America's Vanishin Silent Spaces

[SDMFer]

#4849

I thought I’d post a link to a Newsweek article you may or maynot have seen.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/232668.

[David Petersen]

#35531

Thanks for this SD. Certainly he is right about the inescapability of air traffic, and the fact that given all we do to provide places to escape to unspoiled, naturally “silent” wilderness it would complete that picture to reroute air traffic around. I recall hunting elk through the 9-11 air traffic shut down. At first even the animals were freaked out with suddenly zero air traffic. But that changed fast and by the second day of “silence” the woods sounded sweeter than I’ve ever “heard” them anywhere, including AK which is buzzing with bushplanes. My own greatest concern re unnatural sounds in nature is ATVs and dirt bikes when they get off roads and go miles into what otherwise would be natural/quiet backcountry. Another researcher in this arena goes the other way and measures not the addition of unnatural/manmade sounds in nature, but the loss of natural sounds such as bird species, wolves, whatever, as a way to measure ecological depletion. It’s called “biophony” bio=natural and phony=sound. Coincidentally I have a Campfire Philosopher on that very topic in the pipeline. Dave

[Reg Darling]

#35855

Here in the east, places beyond the sound of engines are precious and rare indeed. This is a value we all need to get serious about standing up for, because once that peace is gone, we’re not likely to live to see its return.

[Bloodless]

#35920

“… once that peace is gone, we’re not likely to live to see its return.”

Exactly, brothers! Some of us, seeing little other choice, too easily adapt to hunting within the sound of a roaring Interstate. Perhaps we as a species are “lucky” to have such flexibility. But then, if we can swallow whatever garbage “progress” shoves down our throats, where then do we find motivation to save what we can of the real world that once (like forever except the recent past) was how it was, by natural design, and never will be again as you suggest, and which we are desperately, instinctively and even if unconsciously struggling to preserve within ourselves and humanity through traditional hunting? When I was a wee lad, being a “good sportsman” meant being good at killing animals and catching fish and woodsmanship, period. Nowadays it’s still that, but like everything else, so much more! Blessings on your children, as karma is on your side. 😉

[SteveMcD]

#35961

Reg Darling wrote: Here in the east, places beyond the sound of engines are precious and rare indeed. This is a value we all need to get serious about standing up for, because once that peace is gone, we’re not likely to live to see its return.

Reg.. I was hunting opening day of the regular deer season at World’s End State Park in 1990. And I’ll never forget the f-16 Fighter Jet that flew directkly over me, while I was in my stand! At extremely LOW Altitude! The Air Force – Air Guard out of Black Moshannon used to use the Loyalsock as there flight path! Talk about shattering a mirror of pristine beauty! 😯

[Ed Zachary]

#37491

Years ago, I was float-tube fishing for rainbows in some God-forsaken mountain lake in British Columbia. Absolute silence for 4 – 5 days, save for one or two winky little planes way up in the blue. At nightfall, the skeeter drone was almost a low roar, yes, it was that quiet.

Don’t know what it would be like there now. I hunt in locales that are close to human activity and the noise floor is fairly prevalent. It’s a constant cycle of pseudo-quiet, then something always breaks through….car, motorcycle, jet, etc., etc. It takes away from the pleasure and the connection of being out there.

[Stick n String]

#38351

People are generally so “tuned in” to the constant drone of the mechanical world we live in that no one knows what a true gift silence actually is. The fact of the matter is there are now too damned many people spread out over too damned much country; noise pollution is inevitable. I am always amazed to fly over even “remote” areas in a plane, only to look down and realize how close and interconnected everything actually is with roads, power lines, agricultural fields. It looks like a giant, man-made patchwork quilt from above.

We do the best we can.

[RickH]

#39384

The timing of this post is perfect as I just returned from a Javelina hunt down in southern NM. I love going down there in the winter because of the remoteness and the lack of man-made noise. It is obviously not a main air traffic route because in three days I heard one plane fly over. Also, it’s nice to get out of the snow for a few days :).

[William Warren]

#39954

[quote=Ed Zachary]Years ago, I was float-tube fishing for rainbows in some God-forsaken mountain lake in British Columbia. Absolute silence for 4 – 5 days, save for one or two winky little planes way up in the blue. At nightfall, the skeeter drone was almost a low roar, yes, it was that quiet.

I’ve experienced the skeeter drone in Quebec 80 miles from the nearest town. Also heard it at the local lake in early fall. The skeeters were so loud it actually competed with the traffic sounds in the distance. Quiet places ain’t so quiet!

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