I rarely if ever and try under ALL circumstances to avoid what you call a shooting lane. I cut NOTHING as my first second and third options. I'm a hole shooter. If there is a limb close to my stand I'll tie it off or something up at my level. I just don't like to change the scenery anymore than is necessary. I've seen gun hunters go in with chainsaws to clear shooting lanes. I mean, WHY???? If you can't squeeze a bullet traveling at 2800 fps threw a 2 foot hole you better give up. If you can find a hole in the brush to squeeze an arrow through at 20 yards, well the stand is in the wrong place, or there's an alternative place or something. Once in a rare thing I'll trim something. I had this one crossing of a creek in Maryland. This guy that hunted with Len and I for a year or two was having a hard time getting in front of a deer. I walked him in at midday and showed him this ditch crossing. I showed him the trees I'd use for West wind and East winds. I had shot a doe there the week before. So, he sits there and says he saw nothing. I couldn't believe it. I didn't hunt that day. Len called me and said, you aren't going to believe this. He proceeded to tell me the other guy had gone in the day before his huntwith a big saw and chopped down a half dozen trees letting them fall where they might. That besides trimming limbs etc. You could see for ever... but of course every deer in the county avoided the spot for the rest of the year.Len chewed the guy a new butt for screwing up my stand but the damage was done. I don't cut anything except hair.