This is mainly for land owners and leases, though public land hunters that pre-scout may do this to an extent as well. Cleaning trails, this can be a tricky conversation. Some think it's important and has little big buck impact, some swear it will ruin big buck hunting. Public trails are a whole different story in " advertising". So what do you do? I'll admit I'm a crazed cleaner. I have around 2 miles, yes miles of trails I walk with a backpack leaf blower. I'll end up doing it twice, the last time even close to prime time in late Oct. depend on leaf drop times. I know the idea this will destroy a properties mature buck sightings but it's not the case here. In fact it's gotten me mature bucks. Ones actually bedded under stands that spooked in the dark, but I was able to call back in. This because I got in so quite and close they couldn't figure out what spooked them. I stomped and snorted then half way up the ladder snorted again. They stayed in the area and came back to look things over in day light. As far as public I'm not talking about the same type of clearing, just removing the worst obstacles ahead of time. Your thoughts and practices?
I rake trails to most of my stands. First I burn them with Roundup. I typically hunt " back in" and thick cover. It's great getting in/ out quite and leaving very little scent.
I only got a stand last year, so fairly new to this whole stand thing. There is no archery only season where I whitetail hunt, it is an any weapons season that I just choose to use either a bow or traditional muzzleloader. I weed eat two trails to my stand (private property), for the two wind directions that I can hunt it, and also weed eat several trails coming into my stand area in the hopes that deer will use them for path of least resistance. I go out from my stand about 75 yards with these trails, they are just in the hope that a deer cruising through might see one and walk on it and thus give me a shot vs. walking a different way and be out of range. With the muzzleloader I have twice the range, but I try to gear it towards having an archery shot. Baiting isn't allowed, so these trails don't become freeways or anything. I do see tracks on them, but with that being said the buck I shot last year didn't use one coming in. My place is timber with no leafy type vegetation that is noisy to walk on, so no leaf blowing is required. I mainly just need a clean path into it with nothing to rasp against my pants as I walk in. I also keep dry twigs/sticks out of it that might snap if I stepped on them in the dark. My place only holds does, mature bucks rarely show up until the rut, but then they will stick around and cruise it regularly. I find scrapes and rubs all over it. The buck from last year decided to stage in the timber right behind my stand in the prerut, there were scrapes and rubs all over from him behind my stand when I retrieved him. My stand is just inside the timber of a wide open area and bucks will stage there in prerut before coming out into it at nightfall to cruise through the property hoping for an early hot doe. Years prior to having a stand I used to also always see bucks chasing does through the area where my stand now is. The does will run the edge of the open area and timber when being chased, which is also a factor as to where my stand is located. My buck last year was just an average 4 point (8 point to you eastern folks), but I was pleased to have success out of the stand the first year I hunted it. I've mainly only ever still hunted, stalked, or sat against a tree or stump with a firearm when deer hunting, elk are my main archery target. Sorry, got off on a tangent there... Yes, I keep a couple of nice groomed trails going to my stand. I worry zero about it influencing a big buck's patterns since they aren't there until the rut anyway.
Always great to hear what others are doing. I find that doe will walk the trails but usually it's buck cross checking them. Some times in range, some times not. Though on a few of the steeper paths the buck walk those regularly. Doing this for many many years, the trails are now moss or low grass/dirt covered. When I started they were DR'd then mowed. Ma nature is a cleaning gal. She sends some mighty winds in the fall and early winter here. Those clean up all those dead branches in our tree canopy. Which by the way, have all the GPS coordinates to every one of my trails! .
Good write up Mod.. OND, I've been grooming my trails for quite a few year ( 15) maybe? Seldom do I see a mature buck walking them like you stated. Does n young bucks are gimmes. I've got several trails I sprayed years ago I no longer need to spray. The deer keep em pounded down. Found it best to REALLY map out a good " natural" route before doing so. Keep em fairly straight without any sharp turns. I enjoy your insite/ post's oldnd.
I have been using the exact same trail to access my stands/cams for 16 years now. EVERY time I travel it I will remove any sticks, twigs, and branches that are laying on it. I am able to walk this trail making ZERO noise, and can actually travel it in complete darkness without a light, making no noise. Getting in/out without noise is paramount!
On my property I do try to keep the trails clear. I've also tried creating alternate paths to my stands and the deer are like: "thank you very much!" and then brush up against my trees. On public property I don't like advertising where my stands are so I choose routes that are as quiet as possible to get in and work hard to be quiet.
