rutjr
Well-Known Member
I never cut a path to my set, never cut shooting lanes but sometimes there's a branch in the way that I'll trim when I'm climbing.
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Saw or Pruners??
- Thread starter Letemgrowitllshow
- Start date
Like I said I'll trim minimally when I am climbing just to be able to get set up and shoot where I need to be. Used to do it a lot more when using a climber as obviously can't go around branches easily.
It's basically the 5 mph over the speed limit concept. Keep it minimal and not noticable, and 95% of wardens aren't going to write you up. If you ever even see a warden off the road, which I havent.
I've seen guys blatantly trim dozens of oak saplings on the ground and that is just ridiculous. To heck with those idiots.
Same goes for screw ins imo. Using one screw-in bow holder is like going 56 mph in a 55. Oh my! Send me to the gallows! Leaving a bunch of screw in steps in multiple spots, now you are starting to get a little more in the wrong.
There are all different densities of MFR. Some areas you would literally need a brush hog. Other areas it may just be a few prunes that need done.
Just wear brush pants and plow thru? Risking the noise factor of briars on clothes? Now THAT'S absurd.
Be "smart about where you walk"? Not very practical. Zig zagging here and there, or taking routes that risk being busted just because you won't carry pruners? That's absurd.
Brushing against stuff and leaving behind residual human odor because you can't cut something because you won't carry prunners? Not smart hunting.
Side story...
There is an area in Ohio that I hunt that is loaded with MFR...in some spots, its 10 foot high. It can be negotiated, but is is often like a maze. Sometimes I may be only 10 yards from the wide open field, but there is a wall of separation of rose that no way could it be penetrated without pruners...not that I PLAN to get out to the field in those spots, but I've often realized a scenario... its late in the day and getting dark...do I cut my way thru 10 yards of dense MFR and be out in the open, or do I try to retrace my path through a 200 yard maze of MFR?? Without pruners, I could spend a long night trying to find my way out. If I were to get wet and temps dropped, it could actually become a dangerous hypotheria situation.
Not carry pruners?? Absurd notion.
How are you able to not leave scent when you cut the stuff, then move it with your hands?
We'll beg to differ with different access philosophies. I've hunted all over SW PA and SE OH so I've obviously encountered plenty of the crap as well as other jaggers, honeysuckle, autumn olive, knotweed, mountain laurel, and others. I quietly ninja my way through it without pruners or walk around if its too thick. And I am not a scent control believer. More than one way to skin a cat I guess.
Live2huntt
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2018
- Messages
- 180
I use this.....Saw is definitely not the best but works in a pinch.....
https://www.amazon.com/Hooyman-Ratc...het+pruner&dpPl=1&dpID=4179osFnDXL&ref=plSrch
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https://www.amazon.com/Hooyman-Ratc...het+pruner&dpPl=1&dpID=4179osFnDXL&ref=plSrch
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I'm with yinzer on this one. I've carried pruners in years past, and use them for presets and prep work.
I've hunted in cattails, phragmites, green briar, blackberries, palmettos, yaupon, blow-downs, etc. Trailed pigs through stuff so thick it gave me anxiety crawling through it. Switched to a saddle mainly because my climber got caught on brush.
I'm definitely absurd, but I am comfortable with how I hunt. I'll keep squirming my way through the swamp for now.
But if @Allegheny Tom wants to ride on down and prune some stuff for me, I'll be sure to cook him a big ole southern breakfast so he can keep his strength up. Maybe he'll also show me how he keeps the ticks off of his property.
I've hunted in cattails, phragmites, green briar, blackberries, palmettos, yaupon, blow-downs, etc. Trailed pigs through stuff so thick it gave me anxiety crawling through it. Switched to a saddle mainly because my climber got caught on brush.
I'm definitely absurd, but I am comfortable with how I hunt. I'll keep squirming my way through the swamp for now.
But if @Allegheny Tom wants to ride on down and prune some stuff for me, I'll be sure to cook him a big ole southern breakfast so he can keep his strength up. Maybe he'll also show me how he keeps the ticks off of his property.
SkylineReaper
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2018
- Messages
- 161
Folding hand saw hands down bottom line is you're limited on sizes of limbs you can cut with pruners you can cut a pretty damn big limb off with a folding hand saw
I can't comment on Southern hunting...never done it.
I do know what I know.
Stealth comes in different forms. Pruners help me be more stealthy in every aspect of being sneaky. Whether its noise reduction, odor reduction, route reduction, movement reduction, or overall disturbance reduction, pruners do things for me that a saw just can't accomplish. Yes, there are times where I need a saw. That's why I carry a tiny saw, too. But I seldom use the saw. I do use the pruners on every single hunt.
Another benefit of pruners...I can walk with much less effort because I'm not bending under stuff, or stepping over stuff, or going around stuff, or squeezing between stuff so I don't touch stuff.
I hunt small properties with some very limited access points and routes. I don't have the luxury of avoiding certain areas, and walking thru where I MUST walk requires stealth.
In my mind, the biggest decision is whether to carry anvil pruners or by pass pruners. Anvil are more versatile than by pass.
As for the lack of ticks on my place...I've done nothing to deter them. That's the mystery...why no ticks on 31 acres of perfect tick habitat and there are ticks all around my place and on all the critters that come and go. It is baffling.
