BrownCountyBow

Last night I got to my stand at about 3:00 p.m (after school of course) I sit in a stand right at the opening to our swamp. I sit about 31 feet in a big old oak a food plot on my northwest a river to east tangels infront of me and cedars behind me, a ideal stand right? For one, squirrels drive me insane because I get to excited when I hear the crunch of what I think is a deer but its a little gray squirrel. So I just blow the squirrel off and continue my statue stance. Than from behind my tree I hear what I think is two bucks exchange horns, so I get even more excited and it just kept going, well come to find out its a tractor trying to get started! And then the worst of all. About60yards directly infront of me I see some movement in the tangels, it was big too! So my heart really starts to go, I can see just movement and a little body, throught the thickets its hard to make out what it was, then I look to my back to see if theres anything there and I look back forward to see my uncle looking around a big oak, jeez I mean come on I got all excited for nothing! My uncle and my cousins all hunt the swamp and he was looking to see what stand I was in. Well I got out at Dark and we both seen nothing. I think my problem is that I just started bow hunting and I havent found out the "daily noise" that is in the woods.

Talondale

And just the time you convince yourself that noise is only the same squirrel you've heard five times, out steps a deer. Head games are part of the hunt.

Steve F.in MD

BCB,

Give it some time. You'll begin to tell the difference in the sounds that you hear. It's good to be excited, though. That's what keeps us all coming back.

Good luck.

txmarshmonkey

Nearly everytime I'm in my stand, right at daybreak, I imagine seeing a deer looking in my direction. Then, as the sun rises, it turns out to be the same group of branches or leaves that I thought was a deer the day before.

Also like Talondale said, noises that you think you know, WILL fool you. I was sittin in my tree 2 weeks ago, and I heard a group of hogs coming my way. WAY too much racket for it to be anything else. Well what do ya know, it was a buck with about 8 inch spikes. I have never heard a deer make so much noise just walking through the woods. As he passed by me at 10 yards I hit the grunt tube and he stopped, turned around, walked passed me again, stomping and searching for the other buck. I can't shoots spikes on my lease or I would've tried to get him.

We all imagine. If I didn't imagine getting a deer one day, I wouldn't try.

Finch

Like Steve said, you will learn what sounds are which, on most occasions. I am pretty darn confident on telling which sounds are what. Sometimes you get fooled but that just goes to show to always be prepared.

Diesel77

31 feet up in a tree? Good lord man, thats pretty high, I thought being 25 feet up was high.

highcountrysp

Like everyone else said, you are going to get fooled and you will learn the sounds of the woods. But what they didnt mention is that sound isnt everything. Ive so many deer come up on me and not make a sound. Its like they appear out of thin air. So rely on your eyes as much as your ears.

jay3831

the chimpmunks drive me crazy. i know there not deer but you get enough of them rootin around and its hard to here over them.

NY Bowhunter

I've learned 2 things throughout the years that helped me reduce my "deer hallucinations".
One... I've learned to tune out 90% of the noises I hear in the woods. My head doesn't turn with every snap of a twig or leaf crunch. I can tell the little varmits and the difference in the sounds they make as opposed to a deer. There is just something about the sound of a deer that is pretty much unmistakable to me when it happens. Like someone else said too, they just seem to appear out of thin air without being heard most of the time. I rely on my eyes more than my ears.

Two.... It is also unmistakable when a deer is actually in your view. I've reduce examing every branch, piece of swail, or stump trying to make them into a deer [8D]. When a deer is in your view, you will find yourself not looking half as hard to try to identify it as you do with the "hallucinations" of deer.

It's good to be alert and constantly study the woods, but you can use your senses to the best of your ability and help save some sanity.

spde911

I'd have to agree with the rest of the folks out there. I've only been hunting for about 3 years now. I still get worked up and excited every time I hear something moving. I love the feeling!!! Anyway, like the rest of the replies say, deer just usually appear out of nowhere. I'd say that probably more than 50% of the deer I notice are just all the sudden there. I think not hearing them coming or not seeing them until they're almost on you kind helps with "buck fever" too. When you don't notice them until the last minute, you don't have the time to get all worked up all you have time to do is get your release on and get ready for a good shot. I've started being able to figure out what sounds are the squirels and what sounds are deer, but sometimes I still get worked up over nothing...It's all good. Stick with it, the rush is great when you do get to take one with a bow.