Help!! I need to thicken my woods

[rapidfire09]

I need help,
I hunt in northwest ohio, and i hunt in a small 1 acre woods.  The woods previously had a fire in the middle of it around 30 years ago.  Signs of the ground being black still shows where it was.  Beside the woods is a 1/2 acre water hole.  We put a cam up in the woods and got a lot of pictures of deer, but the problem is that they are at night and they never stay in there until the morning.  I have faith in this woods because I got pictures of some unique and monster buck that isn't something that is normal around this area.  Would it be worth to thicken up this woods or should I find a new place because it's too small?  If I can thicken the woods should I til the ground up where the fire was to get fresh good soil to the top? How should I make a choice cut in the woods since it is small, so I can get a lot of undergrowth? And there are some thick thorn bushes around the perimeter of the woods. How can I get them to spread rapidly, so I can get briers and thicker areas of thorns to grow?

[Mastertangler]

Well...first I wouldn't give up on the piece of property. If there are deer, and a deer you want to try for, then go for it. The hard part is going to be making changes with out pushing the deer out in the process. As any hunter knows, too much human intervention in an area will push the deer to change routes.

I have no idea how to thicken the woods with live plants. If it's not growing already, it might never grow? I have the same issue with open woods and the deer not moving through till after dark. They hang in the bedding area till I can't see and then I hear them walk right past me in the dark.

I have one possible suggestion, but it might have helped you more about a month ago vs now. Go around collecting Christmas trees....they don't even have to be green, they just have to serve as cover. Pound posts and anchor them so they stand upright. Lay a few down. It's the cheapest way I know of to make things appear thicker at eye level and maybe get the deer to bed down or feel like they have a safer route in and out thus giving you a chance.