You could certainly neaten up now, but the real butchering should wait until spring for most plants. You've probably read the reason, but basically pruning will, in most cases, result in quick new growth, which, if you prune now, will not be hardened enough to survive the winter. For things like forsythia and mock orange, you will have no flowers next year.

I usually cut my honeysuckle (sempervirens) back very hard after the first rush of bloom, for what it's worth.

Sorry for the belated reply, I wasn't receiving my email notification for some reason.

I had never heard that reason, by the way, only something pertaining to the cuts being exposed longer for disease, if I recall correctly. What you mention makes a lot of sense though.

When we say spring, could it be done as early as the plant becomes accessible in late winter, even if more snow is likely? Or do I have to wait til I see signs of new growth? I prefer not to wait until after blooms, because it really, really needs to go. It's a horrible mess.

I must sound really impatient... I think I am, actually. =o)

If it really needs to go, then have at it. I have pruned/butchered privet in October, and it came back fine. If you really and truly don't care too much if it lives or not, go at it. If you want it to eventually look nice and lush, wait until May, after the first bloom.

As I remember from your other posts, you are in a colder region than I am, and if this winter is as bad as the last two or three, which I fervently hope it isn't, late winter is going to be early April. You can't do much pruning until you are close to the last frost date except on the most hardy and well-established plants/shrubs/vines, as any new growth in in danger of freezing. The only thing I prune in late winter are Roses of Sharon, because they're old - good root systems - and will grow from old wood. Everything else can wait.

Having said all that, remove dead and unhealthy wood any time.

Could you post a picture of what you're looking at, so we can see how bad it is?

I'm in zone 5b, and I believe the Farmer's Almanac lists May 9th as the last frost date on a regular year. This year, there was a risk into mid to late May, though it turned out to be a risk that didn't materialize.

This particular specimen of honeysuckle is old, but I don't know exactly how old. It's very woody at the base. It's a tangled mess. I wish I'd known to cut it hard after the blooms, I already knew then that I wanted to either be rid of it or have only new growth. I don't think I can selectively trim some of it given the state its in.

Here's some shots taken in the past:

I guess I never bothered to take a picture of it on its own when its in bloom, never looked nice enough for me to bother, but you can see it next to the sand cherry creeping up the side of the deck there... That's probably as good as it ever looks.

If it helps any, I can see about taking a shot of the base of the vine to show how thick the "trunk" parts are.

There you go! Fortune favours the brave.