One good ear, one bad, got fooled.

[Eric Krewson]

Just a couple more days of does only hunting in TN, the weather may cancel today and Friday for me, I don't hunt with my flinter in the rain.

Yesterday evening I sat on a hillside separating a tangle of a sweetgum thicket and big woods, I was just inside the woods. I had a perfectly clear view of the trail crossing the huge hollow and heading up the ridge behind me.

The leaves were as dry as corn flakes, I heard the deer come from the bedding area across the hollow and head my way. It was a toss up for a while, deer or armadillo, they both sound the same in dry leaves. Then I heard the unmistakable prancing step of a deer, it sounded like several deer and they were headed right at me. They were feeding and it took a while for them to get up the hill to me. I couldn't see them because of the tangle of brush and trees in front of me, the daylight was fading fast.

I was sitting on a strap on tree seat and had a 4" persimmon tree in front of me to rest my rifle on.

I brought my rifle up, rested it on my hand which was braced on the persimmon tree and waited for what I was sure was a done deal, they had to follow the trail in front of me.

Now, I have one very good ear and one that I have lost some hearing in, triangulating sound direction doesn't often work out well for me.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, why can't I see them, they sound like they are right in front of me. My rifle feels like it weighs 20 pounds at this point, I have to let it down. WOOF,WOOF, WOOF, I see flags and hear the clatter of rapidly departing feet.

Those rascals stayed in the thick stuff and came out 30 yards to my left even though my aged ears told me they were right in front of me.They were standing there looking at me when I lowered my rifle, game over.

I actually laughed out loud at being snookered by these three deer on what might be my last hunt on this land for the year.

It was a great way to wind up a season but I am watching the weather channel to see if I can sneak one more hunt in. I killed one doe and picked up a fresh road kill so I am OK in the meat department. it was a great year, some frustrating misses, lots of sightings and plenty of time spent in the woods.

 

[Thing]

I know the feeling. I have the same problem 1 good ear one bad. Have to depend on sight more then hearing.

 

[Patocazador]

I have two bad ears. No hearing in one and close to that in the other. I knew better than to wear ear plugs until it was too late.

Fortunately, I have 20-15 eyesight since I had cataract surgery.

 

[will5a1]

Good story, thanks for sharing it, and good luck if you get back out.

 

[Spikebuck]

I actually laughed out loud at being snookered by these three deer

Have congratulated the deer and chuckled at the situation many times myself. So many people express almost anger at themselves in such a situation, but the deer need to win too or it wouldn't be any fun. I just tip my hat to 'em and try to be better at getting them the next time.

Sounds like a good time and I hope you can get back out. Not sure what weather you're going to get, but by Sunday and through early next week, it's going to be below zero in the mornings and single digits for highs up here.

 

[don hepler]

I have hearing issues, and am thinking about using electronic ear muffs, to help distinguish sounds. I have too many deer past me before I realize that they are there. Of course, being half asleep, is another problem.

Good thing I can see half way decent.

 

[rf50cal]

I can relate to that story very well. In 1981, a skull fracture caused significant loss of hearing in my left ear.

While hunting turkeys one spring morning in the late 80's, I had to make a hasty set up when a gobbler answered my call, with only 10 minutes of shooting time left. The area was thicker than I would have liked, but the gobbler was close and there wasn't time to move around. I flopped down in front of a tree and gave one soft call. He answered and shortly thereafter I could hear footsteps. I was sure he was on my right side. The steps got closer and closer. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't see him. When he suddenly gobbled 10 steps to my left, I nearly jumped out of my camo. Fortunately, he didn't see me and when he went behind a small white pine I was able to swing my gun and create a happy ending to this story.

 

[Grumpa]

I too have less hearing in one ear, and the imbalance plays havoc with triangulation as well as the intelligibility of sounds (e,g, conversation). Cupping a hand behind the bad ear can improve the balance, but isn't practical when hunting.

Oddly, you can achieve a similar effect by placing an ear plug loosely in the good ear, diminishing its hearing, but thereby restoring more of a balance.

This may, or may not, work, depending on the range of your hearing loss. Worth a try. But try it before you go hunting.

