What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
- Edcyclopedia
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
After bad experiences my first year of archery hunting I quickly learned what a clear lane should be for me...
Typically I clear 2 lanes onto each trail I believe deer will travel to achieve a quartering away shot.
Usually 12-18" wide from as close to my tree as possible to allow a good angle for that particular tree stand height (say 7-8 yards) and out to 35 or so yards.
I try to pick the least amount of trimming branches in the slot I choose, then maybe a couple of holes as needed.
My experience/theory - Deer meander when they feed and may in fact come down that trail as anticipated but divert their path when they see a tsaty leaf off the trail and start chomping away.
My experience on gray-days or non-moon days is I can't see a 2" branch @ 15-20 yards the last 10-minutes never mind a 1/4" diamter branch.
*Or trying to calculate the arrow rising and/or falling to try and intersect a deer.
I don't take that chance anymore and wished someone taught that to me when I started...
Typically I clear 2 lanes onto each trail I believe deer will travel to achieve a quartering away shot.
Usually 12-18" wide from as close to my tree as possible to allow a good angle for that particular tree stand height (say 7-8 yards) and out to 35 or so yards.
I try to pick the least amount of trimming branches in the slot I choose, then maybe a couple of holes as needed.
My experience/theory - Deer meander when they feed and may in fact come down that trail as anticipated but divert their path when they see a tsaty leaf off the trail and start chomping away.
My experience on gray-days or non-moon days is I can't see a 2" branch @ 15-20 yards the last 10-minutes never mind a 1/4" diamter branch.
*Or trying to calculate the arrow rising and/or falling to try and intersect a deer.
I don't take that chance anymore and wished someone taught that to me when I started...
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
- swamp-assassin
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
i try to use natural shooting lanes and set up accordingly...i do as little cutting as possible since i am usually hunting fresh stands every sit.
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- jlh42581
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
My trimming 90% of the time isnt for shooting its because the tree I wanna be in has something in my way from making the setup right. I too however when cutting things that are a blatant spot I could get a shot at flush to the ground.
- Southern Man
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I trim, but very little. All I really need is a hole to put my arrow through. And generally that's fairly easy to find. We also practice for that. One of the places we shoot has a steel plate with a 3-4" hole cut in it. We set that at various ranges and shoot the target thru it. It can get expensive on a bad day.
But as far as shooting lanes, I don't need them that I can drive a truck thru...
But as far as shooting lanes, I don't need them that I can drive a truck thru...
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- Stanley
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
swamp-assassin wrote:i try to use natural shooting lanes and set up accordingly...i do as little cutting as possible since i am usually hunting fresh stands every sit.
Great approach.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
- UntouchableNess
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
When the sun came up on November 5th, I wish I had visited the tree earlier in the year to trim a branch or two (hadn't been back there since last November) but it worked out anyways. I try not to trim too much if any.
- Schultzy
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I trim lightly but enough. Nothing worse then having a small branch hanging that you can't see In low light conditions.
- Black Squirrel
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I try to trim as little as possible. On our lease the other guys want lanes wide enough to land a 747 jumbo jet, right up to a wide open ladder stand. Not a good situation. That's why I go portable and only hunt out of a few of the ladder stands that are well camoflaged. These shooting lanes have ruined a lot of good spots! If I have presets made in spring I will trim a little, but in the woods I hunt there is usually a hole here or there that I can sneak an arrow threw.
- Milk Weed Seed
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I don't trim much but I do try to bring my Stihl hand saw every time I go in the woods fits perfect in a leg cargo pocket. Doubles as a machete going through the thick when trailing one...
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- Kodiakman
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
there is a huge difference in trimming a shooting lane or carving one in, In stands that are permanent or borderline permanent, I will sparingly trim up a few branches. I do not believe in butsing wide swaths through marshy brush or anything like that. There was a property I used to hunt that they did this to. paths as wide as a truck and almost 2 football feilds long. They thought it was a great idea. Pretty much just ruined the most prime bedding area around for a 3 mile radius.
It's not a problem, it's a opportunity for a solution.
- virginiashadow
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I trim what I need to in as discrete a manner as possible.
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
I only cut what I need to get in the tree.
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- Zap
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
Once stand is up I make sure that I can shoot.....in a few directions.
No clearcutting..
But definately some trimming almost every set.
No clearcutting..
But definately some trimming almost every set.
"Forged in fire lit long ago. Stand next to me and you will never stand alone".
- Stanley
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
Zap wrote:Once stand is up I make sure that I can shoot.....in a few directions.
No clearcutting..
But definately some trimming almost every set.
I believe this is one of the biggest mistakes a lot of bowhunters make, no shooting lanes. They do everything right and then no shot. Bottom line; you have to have a shot on every set up or whats the use?
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
- Zap
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Re: What are your philosophies on shooting lanes?
Stanley wrote:Zap wrote:Once stand is up I make sure that I can shoot.....in a few directions.
No clearcutting..
But definately some trimming almost every set.
I believe this is one of the biggest mistakes a lot of bowhunters make, no shooting lanes. They do everything right and then no shot. Bottom line; you have to have a shot on every set up or whats the use?
Thats how I see it.
You need:
A place /places to be able to shoot.
Cover to hide you.
Deer need to feel safe there.
I sat here late afternoon today.
I could have sat in the brush a little more, but no way I could shoot.
I had the wind.
I had cover to draw/shoot.
The deer feel safe there.
And I put the ground blind farther down the field on the edge for a turkey hunt in the am.
Had hoped something would step out and look the other way at the blind.....
Nothing showed.
"Forged in fire lit long ago. Stand next to me and you will never stand alone".
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