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| Bill Kinney Photography |
Hearing
A deer's hearing is relatively good. They have wide, cup shaped ears that are maneuverable and perfect for pinpointing small sounds, which can be a dead giveaway for the careless hunter. However, this is simply for the careless, because a deer's hearing is actually not as acute as we are led to believe. A study was conducted to understand just how well a deer could hear and, after collecting all the data, the researchers realized that a deer's hearing is actually not much better than a humans. They can hear at a higher frequency, but a hunter claiming that the deer heard them click their safety from across the field is a little far fetched. Instead, what was found was that a deer's ears, because of their build, are a great tool for pinpointing noises and picking out unfamiliar sounds. It is not necessarily that a deer can hear better, but has trained its ears to pick up noises that are unnatural and could be a danger to the animal. Usually if a deer hears an unfamiliar noise it will quickly hold its head high and swivel its ears searching for more sounds. When it feels it is safe it will continue on as normal and dismiss the noise. If not, it will give a warning snort and run to safety, flagging its tail as a warning sign to others. Normally why a hunter is caught is because once they have perhaps been heard and the deer looks directly at them, the hunter will either move or look unnatural and spook the deer. This is why it is essential to blend into your surroundings and train yourself to be as inconspicuous as possible.
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| Bill Kinney Photography |
Tips for being silent on the hunt
A problem many hunters have is that they scare away the deer when getting into their stand. Hiking noisily into your stand alerts the deer that something is in the area and they may not come back for an hour or even the rest of the day. This problem is easily fixed by leaving a little earlier to get to your stand. When doing some preseason scouting you should account for the time that you normally see deer activity and in what area. Deer and wild animals are creatures of habit and will often appear around the same time everyday. Find out where they are coming from and what time, then plan accordingly to be at your stand before they arrive. Leave for your stand, preferably, at least a half hour early so they will be unaware of your presence. This also gives you time to settle in comfortably and not worry about making too much noise while squirming around in your stand getting situated.
Also be aware of your clothing. A windbreaker or rain coat are essential items, especially in late fall or spring weather, but be aware of their noise level. Look for material that doesn't make a loud sound when rubbing against itself. Also be aware of whether. Check your clothing for Velcro, zippers or buttons. Buttons are preferable as they make the least amount of noise.
If bringing some sort of entertainment in the stand with you be sure it isn't plastic or makes crinkling noises. Bringing snacks in plastic or paper bags can make a lot of noise, use a cloth or mesh bag to carry things with you. If you read in the stand, do not bring magazines or any thing with crinkling types of pages. These may seem harmless, but can be very loud in a silent woods.
The most important part when hunting is to take into consideration the deer's abilities. Observe your gear and consider possible circumstances in which it could be a problem, then find a better alternative solution.
What do you use to eliminate noise while hunting? How acute do you think a deer's hearing actually is?
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