[lightdemup22]

Was wondering what you guys use to trim branches around your stands. We have one of those trimmers on a long pole for places we can't reach. Thing is I'd like to have something thats small but yet I can cut anything with it just about. Which really has to be a saw the way I look at it. I'd like it to fold up so the blade isn't exposed in my pack either.

Anywho what do you guys use or do you even keep anything with you. I don't have as much time as I'd like prepare stands to this point. Ex. This past season I shot a cow of a 10 pointer. Weighed 258 eta live weight and green scores 138 3/8 gross, 131 NET. I had my stand picked out two days before I shot him, day before I shot him I got picked right out of the tree by a little 4 n 6 pointer. So I moved to another tree down the trail and got to the stand an hour before day light trimming with a diags haha.

For spur of the moment decisions that pay off like that lol. Advice?

 

[308Havoc]

i dont trim. if the deer doesnt go in one of the natural openings, it doesnt get shot at. only need a few inches of opening to shoot, not a landing strip.

 

[Dave2pa]

check these out , www.hooymansaws.com/
i have the 10 foot model,, works good

 

[GRock]

The hooyman saw is invaluable.

 

[lightdemup22]

thanks for the input, don't know if you can beat them haha.

 

[Retaks]

I trim very minimal and when i do it is weeks before the season when im picking what trees i will use that season. The more you trim off the better chance you have of being spotted. I do go back a week or two before the season starts and climb each tree again to make sure everything is good and also put a hook for my bow in it so i know where to stop with my stand to have the best angles.

 

[NanookOdaNorth]

I do most of my trimming after I locate stands in the late winter/early spring. Then I do very minor cleanup the first time I hunt that stand. Usually doesn't require much at that time.

I trim my trails in the spring, as well. I have found that deer start using those trails almost right away!

 

[Born2Hunt]

I do most of my trimming after I locate stands in the late winter/early spring. Then I do very minor cleanup the first time I hunt that stand. Usually doesn't require much at that time.

I trim my trails in the spring, as well. I have found that deer start using those trails almost right away!

Ditto this However, I have no problem trimming shooting lanes during the season. I like some cover for them to walk past giving me the opportunity to draw unseen.

You need some concealment but if there is a deer out there that can visually and mentally keep up with the falling of leaves, up rooted trees, wind blown branches on the ground and constant day to day changes in the environment he deserves to die of old age.

I believe the greater danger is to trim leaving ones scent behind and and hunting too soon thereafter. When trimming and planning to hunt in the near future I remove all the debris a good distance from the cut area. If I cut far in advance of my planed hunt I can use the debris to block and reroute they travel pattern to my shoot lanes.

 

[Buck Whisperer]

I trim all my stands by mid summer. I have a hooyman 10' saw and a pole lopper and they work just fine. Dont over trim like others have said. you do want some concealment. I trim a few lanes for each stand in the directions i anticipate deer travel and shot opportunities and then im done.

 

[Pa.Bone]

I just carry my folding hand saw and a small roll of duct tape in my pack. I then cut a sapling whatever length i need and tape my saw to the sapling and prune away. You can even pull sapling up in your treestand with your bow rope and prune. Then lower down on a loose knot and discard sapling.

 

[Strut10]

During the summer, I will pick a couple likely locations on a pinch point or funnel and remove the necessary clutter at ground level with a Husqvarna 55. There are saws running on my property every month of the year and it makes not a whit of difference to any of the deer that live there. Still, I only remove the bare minimum to make the stand workable. If it ends up that a stand actually does get hung in that location in the fall, I use a Gerber folding limb saw to fine tune any small, higher-up offenders.

 

[jlh42581]

Wicked saw