Clear shooting lanes...Now?

[shadow]

Just wanna know what you do when it comes to clearing new shooting lanes.
Do you wait till summer, or early fall when you can get a better idea of what needs to be cut out or do you get into the task now when there's no leaves and its a little easier to cut away the branches
I found a few new sites and just want to get your thoughts on this.
While I'm at it, do you feel its to early to set up new ladder stands?

[JPH]

If it were me, I'd go in now and open the path nice and wide. This is the time of year, before fawn drop, in which you are least likely to disrupt the deer. (I know that seems a little extreme but I do not even walk in my timber after early spring.) Any big limbs that need to come down will be long forgotten before fall.

Then, I would go in one more time about a month before the season begins. This time I would try to be low impact. Scent control, hand tools only, and trim only the light brush that has grown into your shooting lanes. If at all possible, try to pull this off just before it rains.

That's my advice, for what it's worth.

[PrairieShadow]

I usually do just as JPH said and go in around early august with hand tools only and trim what needs to be trimmed and get in and out as quickly as possible and try and leave as much human presence in the area as possible. My lanes are pretty well established now so i only go in early fall and touch things up a bit.

[shadow]

Good advice guys.
I will go in next week and get things done. What about erecting ladder stands? Is it a good idea to set them up now? They are not home built but rather bought units, will the weather damage them at all leaving them out so long?

[JPH]

My stands never come inside. I like to check the nuts and bolts before they go up, but to be honest all of mine are still out there from last fall.

I have found that they need occasional oiling (olive oil is unscented) and cloth seats and straps need replacement every few years, but spring to fall should not present a problem.

[deerdown]

About the ladder stand, the only thing I've read is leaving the stands on for any length of time can possibly put stress on the straps due to tree growth.  I've read about it, however I still end up leaving mine on .. best intentions .. you know how they go sometimes!

[DeerCamp]

Humm... I dont think it would hurt to cut the lanes right now. Get some of that work out of the way while its still a little chilly out and less bugs.. Then that way when you go in around Aug like JPH said you arent making as much noise and sweating as much.. As for me each year Ill take mental notes as of what I want trimmed up and cut down..

[Demoderby4]

I would say do as much as u can now, it's still early in the year and disrupting the deer isn't that big of an issue right now, i just marked some trees and plan on moving one stand from last year and setting up 3 more with my buddy within the month, as well as clearing lanes and debris that could be in the way. This is my first time preparing this falls stuff so early and it's exciting getting everything ready and prepared way before fall, and a lot les stressful come august and september too i imagine! Good luck!

[shadow]

There's always something to do when it comes to deer hunting during every season.. scout, clear trails, mow, setting up camera's, clear shooting lanes, find new tree's for stands, the list goes on.
I mind as well also get the stands out of the garage and up against a couple of tree's while i'm clearing some brush and shooting lanes, it'll be alot less to do in the summer and less stressfull on the deer.

[msbadger]

All my cutting is done ...but I do the trimming in  latewinter for 3 reasons
 1. disturbance low
 2. branches feed deer a bit when things are rough for them
 3. tree sap isn't flowing and wounds dry...helping to keep bugs and      fungus from attacking and weakening you trees
 
I put new stands up in mid summer...build new stands in spring/early summer and when I leave stands up I loosen the staps to account for spring and summer growth and loosen the chains that lock them to tree
 Every other year in spring I linseed oil the wooden ladders and wire brush and rustolium and paint metal stands...I use mineral oil ....olive oil can get sticky and it does go rancid over time..just my experiance