There’s a good reason the TV pros whisper after taking a shot.
One of the more frequent questions we get at Buckmasters is, “Why do hunting celebrities whisper after taking a shot? The deer is already hit, so what’s the point?”
There are several very important reasons to be quiet immediately after shooting a whitetail, and all hunters would be wise to emulate the TV pros, at least in this regard.
The biggest reason to make as little noise as possible is wounded whitetails often don’t go far after their initial burst for cover. Many bed down within a hundred yards or so of the hunter’s stand and, if they’re not disturbed, will expire there. If that same whitetail is bumped out of that initial bed, however, the chances of finding it go down dramatically. At best, it’ll make for a long and difficult tracking job. At worst, you’ll never find the deer.
TV celebrities have to give a commentary to the camera, but for the rest of us, the best thing to do is silently sneak out of the area. There’s nothing wrong with remaining in the stand, but don’t call your buddies and loudly tell the story of your giant buck.
Even if you wait in the stand an hour or so, it’s still a good idea to silently slip out of the area for a time. How long depends on many factors including weather and temperature. Impending rain might force you to track sooner than would be ideal, but it’s usually better to risk bumping the deer when rain is eminent. If it’s cold enough, let the deer overnight. If it’s above freezing and meat spoilage is a concern, wait as long as you can before starting to track.
Once you’ve recovered your buck, it’s perfectly okay to yell and holler. It’s a special moment, so enjoy the celebration.
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