This right here! We’re lucky as the LO said to cut any mesquite you want, just leave any oaks. He had already cut some impressive lanes previously.

Cutting a narrow lane by hand won’t clear out much as far as deer cover.
I’ve cut many many many mesquite lanes solo with a saw and on foot. Just wide enough to drive down or just to see a deer crossing or to get him to turn down.
If doing by hand you need to put time up front into finding the path of least resistance. Ideally do your path picking when leaves are off. It’s much easier to try and detect a potential straight line which will require only cutting limbs and not whole trees. I use a tall pole like a cane pole or pvc pipe attached as high as I can with flag tape on top to use to help stay on course(like a light house). First pass just open it up a little as you go, just enough to be able to see your mark and stay on course. I’m sure there’s technology now to help keep you in line. I always did it solo and on foot but with help and a utv it would go way faster.
May be hard to tell in pic but there’s several hand cut down through there. That spot actually had 13 lanes and I would watch deer cross many of them. I would corn one way to left(outa pic) and way to right and one down middle.

That is impressive free! I love the view, lots to watch

I had a guy bring a mulching machine out to a lease near Uvalde. He did a great job. Opened it up around the feed pen ands made 2 100 yard shooting lanes.
He did more than this one lane in one day. 1300 a day was his fee. I was completely satisfied with the amount of work he got done. If you trim it your self I recommend a pole saw. You will be bleeding a lot less from mesquite scratches.

. looking towards other feeder pen.