Music while hunting

[Talondale]

I may read and I may even whisper on a phone or radio (with earbuds) but won't listen to a radio.  I rely on my hearing more than my eyes.

[droptine59]

I listen to my stomach, my thoughts, instincts, my farts, mother natures noises. I listen to that so I can be part of the hunting experience.

[chuckbowhunter]

I find this topic quite interesting as it is just an extension of reading a book while on stand.  I started bowhunting in 1968 and every whitetail, bear or antelope camp I have ever been in had stacks of books that previous hunters used to wile away the time while on stand.  In 1981 I hunted with Fred Bear at Grousehave, MI (the place Fred, his friends and supporters of Bear Archery hunted) and found that he carried a paperback with him on most hunts and the Lodge must have had over 100 books in it for hunters to take on stand if they wished.  Even in Africa the lodges I have hunted from had many paperback books left by previous hunters.  Several years ago some of my friends started using ipods to download books and listen to while stand hunting.  I resisted until my last trip to Africa when I bought an ipod to help kill time on the brutally long flights.  I spent several days in blinds from daylight till dusk and found the ipod was great.  I had African game come with 5 feet of the blind and not spook.  Last fall was the first time I used it whitetail hunting and I'm convinced it is the way to go for me.  My hearing has deteriorated quite a bit the past years and I don't hear animals like I used to.  Reading a book made the problem worse as animals would sneak up on me and then it was a juggling act to put down the book and get my bow.  Last fall using the ipod i held the bow in my lap most of the time and saw more animals then normal as I was watching 100% of the time (unless it was after lunch and I dozed off for a few minutes).  I find using a book or now the ipod helped me stay on stand all day long where as I get bored if I don't have anything.  One tip for the ipod; the ear buds didn't work for me so I got a real set of headphones.  I know a lot of guys reading this will think "what a bozo" and you're probably right, but after 40 years of bowhunting with some of the greatest hunters and greatest people in the world I'm happy.

[David Sapp]

I often read a book, and studied quite a bit while in med school. It was either review notes while on stand through the mid day, or not be able to go. I'll read through the mid day now, stop and go reading, nothing too serious.

I will have to admit to occasionally wearing a single ear bud when the Univ of Tennessee had a big football game in the mid day. Don't know if it ever had an effect on critters, but nice memories of fall leaves and Bama going down in flames a time or two.     :D

[JL]

After years of exposure to unprotected firearm reports, my hearing ain't worth a squat as it is. AC/DC's release of Back in Black didn't help much either...

JL

[gwhunter]

I got a good book for you to read on stand:

A Look at Life from a Deer Stand by Steve Chapman.

Enjoy.