mulch is pushed to the edges, which can also make a soft edge that wildlife will use.
When is the best time to clear land for food plots?
Late winter and summer are both good times, depending on what you are planting. Clear in late winter for spring and summer plots, and clear by mid to late summer for fall plots. Leave yourself time to soil test, lime and work the ground. Clearing outside of hunting season also keeps the disturbance away from the time you want the deer settled.
Often paired with
Trail & Road Cutting
We cut ATV and walking trails, access roads, driveway paths and shooting lanes through North Georgia woods, routed to drain well and hold up over time.
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Underbrush & Brush Clearing
Selective clearing that removes thick brush, vines and saplings under your woods while keeping the good trees. Opens up the property and leaves a clean, park-like look.
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Firebreaks & Defensible Space
Firebreaks and defensible space for North Georgia landowners, hunting tracts and homes near the woods. We cut back brush and ladder fuels so fire has less to run on.
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