If you plant them out now, will you be able to keep them watered and well maintained at their permanent location? Can you protect them from predation (dogs, marauding children, etc)? If so, I see no reason not to go ahead and plant them out now. They'll be easier to maintain (assuming the location is not remote) and won't have to be babied later on.

Transplanting is not the same as container grown. Grow in a deep pot (12"), preferably a root pruning pot or snip the tap root when it hits the bottom.

"Grow in a deep pot (12"), preferably a root pruning pot or snip the tap root when it hits the bottom."

Are you going to tell us why you think they should be pot-grown as opposed to planted out in their permanent location?

"Are you going to tell us why you think they should be pot-grown as opposed to planted out in their permanent location?"

Depends on your expectations and desired outcome. If it's a restoration project, plant now and plant lots...the failure rate will be high (rodents, drought, competition, etc.)

If you want a landscape tree, container grow it to a size that reduces the chance of failure (rodents, drought, competition, lawn mower, etc.) to a tolerable level.

A newly germinated Hickory is going catch the attention of every squirrel a mile around. The rodent protection required will need to be very robust. They lose a lot of interest after the nut has atrophied and been removed from the sapling (I do this as a risk management exercise later in the 1st growing season...squirrels are desperately resourceful)

Well I can understand about squirrels. They found myu hazlenut seedlings within two days. I do however have heavy aluminum mesh with holes 1/4 inch wide. That will be more then good to protect it....

I was thinking of planting a few in the ground and a few in pots... I think I have 6 seeds/seedlings. The only problem here is winter. Ive killed hardy trees leaving them in pots sometimes over the winter.(zone 3/4)

Sink the pots into your garden...that'll avoid the winter kill issue. The heavy duty screen will protect the nut from a frustrated squirrel. A frustrated squirrel though, will chop its teeth on anything nearby, including the new top growth of the hickory. Been there, seen that.