Hunting mobile

[Mancub173]

i recently got the lone wolf stand and climbing sticks and have been taking it out scouting with me and setting it up for practice in some spots. i use the 4 pack tree sticks covered in the stealth strips that i highly recommend getting if you purchase the sticks also have the lone wolf alpha with the stick quiver on the back. this set up is great, but the one thing i am noticing when i set up in these random spots is you have no shooting lanes. i am used to hunting set tree stands where iv done all the trimming and hunt during november. ok so my question is should i pack a pole saw with me and trim what i can from the stand? or be better at picking a tree more open? i hunt on an island in Massachusetts and its not all that open with straight trees especially where these bucks are bedded. this is my first time being mobile and i want to practice now before the time comes and have everything necessary to pack in. any tips would be great thanks guys!

[<DK>]

I think the quietest way to trim is carrying hand snips for season and trimming what you can reach. I take a collapsible pole saw while scouting, but covering your tracks on public is important if you go that route. Also pre season trimming I prefer windy or rainy days.
Its not unusual for me to setup in areas where I have 2-3 natural shooting lanes. Actually that's when I get excited.

[Mibowfreak]

Like mentioned above, I would try setting up at different heights. I have found this to be really helpful.

Also, if you can, I like to prep as many trees as possible that I find from my scouting. I like to do this tree prepping anytime from January till May. Its usually the trees that you have to make an in season adjustment that you cant get trimmed unfortunately.

[Mancub173]

these are all really helpful but what if im sneeking in to a random spot i know is good is it kinda just you get what you get ?

[tgreeno]

these are all really helpful but what if im sneeking in to a random spot i know is good is it kinda just you get what you get ?

Yes, sometimes it isn't ideal. You may only have a couple small shooting lanes. With some experience, you can figure out what tree's will give you just enough shooting to make it happen. Sometimes I may have to prune a little on the way up, or once I'm up.

[hunter10]

My favourite spot I have ever hunted is only 2 sticks up. I'm not more than 6-8 ft off the ground. So thick in there deer don't pick me off and my furthest shot is 25 yds but that is where the big boys roll

[KLEMZ]

When I am hunting a transition line "on the go" with my stand on my back, I will also carry a light weight stool that is bungeed to the stand. If I find the sign I am looking for... I STOP WALKING... and scan the area for a tree that will offer an advantage (at any height). Hopefully, I can get in a tree, even if it is only 1 stick high...If nothing seems worthy, I will then find a spot to set my stool (natural clear shooting lanes and wind direction/expected thermals dictating where I set the stool). And yes, I do carry a hand clippers at all times to clear small branches that will get in the way of my bow limbs while shooting. I have faith in the common sense of our Wisconsin Wardens that trimming a few twigs around a hunt site isn't worth their time since they have much bigger fish to fry.

[Bowhunter4life]

As others have stated I would do all your bigger trimming in the spring but you don't want to open it up to the point that you stick out like a sore thumb in the tree. It's normally just a opening here or there when I'm hunting and I have to pick my shot accordingly. In season as DN stated a pair of hand snips can be handy.

Of course you can't kill what you can't shoot but there is a fine line there IMO. Have to give yourself a big enough lane that you have confidence in being able to kill that animal. For some that may be bigger than others as anxiety can take over. You do what you need to do to kill that animal when he comes through. If that is clearing out a decent area do it in the spring.

[matt1336]

I use a racheting pruner and snip off branches and twigs that I need gone. If you hunt mobile on public it's just part of the game. Personally I don't believe anyone that hunts mobile that says they don't trim at least a little. There just isn't a way around it if you're hunting deer not trees.

[Lockdown]

I use a racheting pruner and snip off branches and twigs that I need gone. If you hunt mobile on public it's just part of the game. Personally I don't believe anyone that hunts mobile that says they don't trim at least a little. There just isn't a way around it if you're hunting deer not trees.

x2

Islands like the one in Dan's recent Marsh island YouTube video don't exist around here. In fact it was so open I couldn't believe how much use it got.

I can honestly say I've never hung a stand where I didn't have to trim SOMETHING.

[Mario]

I think with practice and close attention to where you think the deer will be coming from will give you the lanes you need.

It's not uncommon when hunting mobile that my spots are under 15 yards.

If I am on a swamp or Marsh edge they can be longer because your shooting into the cattails.

The longest shot I have made going mobile has been 35 yards. That is all my deer taken in the last 10 years. Now that has a lot to do with shot preference and how far I feel comfortable shooting.

What I find is that as I climb and set my sticks I am looking around the tree towards bedding to spy my best vantage point to the bedding I am hunting and any converging trails I am on. Sometimes that forces me to sit lower on the tree, sometimes that forces me to sit higher.

I often may only have a couple small windows for shot place but since I am planning on ambushing the deer on their exit trail from bedding it usually works out.

The good thing is if you sit a set and have a deer skirt your shooting range, now you have good Intel to move in closer on the next set because you observed them on hoof.

I carry a small saw in but using it can be noisy. I agree snips are a good option but I have not switched to them yet.

I have also just bent back small branches or trees as need to give me some clearance but I feel the less disturbed the area is the better element of surprise you have.

The practice your doing now is great and will pay of come season!

Best of luck!

[Josh_S]

Just be aware of regulations if hunting public. For instance, no trimming or cutting of any kinds is allowed on PA state game lands. A lot of hunters here get around this by using string to tie limbs back to open up lanes.

[Jonny]

I have asked a couple wardens about trimming and all I have been told is don't give them a reason to care about it. If you are walking around with a pole saw or chainsaw, then they have to care. If it's a pocket pruner or saw, most wardens won't care. If it's in a pack, then they will never know about it. If they do care though, typically they are already there for something else and the trimming and cutting tag would just be the cherry on top of something bigger.

Just don't draw attention to yourself in a negative way and you should have no problems. Heck we all mobile hunt so how often will we go back to the same tree anyways?

[Jrichard]

these are all really helpful but what if im sneeking in to a random spot i know is good is it kinda just you get what you get ?

What I have learned these past couple of years, is that not matter what you do, there is always going to be an obstacle. If you use a climber instead of a hang on and sticks you're going to have trees you cant even get into. But I have noticed that the trees that you can get into (because they dont have many lower limbs) provide great shooting lanes. So I have to adjust and find a tree I can actually climb. where as if you use a hang on and sticks, you may be able to get in any tree you want, but I have noticed some of these trees (as you noticed) dont have ideal shooting lanes because they may have a lot of low baring limbs.

As for cutting limbs, if you hunt "beast style" Then you most likely will scare everything within ear shot away. But there are some spots that my buddy has that he has brought me too, and he cuts limb after limb after limb on this private property. But that is because he knows exactly how the deer run. The deer make small changes so every year he has to go in and adjust his location by 20 or 30 feet. But the noise doesn't bother the deer because hes a good distance away from all of them. Plus there are always weird noises coming from the farm field haha. But deer on public land get smart FAST. So after opening day, you better believe any deer that hears a noise that is out of place. It isn't going to think twice about running, especially if you're very close.

[Mancub173]

im going to carry a hand saw and maybe pack a small pole saw for branches just out of reach but i thi k i need to pick my trees a bit better