Bowhunters face a myriad of unavoidable pitfalls. One of the most common is the habitat we hunt. Trees and brush often prevent us from shooting, while unseen branches can cause our shots to go askew. Bowhunting is a game of inches. So it's not uncommon for a shot to hinge on the movement an animal may or may not make to clear an obstruction.

The most productive whitetail stands are often situated in virtual tangles. At the very least the bowhunter will have to do minimum trimming to ensure a clear shot. It is important to remember that the branches and brush surrounding your stand also serve as cover when in a stand.

Smart bowhunters strive to become intimate with the trajectory of their favorite bow along every inch of an arrow's course. This allows them to thread shots through apparent tangles to place a broadhead in an animal's vitals. The fact is intervening branches, brush and other obstacles become a consideration on every shot we take at game. While such circumstances can make hunters stalking elk or mule deer goofy with frustration, whitetail hunters have it easier. They have more control over such matters. The stand hunter can create shooting lanes before a shot evolves to ensure minimal interference. How much cutting is too much? Ask any number of bowhunters what their opinion is on the matter and you'll receive as many answers.

At one extreme are those who believe any cutting hurts your chances. The logic follows that savvy whitetail are sure to notice any altering of its surroundings, ruining any chance of a shot. At the opposite extreme are those who create fairway-like lanes around stands, insisting that there's no advantage in seeing a buck you can't shoot. There's no right or wrong answer, because every situation is different.

Erring To The Safe Side
Undeniably, some deer tend to shy away from new cutting of any sort. This varies based on hunting pressure, as well as the general disposition of individual animals. Unfortunately, the very biggest bucks are those most likely to take offense to trimming. Once you've alerted a buck to your presence you're not likely to see him again. Such bucks may require a hunter to be mobile, hanging a stand and hunting it immediately. We strive to do everything right while hunting these veterans--from scent control, careful stand approach, and perfect stand placement. Cutting just a few branches can be the single factor tipping the odds in a buck's favor, or in yours.

I recall a monster Illinois nontypical, wearing several long drop-tines and sticker points that probably would have scored 195. I had him reasonably patterned, moving a stand to a risky site hoping to ambush him the same day. One pair of spindly sage saplings across a key trail concerned me. I sawed them off with little thought, though taking care to leave no human scent behind; I sprayed scent killer on my rubber boots and pruning saw, and wore scent-eliminating gloves.

Ground blinds in wooded or brushy areas may demand careful pruning of nearby branches or even tall grass. Just because brush is below your sight line to the animal, doesn't mean it is below the launching path of your arrow. Check sight lines from the level of your bow rest at full draw, particularly for obstacles close to the blind window.

In the evening the behemoth approached on the very same trail. My heart was in my throat as he approached to 25 yards, promising to pass directly before my stand. He hit those cut stumps and stopped cold, facing me, but offering no shot. He stood nervously and endlessly sniffed the raw wood. In the end he calmly turned and sneaked back the way he'd come.

Would I have received a shot at that buck had I not cut those seemingly innocent saplings? Did cutting them cost me a shot? I think so. Could I have done something differently? Probably.

I could have left them alone and shot around them. I could have waited for him to reach a better position, risking being scented and having him spooked before a shot developed. I wonder what would've happened had I been more diligent in disguising the fresh cuts.

It would've been easy to use scent-free cord to tie the obstructing branches aside. This is an option when a single or limited number of pliable branches are a concern. Branches around your stand can be pulled into strategic locations to provide break-up cover, without cutting and dropping them where they're likely to attract attention.

Before cutting, study the area around your stand carefully, assessing all likely approach areas and obvious shooting lanes. Cut only branches absolutely necessary for a shooting path, remembering that branches around you serve as cover. Overhead branches are less problematic, less likely to be noticed by deer. If an obstruction is found at ground level, cut it flush with ground level, covering stumps with loose leaves or dirt to disguise the evidence.

After cutting, take care to toss material far from your stand where it won't be noticed. Only cut branches enough to allow them to sag or dangle out of your shooting path. Cut material can also be secured around your stand to enhance background cover.

You can't be too scent-conscious with whitetail. Wear clean rubber or scent-containment gloves while handling anything near your stand. Pull on knee-high rubber boots scrubbed with baking soda, or scent-containing "waders," avoid brushing against the surrounding foliage whenever possible. Scent-containment clothing also helps. Neutral odor-eliminating sprays provide added insurance. Spray on any body part likely to contact material being cut or brushed against.