if perhaps one cut.. of one branch.. properly done ... to serve both purposes ... i would NOT bother worrying about timing at all ...

for sure.. a tree trimmer.. hired to do a professional pruning.. would do it.. when his schedule allowed ...

just make a proper cut

now.. if you had 50,000 acres .... and your entire life tied up in the crop.. and every single tree needed pruning.. timing might be important ...

ken

Pruning in early dormancy will allow you to see what you are doing better, reduce bleeding, and reduce disease exposure. But as Ken was trying to say, anytime will probably be OK.

As a rule, pruning your Hickory should be done just before the buds swell, in early spring or wait until the leaves have sprouted and grown, then you can prune accordingly. Try not to prune while the leaves are still growing because this can put a tree into a growth shock. Remember when you prune a tree, it has to heal itself by compartmentalizing its wounds. So pruning and growing its leaves at the same time, do not mix. Remember, also not to prune more than 25% percent of the tree's total canopy. Removing more than that can also stress a tree badly. Hope this info helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb