Not worth the effort

[Tom007]

No one likes a loud mouth, whisper!

[Kylongspur88]

I try to keep noise to a minimum. They might not be able to smell very good but they can hear just fine

[Turkeybutt]

I prefer to whisper while hunting turkeys, deer and in general just being in the woods. I try not to disrupt anything.
Here is the best way to describe it. I can walk through my home in the dark and not bump into anything because I know where everything is. I know what was on the table, in the living room or where I put things in the garage.
If something is missing or out of place, I know it.
When I go in the woods I am entering their home! Those animals know when something is out of place, something is different. I try not to disrupt or unnerve them, and I know that makes me a better woodsman.

[Paulmyr]

I prefer to whisper while hunting turkeys, deer and in general just being in the woods. I try not to disrupt anything.
Here is the best way to describe it. I can walk through my home in the dark and not bump into anything because I know where everything is. I know what was on the table, in the living room or where I put things in the garage.
If something is missing or out of place, I know it.
When I go in the woods I am entering their home! Those animals know when something is out of place, something is different. I try not to disrupt or unnerve them, and I know that makes me a better woodsman.

Exactly!

[bwhana]

That is a completely wrong assumption on your part.  To the contrary, I hunt some of the most heavily pressured gamelands in the country, despite what is perpetuated on YouTube about Michigan and PA, they don't own that to themselves.  I have hunted many other states and have yet to find anything remotely close to what we have to fight here, especially during turkey season the past 5+ years.  From a safety standpoint, it probably would be a good idea to talk loud while walking around to have a better chance of others knowing your are coming and not get shot, but I do not do so.

As to some other comments, I am not referring to yelling or loud talking, just in a normal voice enough to be heard clearly at a given distance apart, and I can assure you that you would not hear me yourselves 40 yds away.  I have major hearing damage (but I do not talk louder to compensate like some do), so when I am with someone else, I cannot hear whispering, so it is not an option for me.  I also do not talk during the setup and flydown periods, only later in the morning and day, and not at roost times, as I am already handicapped with hearing period.

I do not agree that it is disrespectful to actually talk in the woods, versus whisper, that is only personal preference and not an absolute, and no, it is not the same as talking in church during a service.  It's interesting that folks went there as a reason, and I respect that for your own choice, but I love the outdoors as much as anyone here and that is just not my belief or choice.

As to woodsmanship, I have been hunting for more than 50 years and my skills are on par with anyone on here, so we will have to disagree on near silence.  That doesn't mean that I don't still learn things each hunt, actually to the contrary, I used to believe that silence mattered and was critical to success, but have since learned that is a myth, to a point.  It started by experimenting with voice levels with deer close by and I have taken several mature bucks while chatting with a friend on the phone without stopping or hanging up, just a brief pause while I shot.  I then started experimenting while turkeys were in range and have not seen any ill effects so far.  If I scare a few animals off by talking during a hunt, so be it, I'm good with that, but my experience says it doesn't matter and that at times, it has the opposite effect of creating curiosity or takes away the "predator" sense prey animals get and they let down their guard.  I equate this one to the "fact" that everyone says you must wear camo for deer and turkeys, or that you should never shoot more than XX yards, they make sense for some, but are not absolutes.

Again, the main trigger for my original post was the continuous stream of videos where they whisper, usually while setup in a field with no birds within 300 yds, then shoot one, and still keep whispering.  Just doesn't make sense and wanted to see why others choose to go either way, so thanks for the responses thus far!

[jmerchant1]

I always whisper in the woods, hunting or not.

[Zobo]

Silence is golden

[Paulmyr]

Gene Nunnery talks about animal community in The Old Pro Turkey Hunter, chapter 2. I tend to agree with Gabe on this matter.

[Jimspur]

I always whisper in the woods, hunting or not.

This.

[Wigsplitter]

I too whisper or talk very low in the woods- don't want anything to know I'm there

[Cottonmouth]

I always catch myself and laugh about whispering to my hunting buddies while I'm still in the truck. If we see one in a field, I whisper " Don't even look at em".

[Wasp]

"If you have to ask this question it is obvious you don't hunt Turkeys that have been heavily pressured "

That's shockingly wrong.  We never have "the place to ourselves".  So yeah... he hunts birds that see a ton of hunters a season.   Most of which are hardcore hunters.  These sort of condescending comments are why the majority of threads on here are geared towards your typical internet "expert" topics.  Threads like "is the Nomad vest the best on the market?".  Or my personal favorite  "should there be a minimum spur length requirement?".

[Gooserbat]

Make effort to be quiet even if you don't have to. 

[Marc]

Certainly turkeys can hear whispering, and most certainly they can hear talking...

I have seen birds get nervous during whispering and start to leave, but that nervousness could have been for a number of reasons.

Frankly, none of us would ever know how many birds we have spooked whispering or talking, cause it is likely we never would have seen them in the first place (i.e. they would have spooked before ever getting to us).

My rule of thumb...  Keep whispering to a minimum, and talking is not allowed in the turkey woods.  Hand-signals, and pointing are preferred with birds that are close that we cannot yet see, whispering when necessary...  NO talking.

[Tail Feathers]

I try to use a low voice.  My hearing just won't let me hear a whisper anymore.  When I hunt with my grandson he's always wanting to whisper questions.  It's frustrating.  Protect your hearing folks.