I have always seen them first. Actually, I have never heard them, even after I have seen them. This year will be different .
Every which way you can imagine. Early in the season they just seem to appear from no where because of the cover and they make little sound, I almost always see them first. Come November when the leaves hit the ground and they start moving with a purpose, I can usually hear them first. But I hunt in areas that are a little tight. I can only see about 60 - 80 yards or less most of the time.
Depends around home, back yard bucks, I usually see first. You know, the lawn mowers, kids running and screaming while playing in their yards and vehicles driving bye tend to make a little noise... Up at camp it's a mix of seeing and hearing, as most of my stands tend to be near swamps and it's fairly quite in these types of settings. However, the snapping of a twig from behind is unmistakeably!!!
this thread reminds me of a story. Years ago I was bird hunting with a friend. I can't see the greatest and he is partially deaf. A bird flew up in front of us and I looked at him and said " did you see what I heard?" We laughted about that one for years! To answer the question: It all depends on where I'm hunting and the conditions. Most of the time I'm in thick stuff so If the ground is somewhat dry I hear them first.
I see them most of the time, later in the year after the leaves have fallen I hear them a lilttle more
Not up here, there are few places that I hunt that I can see over 35 or 40 yards, I hear typically hear them first, unless I'm hunting iun 12" inches of fresh snow.
