How silent is your "silent setup"?

[Bubbles]

Just wondering - barring the obvious (knocking metal on metal or snapping branches)
How "silent" can you be in your setups?

Nylon is not the quietest material, so things like the backpack straps on my stand make a bit of a scraping noise as I put it on. Pulling a lone wolf strap too fast, or putting weight on it can end up with a bit of tree bark scraping. Are there ways to get rid of some of the noise of nylon materials? A light touch of sandpaper to work them in a bit or something (not on the tree straps of course)
So how quiet should I be shooting for? Should I be below audibility even to myself? Or is there always a tiny bit of noise that is unavoidable?
Should I get a decibel meter like in mission impossible? :)

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[jmaas07]

There's noise you are not going to avoid. As far as the v brackets scraping bark when setting the stand, I tighten the straps and then push down on the sticks so they slowly slide down, that minimizes the scraping when stepping on the stick

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[DaveT1963]

To me moving slow and putting downward pressure on sticks before I step on them goes a long way to setting up quietly. When I rush is when I tend to make the most noise. Since I hunt from a saddle, settling weight on sticks and tree tether is where i have most risk of noise. Preloaing them by pulling down on the first eleveates most of that.

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[Crazinamatese]

You're always gonna make a little bit of noise. Lou's Stealth Strips have helped alot with metal-to-metal noises. As mentioned, move in slow and take your time setting up. Hunting on days that are a little breezy can help mask your noise too.

[Bayshorebuck8]

Stealth strips take care of most of my problems. Its cam locking on certain trees that makes me cringe

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[Bubbles]

I've quieted all my buckles and alot of my stand with with inner tubes and layers of hockey tape.
It was the more subtle noise I was referring too, and how much of it is acceptable
I thought of this because of the quiet backpack thread. My nylon shoulder straps arnt the quietest when taking my stand on and off, and when walking my leather belt has a tendency to give that leather squeak.
Just wondering if these more subtle noises are noticeable just to me or any deer I try to set up on.

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[Edcyclopedia]

The wind is your friend...

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[Pullintoobs]

There are all sorts of noise in the woods... Trees fall,squirrels running around, deer busting brush etc...Ever heard turkeys flying up to roost? Cripes that is ridiculous. Deer hear all kinds of noises. I believe it is the types of sound. Metal on metal for example is so unnatural. Those are the things to avoid as much as you can. I don't worry too much if my stand scrapes on the bark a little. Might sound loud to you but the woods muffles a lot of noise. You cannot be completely silent. Walking is another thing I strive at doing slowly and as quietly as I can. I try to avoid any rhythmic cadence in my steps. That just screams "human" Of course if you are trying to set up extremely close to a suspected bed, the quieter the better. And as stated. Wind can cover alot of noise.

[Bayshorebuck8]

The wind is your friend...



Lol ed.... you sound like mr myagi
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[whitetailassasin]

I think the most important aspect of staying stealthy, is to move slow and take your time on your set ups and approach. Making sure your stand/sticks are quieted down with stealth strips/hockey tape/mole skin/etc, is just as important. I believe this is why exit and entrance and knowing the area and how to access it is so important. Prepping trees in the spring/summer is also a deadly asset. I'm anal about how I walk and set up my stand, and how I move through the woods/swamp/marsh/thickets. When your trying to close the range on a mature buck, you have to move like a predator(wolf). Your going to make some noise, but do your hardest not to make any.

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[wrusch]

I think the most important aspect of staying stealthy, is to move slow and take your time on your set ups and approach. Making sure your stand/sticks are quieted down with stealth strips/hockey tape/mole skin/etc, is just as important. I believe this is why exit and entrance and knowing the area and how to access it is so important. Prepping trees in the spring/summer is also a deadly asset. I'm anal about how I walk and set up my stand, and how I move through the woods/swamp/marsh/thickets. When your trying to close the range on a mature buck, you have to move like a predator(wolf). Your going to make some noise, but do your hardest not to make any.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Well said. Minimizing movement is just as important as quietness.

[wickedbruiser]

Your set up is as silent as the hunter using it. You can have the most decked out set up. But, if you are sloppy and don't practice good habits on every detail in your mobility on every hunt; it's useless.

Slow slug movements. I've practiced these movements bowhunting turkeys in wooded areas. Shot one 2 years back sneaking up on a flock. Took me an hour to close the gap on 50 yds.

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[Edcyclopedia]

The wind is your friend...



Lol ed.... you sound like mr myagi
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I'm no Eddyson...

That's cause I'm a 100-150 yard closeness cluts. I need something to help get me closer

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[WKPTodd]

I've set-up within 50 yards of bucks, and killed them minutes after. Being silent isn't critical - making no metallic noise is. I pick really windy days to move in on them, the wind helps cover noise. I also avoid timber if the leaves are too dry. Can't sneak up on one in potato chips!

[Uncle Lou]

here are a few old threads
How Quiet do you Walk
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21032&hilit=

A discussion on sound
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=137

I did another when I took my decibel meter for a walk, that was as good as any on evaluating cover sounds.

Sorry it has the search feature in the threads highlighted. Not sure why. I will see if I can edit it and find the other one.