Southern hunters..how in the world..

[NYBackcountry]

Bump - Going through all of Spy's old posts and found this Stanley Gem.

I havent been here long but after reading all I have i laughed out loud at this classic Stan comment.

[Hawthorne]

Interesting topic. I used to think there was nothing a buck wouldn’t go thru. Now it’s something I pay attention to. I’ve even cleared pathways for bigger antlers for camera traps and hunting

[Bowmet]

Hand sheers and SLOW going. I don't know any different than that kind of thick stuff. A lot of people just don't understand when you tell them it's thick.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Hand sheers are a must...so do you cut a path in pre season or summertime?

[ Post made via Android ]

I am going to be cutting several entry and exit paths starting this January. Once you get them cut, it is pretty easy to maintain. Around here, greenbriar is a pretty important browse item in the late fall and winter, you would be surprised how well they can eat their way through over the years. If your area is heavy pressured, these areas make great late season havens.

I can hardly leave the truck without hand shears in many places I hunt in SC. As for cutting trails, I do trim some precut trails in the winter post-season, and maybe a few during the summer. Generally, my precut trails are to give me access to a larger area, rather than to a particular tree. On the other hand, staying mobile requires cutting new trails as I hunt new spots. Since the deer are inevitably going to smell your trail, I don’t hesitate to do some trimming on the way in. Like we’ve already mentioned, it’s a necessity in many places for accessing them. I think I use my shears more than my flashlight sometimes. They also come in handy to trim limbs in your set-up tree.

[Tennhunter3]

I cut a trail through a grown up clearcut 2 years ago in February took several days probably 12 hours to do with Shears and a handsaw it’s about 400 yards long 3 feet wide.

It must be retrimmed each bow season from summer growth on my way in to hunt. Last season took about 3 hours to retrim it out.

Most of the areas that are super thick mature bucks are not far in.

Some clearcuts are impossible to get through without a bulldozer it’s sadly the way it is.

[SE_trad_hunter]

I trimmed one not too long ago, only for them to burn the area a few weeks later. Ah well, the price of good habitat.

[jwilkstn]

Every access trail I've cut through such thickets ends up being used as the main deer trail into/ through that thicket.