Which is another reason to prune access routes. The less stuff you brush against, the fewer ticks you will pick up.
I actually thought about contacting Penn State to see if they would like to study it. But I can't stand the thoughts of the disturbance.
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@Allegheny Tom, same here. Never hunted your neck of the woods. All I can go by is personal experience. That's what's cool about the site, lots of different viewpoints to help expand the old thought-thinker.
A "small" parcel of land for me is 100 acres. The WMA out my back door is 90,000. It touches 4 different counties, and runs 30+ miles one way as the crow flies. I am admittedly "fast and loose" with my hunting. I do zig-zag and ramble a lot. Maybe it costs me some deer. But I've always got fresh areas I can go screw up.
It just doesn't make sense for me to carry clippers when theres about an 80% chance I wont be returning to the area again that season. Hunt it fresh, make the most of it, and leave is my SOP.
A "small" parcel of land for me is 100 acres. The WMA out my back door is 90,000. It touches 4 different counties, and runs 30+ miles one way as the crow flies. I am admittedly "fast and loose" with my hunting. I do zig-zag and ramble a lot. Maybe it costs me some deer. But I've always got fresh areas I can go screw up.
It just doesn't make sense for me to carry clippers when theres about an 80% chance I wont be returning to the area again that season. Hunt it fresh, make the most of it, and leave is my SOP.
Letemgrowitllshow
Well-Known Member
I like the idea of pruning your way through the thick stuff, but I dont want to tip off my location to any other hunters on the public I hunt. Not sure if its even legal, but I've found so many other hunters trails they've cleared out and trees that they've mangled.
I've been using a saw to trim my way up a tree if it needs it a little, but I might try a pruner some and see which one works best. I'd prefer to only bring one because I hate excess gear.
Lot of good points being made here though!
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I've been using a saw to trim my way up a tree if it needs it a little, but I might try a pruner some and see which one works best. I'd prefer to only bring one because I hate excess gear.
Lot of good points being made here though!
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I understand. That's not an option for me. I only have small properties to hunt and I have to keep all disturbances to a minimum. I guess I don't HAVE to minimize disturbance but doing so sure preserves the quality of my properties.
I have to laugh at the neighboring hunters. They make no effort to not educate deer. They over hunt stands, they completely abuse access routes, and pay no attention to wind or odor reduction. After a hunt or 2, their areas go cold. Deer get pushed onto my place because I don't educate them.
I contend a good portion of the "October lull", is created by sloppy hunting practices. I do my best to not be sloppy. Pruners help my goals way better than a saw ever will.
Its just how I like to hunt...my choice.
You like how you hunt...to each his own. Whatever floats your boat. Best of success to you.
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denots
Well-Known Member
Scentlok gloves of course
. But don't forget you got to wear scent proof gloves to take those out of the dryer that only washes scent free clothing. But what I've never figured out is how to completely never touch something with my hands, and eventually touch something else with that item, that's going to touch what is supposed to be sent free. It is a rabbit hole of which would blow Lewis Carroll's mind. Hell I just confused myself thinking about it.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
I'll snip a wayward twig here and there. Maybe an impeding branch while climbing and setting up.
Kurt
Well-Known Member
I don't think folks are cutting in roads, or trimming out piles of branches. I'm pretty sure it's way more conservative than that.
I'd leave my bow home before I'd leave my grunt tube , or my lunch.lol.
Deep South Slayer
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2018
- Messages
- 25
I use a small (12-14”) fold out saw to trim just a couple of small limbs to get shots. I like to leave as much as I can for cover. It’s small and since it folds up it doesn’t catch on anything in my pack.
Try to trim off the last foot or so of a quarter inch branch with a saw. Can't do it. Yeah, you can remove the entire branch and cut it flush with the tree trunk, or even back where the branch is large enough to give enough resistance to be cut with a saw, but you just can't do low impact, surgical pruning with a saw.
The OP premise that there might be a tool that can serve both purposes, just isn't so. There is no such thing as "one or the other". You need both, or in the opinion of some guys... neither. But if I'm carrying one, you can bet I still have the other in my pack.
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Having spent 25 yrs pruning all manner of plants as an Arborist and as a landscaper in different parts of the country, I've come to the ground breaking conclusion that there isn't one pruning tool that does everything 
. Hunting on the public land swamps here, the one tool that goes on every hunt that I wouldn't be without is a sharp plain Jane Tramotina 12" or 14" machete. I find them perfect for popping all the little viney junk everywhere, clearing spider webs, etc. Other properties that aren't as swampy and have more woody plant material, a hand saw is preferred and the machete stays home. On private land where there's little cutting to do mid-season, a pair of Felcos goes along for the ride when a little snip snip is needed. It all just depends on the predominant plant material the hunter has to deal with and that can change even on neighboring properties.
. Hunting on the public land swamps here, the one tool that goes on every hunt that I wouldn't be without is a sharp plain Jane Tramotina 12" or 14" machete. I find them perfect for popping all the little viney junk everywhere, clearing spider webs, etc. Other properties that aren't as swampy and have more woody plant material, a hand saw is preferred and the machete stays home. On private land where there's little cutting to do mid-season, a pair of Felcos goes along for the ride when a little snip snip is needed. It all just depends on the predominant plant material the hunter has to deal with and that can change even on neighboring properties.