I noticed you are in the vicinity of the south shore of Lake Erie, which normally means Ohio, or perhaps a small section of New York State. Climate is similar to mine.
The answer depends on on how much pruning? And exactly when you prune? And also there are some species specific answers.
In general with broadleaf deciduous trees, there is the summer work, which can include drastic pruning. This pruning will include trunk chopping, major branch removal and all the activities of styling. This includes defoliation. This usually happens anytime from a month or so after the Spring Equinox to about 12 to 14 weeks before your average first frost. It is important to do this work early enough in summer that there is sufficient time to mature new growth so that it is winter hardy. In our zone 5 & 6 you need to be done with this work by July 15 if your average first frost is October 15. If you do drastic pruning after July 15 there is always the risk your tree will not be winter hardy by the average first frost date.
Then there is late summer deciduous work. This is for Zone 5 & 6 for North America from beginning August 1 thru September 1. This is the period where light pruning, less than 20% can be done. Don't over do it, as you don't want to stimulate the tree to break a lot of new buds and new growth that will not have time to mature before first frost. This is also the time period were you can begin repotting Chaenomeles, Diospyros, and other trees that prefer to be repotted in late summer. You can, depending on your level of horticultural experience repot other deciduous trees at this time if you did not get to them in spring. I do a lot of my repotting at this time of year, this topic was covered in several ''Summer Repotting Posts". This is also the time for partial defoliation and wiring. Get sun into the interiors of dense trees, so that the sun can help induce new buds to form before winter. Wiring does not have to happen now, but if the opportunity is available you can begin wiring at this time. Less likely to break branches than earlier in the summer or spring.
The Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of Autumn, I usually don't do any branch pruning until after the first frost. The danger with pruning after the early summer time is the stimulating new growth that won't have time to harden off before first frost. Once the ground, and or pots are frozen - yes I just plop a bunch of my trees on the ground and forget them for the winter. Once the tree has been knocked into full dormancy you can prune to maybe the 25% of existing foliage and not fear ''waking the tree up''. But it is possible, if you over prune after first frost that you might lessen winter hardiness, so either error to the less than 20% side, or protect from cold trees pruned drastically in autumn. While leafless it is an excellent time to wire trees. This is the ideal period for wiring deciduous.
Late winter, early spring, as growth is just beginning, is another good period for wiring and pruning. Many will do their drastic pruning at this time. I don't usually take advantage of this window of opportunity, but that is due to my schedule. The farm monopolizes free time from late winter to end of harvest, end of July.
I store most of my trees for the winter without any temperature protection, if it is -25 F or -32 C outside, my trees are -25 F or -32C. I tend to grow zone 5, zone 4, and zone 3 hardy trees at my zone 5b home or at my zone 6a farm. Trees that are only hardy thru zone 6, I will shelter out of the wind and sun. Maples, amur maples, native maples also get sun protection and wind protection, but not temperature protection. My trees that are only hardy to zone 7 or into, parts of zone 6 go into a frost free, below ground well house where the winter temperature is constantly between +32 F to + 40 F, or 0 C to + 4 C. If you are going to protect your trees to the point where they will stay above freezing, the above dates become less critical, because if protected, winter hardiness is not needed, then you can have a wider latitude as to when you finish certain phases of pruning and or root disturbance.
I think I outlined a general deciduous plan, that will work well for elms, maples that are not Japanese maples, Malus, Chaenomeles, Amelanchier, and others.
@Owen Reich is a member here and much more knowledgeable than myself on deciduous care, bonsai care in general. If Owen disagrees, or corrects some points follow his lead, and I'll correct my notes. I was working from off the top of my head.
Remember, individual species have their own quirks.
