What to Focus On - Hunting Technique

[Rich M]

OK - I'm deaf. Wear 2 hearing aids and have been wearing them for 42 years so far. Not complaining. I'd like to take my hunting up a notch and have to work within limitations - no sneaking into a tree 50 yards from a bed, no hearing a buck before I see him, no hearing a subtle squeak from a tree stand...and yes, I shot a decent 180 pound 7 pt in velvet this year, so I don't totally suck at it - just on public land.

So, the question regarding Hunting Technique...

What should I focus on?
What would you do if the sound part of the equation was removed?

Thanks for the help!

[freezeAR]

Thinking about this question kind of has my head spinning. It is really hard to imagine hunting without a sense that I have taken for granted. I do consider my sense of hearing my worst sense. I often see deer before I hear them. I am always seeking out conditions that mask my noise and movement which in a sense does the same thing for the deer. Rainy conditions, wet conditions seem to really help me and I would think these same conditions would put the deer on the same playing field. Other than that I would focus on scouting and really reading sign and take advantage of your other senses.

[Hawthorne]

I would hunt areas that have quiet access. Rake leaves or mow trails if in private.Use good known quiet equipment. Put impassible areas to your back so deer can't sneak behind you.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[magicman54494]

Look on the bright side, at least you don't have to deal with those noisy red squirrels. Lol
Seriously, we all have limitations. Some more than others. I need to wear glasses which is a major pain in wet weather. My hearing isn't what it used to be. I am not getting any younger eithor so walking distances, carrying weight, dragging big bucks are more of a challenge.
I don't let my limitations stop me from attempting any form of hunting. I do the best I can with what I have. I think you should too.
A motto that I live by is don't tell me a thousand reasons why something can't be done instead find one way to make it happen.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Kokes]

without sound you have to rely a lot more on your eyes and vision...so when spring scouting this year id make sure to find some locations with decent background cover you so can get away with moving your head left to right a bit...or create some background cover that will allow you to get away with a little bit of movement

[Southern Man]

I don't let my limitations stop me from attempting any form of hunting. I do the best I can with what I have. I think you should too.
A motto that I live by is don't tell me a thousand reasons why something can't be done instead find one way to make it happen.

Well said and I agree.

Make the most of what you got. There's a whole lot more to hunting than hearing well. I see deer before I hear them most of the time, not always, but mostly. If limitations were a problem, I wouldn't be hunting, I have a bunch of them.

Think positive as Magic said, go hunt.

[Tufrthnails]

What amazes me is how a young deer can sneak under climber and fall asleep. I seriously never heard this doe. I just looked down and it was there laying down literally underneath me. I think if I couldn't hear well I would concentrate on slowing down on entrance and exit and see actually how close I could get to the bed/sanctuary area.

[Rich M]

I do the best I can with what I have. I think you should too.
A motto that I live by is don't tell me a thousand reasons why something can't be done instead find one way to make it happen.
[ Post made via Android ]

Completely - You may have misinterpreted the post. I'm asking to try and find the way to make it happen.

2016 was a stellar season thanks to the Beast. I'd like to build on it. Would like to change things up a bit and become a better hunter. To figure out what strengths to use to overcome the negative effects of the weakness.

Would like to know what the guys who know how to hunt (and hear) think would be best for me to focus on so I can do better, that's all.

[Tufrthnails]

I do the best I can with what I have. I think you should too.
A motto that I live by is don't tell me a thousand reasons why something can't be done instead find one way to make it happen.
[ Post made via Android ]

Completely - You may have misinterpreted the post. I'm asking to try and find the way to make it happen.

2016 was a stellar season thanks to the Beast. I'd like to build on it. Would like to change things up a bit and become a better hunter. To figure out what strengths to use to overcome the negative effects of the weakness.

Would like to know what the guys who know how to hunt (and hear) think would be best for me to focus on so I can do better, that's all.

I wonder how much more purposeful scanning you do then I do since in certain scenarios I can rely on my hearing more then you can (although being Arty in the Army mine isn't all that great either, but I don't need aides yet).

[cbay]

The times i detect deer by sight outnumbers the times by sound. It's the little flicker of a tail off in the distance, slight movement but wasn't sure what and look for a while and see it's a deer, checking all around frequently instead of just staring in the same direction.

[oldrank]

Get up high. This gives you the best visual advantage and allows you to move alot more with out getting busted. It tough to do sometimes depending on terrain. I like being up around 25-30 ft.

Also set your stand where your wind and entrance are lining up and you can watch everything in front n not necessarily worry about behind cause its damaged ground. By positioning perfect you can get a good clean 180 degree view of clean ground.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Bowhunter4life]

The times i detect deer by sight outnumbers the times by sound. It's the little flicker of a tail off in the distance, slight movement but wasn't sure what and look for a while and see it's a deer, checking all around frequently instead of just staring in the same direction.

I'm with you here!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[TNstalker]

Look for more places u could access by water. How's ur sense of feel when ur walking? I know that's sounds weird but I use to practice putting heel down an slowly touching the rest of my foot down. If I feel a stick slide foot off or to the side of it the best way possible to keep from making a loud snap. They make noise meters an noise meter apps. Maybe u could get a buddy to help u see what level is quite an what is too loud for whatever u wanted to do an price to get better at it an get it as quite as possible.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[TNstalker]

Practice with noise meter. Phone guess my word. Also I've had deer show up right after I get set up before sometimes I think they come to see what made the noise they heard.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[KLEMZ]

Hunt more open woods situations (hill country or big woods for example) where you are limited to how close you can get to a bedded buck by what he can see not really what he can hear. i.e you are relying on your visual stealth, line of sight to the beds, staying behind a hill to block sight and sound etc.

Clean up the final 100-200yards of access to your stand to assure you are as quiet as you can be. Don't make it blatantly obvious so other hunters may find it, just enough so you can squirrel thru without brush grabbing you stand. I would think if you did that there are many situations you could sneak in to hunt bedding.