How much does noise affect deer? When I walk to my stand, no matter how much i try to be quiet, I always end up making some noise thats not natural to the deer woods. Usually my bow clanks against my stand, or my release hits a metal tree step, or something of that sort. Now, once im sitting, im very quiet. However, when I leave, clank clank again. How much is this affecting my hunting?
A good amount.....figure out why things are making noise and eliminate it. Entry to your stand and eliminating that sound makes a huge difference Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
I think that not all noise is equal...seems to me that certain sounds, like metal on metal, or anything very out of the ordinary for what they're used to hearing is much worse than loud walking or something like that. A broken twig is not the end of the world in most situations. I have never believed noise to be a huge factor in most of my hunts. I think it all depends.
I have had the opportunity to sit in my stand with several deer in the area, none have antlers so I have zero concern about spooking. I have actually experimented on what kind of sounds with get a deer interest. Wood on wood no concern, wood on most materials like a stand or bow or stabilizer no concern. Anything metal on metal like a release hitting the bow or grip, reaction all heads up, carbon arrow hitting the stand, bow or stabilizer again all heads up.
It does way more then we know. I made it a point to take my time this year. A few spots i hunt I could get to in about 15 minutes at a steady pace. But this year I take my time. Most hunts it takes me 1 - 1 1/2 hours to just get to the tree I want to hunt. Then at least 30 minutes to setup. Unbelievable how much this has helped. Squirrels make more noise climbing a tree then me. All metal in my system is wrapped. I've setup 20' high, 6 times this year within 40 yards of bedded bucks. And 4 of them mature. My last hunt I had a doe bedding at 15 yards and I was on my last stick before she looked up and saw me. Yes it's painful to go that slow, but I would say my deer sighting have doubled this year. If I'm not walking up on squirrels at 5 feet during my stalk in, then I'm going to fast. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I almost have some type of anxiety going to my stands. I was always trying to get there and set up as quick as possible. I still get it in the morning walking in the dark. I can't judge my speed. Every few steps on my final approach I just stop and listen to my surroundings and nature. I have walked up a few deer this year. They look right at me, then after a few minutes just go back what they were doing. I had a young buck come up to 5 feet of me this year. Finally I had a cramp so bad, I had to move and spook him. Lol Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Whitetail are very alert to unnatural noises. Last year I shot a buck with my sidelock muzzleloader from my tree stand. Dead calm weather. Cocking the hammer is a fairly noisy click, so I hold the trigger until the hammer is all the way back and then release the trigger. It lessens the click but there is still some noise. The buck alerted to that click about 30 yards from me, but thankfully didn't blow out. Wasn't real surprised he heard it. He then turned away while browsing and I had to wait for him to turn right again. He ended up being 54 yards from me when he finally gave me a favorable angle again. Ever heard the very slight "click" that a set trigger makes on a muzzleloader? It is not much. That buck alerted again to that noise from 54 yards away, I couldn't believe he heard it. Granted he didn't spook clear out from either noise, but I bet the metal on metal noise of a release hitting the stand or similar would be heard by them from quite a distance and make them avoid the area.
Metal on metal is a killer. Especially if it’s like hollow tube metal. I’ve filled all my hollow tube stands with expanding foam and have used more hockey tape than most nhl teams do in a season. Stealth strips on all my sticks. Any noise when I’m walking and I will stop and fix it. Bungee cords and rubber gear ties are your best friend. When walking take your time. Glance down where you are going to step then look up as you are placing your foot so you still see your surroundings. On windy days it’s much much easier to get away with stepping on a twig or crunching leaves. On the “hear a mouse fart” days I’ll try to stop for 30 seconds to a minute if I snap a twig. The initial snap alerts them, they will be tuned in to hear more noise. If they don’t hear anything for a minute they go back to what they were doing a lot of times. I also try to stay in the shadows and move slowly when I’m in the final approach zone. Making noise might not break your hunt but it’s always better to avoid it. It’s amazing though how deer will completely ignore squirrels, branches snapping and falling from trees and other natural noises but when you snap a twig it’s like an alien just landed with a glowing beacon of fire over its head
Last week during my evening sit there was literally zero wind. None. I sneezed and it sounded like a nuclear bomb went off in the woods.
Amount of noise = amount of time. I' had my climber seat fall on the foot stand one morning. Worst fail in my hunting history (and that was this year) I saw deer within an hour or so and a shooter about 3 hrs later at 30yrds. To be fair, he probably wasn't anywhere around when I made that terrible noise. I don't think you hunt is ruined if you make noise. But it doesn't help.
I am a firm believer that no unnatural sound is best. However, one time I got to my stand very early when it was still dark and as I was getting things ready for my sit, I had a buck visit a scrape that was 20 yards away. I waited for him to move off and gave it 20 minutes before I gave a series of grunt calls. It was getting light and after another 20 minutes decided to call again. I tried blowing on the grunt call and........ nothing. It was frozen. I was blowing warm air through the call trying to free it up when suddenly it let loose. It made a terrible sound similar to two accordians fighting....... and loud. At the same time as that happened a large buck charged across the creek and splashed his way to shore to within 6 yards from my stand. I shot him. The point is, he had to have heard that but was committed to investigating the correct sounds he had heard. So, you never know. But do not run out and buy an accordian.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had deer come walking past while climbing up the tree in my climber. I usually just stop and let them pass. A few times I kept climbing and they just walked by. However, they are usually young deer under two years old. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I pride myself on how quiet I can be, especially going in to my stand! To me, a quiet entry to your stand is super important. Over the years I've figured out what can potentially make noise and eliminated it. I tape everything. Quiet is good.
