Whether the the bow is quiter than the arrow has nothing to do with it. The sound of both are travling at the same speed because they are traveling throught the same substance(air). Sound waves as it moves through air travels in all directions,does the arrow sound move ahead of the bow sound? NO. Just be cacuse its loader does not mean its moving faster. The deers hearing is far better than us so he hears both the bow being first. Both sounds travel the same distance the higer the decibels may be heard better at longer distance but both sounds are there and seeing how a deers hearing is far better than ours under 45yrds which one do you think he hears first? The bow. Or string silencers and limb savers would be moot. And a alert deer make no differants whether its the quiet thump of a bow our a wizzing sound of an arrow -they both will scare him.