Clearing the Path

We have all been there. Laying in bed late at night or early in the morning and all of sudden we here a bang or crack in our house. A sound that is not familiar. Our pulse rate increases and our senses go on high alert. We lay there trying to figure out what made the sound. Temporarily, a sense of fear may have even kicked in. We get out of bed and investigate to find that nothing is out of the ordinary and the sound must have been from house settlement. This scenario happens because we are very familiar with the sounds our house makes. We know what the furnace sounds like, what the water softener sounds like during recharge and how the refrigerator sounds when it turns on. It is the unfamiliar sounds that get our attention.

Now put yourself into the world of a deer. An animal that is very intimate with their surroundings and its' sounds. Their survival depends on highly tuned senses. What happens when they are laying in their bed and hear an unfamiliar sound?

Most deer hunters are very careful concerning scent but the sound factor also needs to be considered. You may have spent the summer scouting the perfect stand location but it will do you no good if you can't get to the stand quietly. It is important to take the time to clear the path to and from your deer stand. Having an alternative route cleared is also a good idea.

You don't want to take a chainsaw and clearcut a path but removing deadfall and cutting face height branches out of the way is advisable. Anything that may cause an alarming sound should be dealt with prior to the hunting season. You should be able to walk to and from your stand undetected. Take the time now and Mr. Deer will have no reason to swivel his ears towards you.