Mobile Hunting + Shooting Lanes = Problem

[GloryDaysDesign]

So I am trying to be as mobile as possible lately, but for one thing, I find it difficult in the frigid cold. Those frozen trees are like cement when setting up a new stand.

Another issue I am having is not realizing what shooting lanes I will have once setting up my mobile LW alpha or Wide S&C. I see myself more often than not getting 15ft off the ground and hanging my bow, and what I thought was a good spot, turn into an unshootable tree. I am not sure if there is a definitive answer to alleviate this issue, but any hints would be incredible. It looks SO much different from above, but on the other hand, I don't want to be in a tree that isn't near anything else.... Thanks!

[Trailcamaddict]

Experience will help you with this. Over time you will be able to look up and around your selected tree and figure out if you have a shot before you even climb up. Sometimes things don't work out perfect but most of the time you will be ok. Sometimes you have to manipulate your stand direction or height a bit to make things work.

[Black Squirrel]

Look for spots to shoot too, not necessarily shooting lanes. Hard to say what I mean, but you will rarely have a nice "shooting lane", but if you anyalze your spot, you will find more shot oppurtunities than you think. plus what trailcam said. Not easy. You are right, it looks so much different from the air, than the ground.

[Spysar]

Me and my friends practice for lack of shooting lanes. Here's what we do. We shoot at 3d targets. Whoever shoots closest to the circle, picks the next shot.

So all our shots are random distance, with whatever sticks are in the way. You have to bend, squat, lean, get on your knee...basically whatever it takes to make the shot. It's "real world" practice.

You can't always trim lanes without ruining the spot.

[Stanley]

The final part of the success equation, is the shot. I have never killed a buck where there wasn't a shot. I have many missed opportunities because of lack of a shot though. You gotta have a shot to hang one on the wall. I have preached this over the years.

[WKPTodd]

If you can't shoot - you can't kill. Get a wicked saw:)

[justdirtyfun]

I have climbed a tree, started to pull my bow up, then climbed down. No shot available. It happens to everyone at some point I think. Keep trying to see the openings and it will get easier. Scouting in the offseason includes getting the right tree for a particular situation.

[ Post made via Android ]

[headgear]

If you are a 100% mobile hunter this is just something you have to deal with, there are no perfect setups and no one has time to trim every tree they hunt even if they wanted to. Heck in some of my area I might hunt 10 different trees depending on the wind. Like others have already said you have adjust your set to give yourself the most opportunities, sometimes you hunt low, sometimes high, look for holes when setting up, other times look for branches 15-20 feet up and find the lanes up in the air. Once you get the hang of it then it becomes easier. I've had spots were you can't see anything from the ground but once you get up a bit things open up, other times you can see forever on the ground but climbing up 15 feet puts you in a bad spot and you have to climb down and setup low.

[Stanley]

I have climbed a tree, started to pull my bow up, then climbed down. No shot available. It happens to everyone at some point I think. Keep trying to see the openings and it will get easier. Scouting in the offseason includes getting the right tree for a particular situation.

[ Post made via Android ]

Right on brother.

[GloryDaysDesign]

WKPTodd,
I met you at the Harrisburg show, and I told you I had already bought the best saw package you had (extendable, hand saw, and the dvd's!).. works great.. Just need to figure out how to get that extendable onto my pack as efficiently as your "sticks on a LW" technique... love that Doe Day video...

[Crazinamatese]

If you are a public land hunter, be sure it is legal in your state to trim branches and shooting lanes.I know what you mean Glory. Off season scouting does help. One of the first things I do when Im going into an area blind and find a tree, I make sure I do have some lanes and windows to launch an arrow through. Im not confident enough yet to shoot through baseball size holes in the brush yet. I don't think I will ever be. I did that two season ago when I was cocky trying to shoot through a small shot window and ended up putting a terrible shot on a deer and never recovered it. I usually push brush and lean saplings over to create some makeshift lanes. That does and has worked for me quite a bit.

[Edcyclopedia]

I prep as often as possible during the offseason...

I select the location, tree and bring my stand to "cut in lanes".
Before pulling my stand down I put green tape @ the base so I have a "height" to reset my stand too.
Also marked on the GPS...

When not possible - I try the best guesstimation possible for stand selection with the least amount of cutting, yet the best killing scenarion.
Sometimes I bring a pole saw/pruner and/or just hand trimmers....

[Dewey]

Hunting public I can't legally cut shooting lanes so I have learned to deal with obstructions. Sure it's cost me deer already but the extra cover has also helped me get shots on deer too. If there are too many obstructions I tend to just set up lower. We all would like to have completely clear shots but it's not always possible.

[dan]

I pick my tree and shooting lanes from a distance... Slowly making my way to the tree planning my rought and my spot... Once at the tree I am looking at my shooting lanes as I climb and set the stand according to my shots and clean lanes. Its nice to have a good saw with you if your far enough back to make a little noise, but you need to get into the tree clean, and set up at the height or spot you need to be in that tree...

i just finished editing my next show, and I probably should of did the topic on shooting laners, but didn't. Its a public land hunt so I can't cut according to Wisconsin law. I set the stand to have one short small window... Heck, I could barely even see the deer till they hit the 6 foot window. The stand had to be in the exact right spot to have that shot, and thats it, 1 six foot window which is pretty small on a moving deer... But you gotta hunt where the deer are and where they move in daylight. I have shot many deer in that 6 foot window over the years... Dan Jr should have the show finish edited soon, when it comes up, watch the window I shoot thru.

Its like every other part of this, you get better over time... Nothing teaches you as well as time in the woods.

Another thing about L/W or XOP stands in late season IF YOU GET THE STRAP WET, it will freeze and the buckle will freeze to and the belts will slip in the buckles or be to ridged to tighten... If it gets wet, let it thaw in the house.

[kurt]

this is a huge thing I've messed up before on. It can be challenging to say the least when your not allowed. I find myself lower than I want to be alot.