Is it too late to put in hunting lanes?
 

I finished up my box stand and I thought I had my lanes cleared out but once I got up in it and as I was looking around I noticed an area where I could put in a couple more lanes. The area where I want to put the lanes is where ive heard the bucks but its too thick to see into the woods. Is it too late to put them in? Or will this spook the deer? or would you hold off till after the rut? or until completely after the season? Any info would be greatly appreaciated.

I can tell you with some authority. Not because I'm good, because I was lazy. LOL! What should have been done during season, has been done at the last minute. Sometimes when hunting a new spot, trimming is necessary anyway. I've cut lanes right in the hunting season and have seen big buck droppings the next day right in the shooting lane. I've also done numerous trimmings to get me a shot or better view of an area and have seen deer move through the area right away. I also try and be quiet doing it and get it done as quick as I can. I mainly use hand pruners, loppers, a pole-saw... and sometimes have used a machete with my custom sharpening job to cut tall grass.

Most activity you do in the woods, if the deer see you, hear you or smell you, then that's that, but it doesn't mean they'll leave the area and your hunts will be ruined.

I also only cut during the middle part of the day... around 11:30am to 3:30pm to keep from scaring deer that are already on their feet. Plus any residual odor is slightly dissipated which may help me hide my presence. Don't know how much ground scent I leave, but regardless, I'm seeing deer right away.

If you have to, do it in the middle of the day, be quiet and get it done quickly if at all possible. Trimming and leaving ground scent is about as much disturbance a hunter can leave, so it's not normal, but has to be done sometimes.

Good luck,

iSnipe

I wouldn't bring a chainsaw out there.

But I'd certainly use a pole saw, hand saw, hand pruners, gotta do what ya gotta do.

Biggest buck I've ever shot came through 2 hours after I finished trimming my shooting lanes in a new spot. No worries - just try not to stink it up too much.

This is all music to my ears. Thanks for the comments. Gonna head out there tomorrow afternoon and do some trimming. Its muzzle loader/primitive gun season right now so Im going to try and get a little bit of a hunt in as well.

Bust butt and at least try and get in two hunting spots if you can.

Good luck!

iSnipe

Don't worry about a chainsaw. I see tracks all the time around loading ramps that were used the previous day. The loggers see deer from their skidders and feller bunchers all he time.

Went up to the camp last weekend for a work day and a little trimming of my sons stand. He was using the gas powered expandable tree saw when not 40 yards behind him were two big bucks. They just put their heads down, had someplace to go and we were in the way. So as they calmly walked around us, we used them to pick out our firing lanes. He's gunning the motor to see their reaction, and they could care less. It's like we paid these two deer to walk to every firing lane possible, and it worked at least for 180 degrees of his location. It really depends on the area you hunt. Our club has houses surrounding the area. The deer are already use to people with chain saws, quads, etc. It seems they don't spook as easy as they use to, not that I'm complaining.