Hunting With Earbuds
 

Hey guys, as the regulars here know much of my hunting involves sitting in a box stand or high stand overlooking a food plot or a patch of woods. I often spend the entire day on stand, taking a thermos of coffee, lunch, and drinks.

For years I would bring a book to the stand and read, looking up frequently to check for game. Then last year I got a Sansa Clip+ MP3 player and found it's very user friendly for audiobooks (and only $33 at Amazon). I download books to my computer for free from the local library and transfer them to the Clip, which holds about eight or ten books at a time.

So last season I found myself listening to quite a few books while hunting and never had to take my eyes off the woods.

I was just wondering if any of you guys do that too?

Yeah, I do that when i'm not hunting. :p

I have brought books when hunting. I haven't thought of the audio book, however- that is a good idea. When muzzy hunting, I usually get antsy after awhile and get up and walk around/do still hunting - I don't stay in the stand all day. However when bow hunting, I sometimes stay up in the tree for 6 - 8 hours at a time. The only thing that would concern me is not being able to hear a deer coming up from behind me, which happens pretty often in a tree stand. I guess you could keep an ear bud in one ear and the other one free....

I've heard of guys reading, listening to music/books, playing games on their phones, etc. I can't do any of it. When I hunt...I rely on my hearing alot in the hardwoods, so I feel like listening to anything would hurt my chances. I like to be 100% alert at all times, if I can. I never really have a problem staying focused while I'm out so its never been an issue to me. My hunts are typically 4-6hrs in the morning, or 3-4hrs in the evening. Sometimes I hunt all day, but usually only during the rut. And then I'm totally focused because I usually have something going on that has my attn.

My big problem is, I feel like if I'm not focusing totally, I'm gonna miss "the big one". And there ain't too many of them around where I am...so I can't afford to miss seeing him! (I have been guilty of napping a few times though) LOL :D

I actually put a little more faith in my hearing than my eyesight given my stands are in heavy woods with lots of undergrowth. So I don't like wearing earphones. I will occasionally bring a book (or nook) with me to a stand.

Being deaf in one ear almost, I can't afford to block the other one. But I am a in the stand reader. I depend on my ears to tell me something is in the area, and then I very casually glance around try to spot what I hear. Actually it works real good for me. But I think the thing you have is a great idea.

I know I give up the possibility of hearing a deer with the earbuds. But my hearing is so dang bad anyway I would have a hard time hearing a buck rubbing on the tree I'm in.

Now, a bear can sneak up the tree , and knock you up side the head. :D

I stopped taking books and stuff to keep me busy years ago....it was getting in the way of my favorite past time ....napping in my tree stand!

I use my ears too much when I'm in the woods. That's why I hate windy days.