Thanks for sharing your hunt, and I hope you can get back out one more day. :thumbsup:

 

[Eric Krewson]

I once had incredibly acute hearing, when I started working in a power plant with 120 decibel or higher noise in some of the areas I worked I bought my own ear muffs.

Back in the day the company didn't supply hearing protection so I was teased and made fun of by other employees for wearing my ear muffs. The noise actually caused me intense pain if I didn't use protection.

So, I protected my ears at work but not when I shot my guns. I lived in the country and often came home from work, grabbed my shotgun, called up my bird dog and hit the fields. I hunted almost daily and burned a lot of powder.

My right ear is bad from being on the bore side of my guns when I shot.

 

[BillinOregon]

Good to be able to laugh this off, Eric. It's a sign of a true sportsman.

 

[Shifty]

One yr i was siting on the side of one point watching a good trail that came off another point was really cold with a little wind so I had my hood up but not tied,just at day break I heard Deer coming down the ridge point, well what the heck I could not see them, then it hit me the noise was from behind you fool so I swiveled slowly in time to see a buck trailing behind several does had just enuff time to get the shot off he went down in his tracks

 

[mp77]

I know the feeling! I was in a climbing stand one evening in a group of white oaks, sat all evening saw nothing but squirrels.
About the last min or two of light decided it was time to get down, did a quick glance around to make sure nothing was close.
I tied my bow to my rope and lowered it to the ground, as soon as my bow touched the leaves about five deer exploded from directly behind me about ten yards lol. :surrender:

 

[Kansas Jake]

I wear my hearing aids when hunting. Otherwise, I miss about half the sounds. I do risk one of them getting caught on a twig or getting lost, but do it anyway for the better hearing. Otherwise I can't even hear a leaf crunch.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I did get in two more evenings of hunting, saw nothing Thursday and had the wind betray me Friday, woof, woof, woof, twice in one evening.

Pretty sure the same three deer that snookered me Wednesday were standing in the bean field looking at me when I came out of the back gate on our hunting property after dark.They didn't run, they knew the season was over.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I have much hearing loss and have to wear hearing aids so can relate to yours and others hunting woes. Hope next year will be a better one for you. Dan.

 

[Grumpa]

I wore ear protection for shooting from the time I was about 20, but the Railroad forbid any kind of ear protection. (I was a trainman in freight service.) I was aware of the damage noise can do, even beyond your hearing to include your cardio-vascular system and sleep patterns.

The yard where I worked had mechanical car retarders on the hump that were so loud they would rattle the fillings in your teeth. Everyone who lived in the Ohio River valley for miles around would complain.

I became a thorn in the RR's side, until they finally gave me - alone - permission to wear ear muffs. A year or so later, they issued ear plugs to every one. But the damage was done. They paid millions in damages.

I would rather have not lost the hearing.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Lost my hearing on the rr as well brakeman now engineer. :metoo: Dan.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I actually laughed out loud at being snookered by these three deer

Have congratulated the deer and chuckled at the situation many times myself. So many people express almost anger at themselves in such a situation, but the deer need to win too or it wouldn't be any fun. I just tip my hat to 'em and try to be better at getting them the next time.

Sounds like a good time and I hope you can get back out. Not sure what weather you're going to get, but by Sunday and through early next week, it's going to be below zero in the mornings and single digits for highs up here.

In bold are the words of a TRUE sportsman.

 

[Ron LaClair]

I can relate Eric, I lost 2/3rd's of my hearing in my left ear(I'm left handed) a year and a half ago, it happened suddenly. After testing I ask the ear specialist what caused it, he said "sometimes we just don't know?"

I have vertigo and sometimes walk like a drunken sailor. :youcrazy: Ever lay down your cell phone and try to find it when it rings? :shake:

 

[robinsroost]

Eric, I too can relate. 20 years of shooting handguns for monthly qualifications before anyone thought of wearing ear protection took its toll. I now here crickets, or cicadas, constantly. The last 16 years of "on duty" were shot with protection or I wouldn't hear a thing. My wife accuses me of having selective hearing, LOL........robin :wink: