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Old 07-30-2008 | 10:08 AM
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BGfisher
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Middletown PA United States
Default RE: walkers game ear?

Nothing like a little humor guys, but I have a pair of Game Ear II's so I'll add my experience with them as I have about a 40% hearing loss and wear hearing aids when not hunting.

They work well for hunting, but have drawbacks. First, they enhance hearing to the point that you can hear a squirrel fart at 50 yards. It all depends on how high you turn the volume up. Mine are frequency adjustable so I enhance the higher frequencies as that is what rustling leaves are. Mine are mosre useful for hunting than my $5000 digital hearing aids.

There are several downsides to them. The microphones will pick up wind noise on a windy day, especially if you have the volume turned way up. I probably wouldn't wear them on a day when it's raining hard. Water and electronics don't mix well.Might electrocute your brain.They use a foam moldable ear plug that degrades over time. I would recommend getting custom ear molds for best fit and comfort.

I've heard guys say they can't tell direction so talk them down. Problem is, we hear in stereo.It would be similar to covering one eye and only seeing with one. Depth perception would go to hell. YOu should use two of them. If not you'll hear things and won't be able to tell just where it came from, but at least you'll know something is lurking and be looking. Maybe the looking will get you busted. So use two and get the best benefit.

Which ones you choose would be a personal matter. Depends on just how much you'll use them. Digital is clearer, but costs a lot more money. I'd say to try them all and see what you think will work for you. You might compare them to like buying binoculars. You have Bushnell and you have Swarovski. The Swars are far and away better, but can you afford them and justify the cost?

Also, get ready for a learning process. If you are hard of hearing now you're going to hear sounds you haven't heard in a long time.Use them a lot while scouting or just out in the woods. It won't do any good to just pop them in to go hunting. Your brain will have to interpretwhat's going in and learn all over again what the sounds are. This takes using them and taking the time to program the grey matter.

So are they worth it? For me, with a hearing loss it's a resounding "YES". They brought the woods sounds back into my life and made hunting a lot more enjoyable----again.

Hope this helps, and if you have any specific questions I'd be happy to try to answer them.
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