Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

I just need some advice on hearing protection.. I have been wanting to purchase some "ear plugs" that I can use while hunting. electronic is fine, just need something to wear that will block the sound of a gun blast but something I can still hear game approaching..

Curious what others use or what is recommended?? Any Advice?

Thanks

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

Haven't tried them myself, but Walker's Game ears are supposed to be top notch.

http://www.walkersgameear.com/

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

I have a Walkers Game ear which works very well. Good luck.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

Do you guys use the behind the ear or the new ITC, left and right piece that goes in the ear canal??? Just curious if one works better than the other. Seems like the behind the ear would be uncomfortable after a period of time..

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

I havetheWalkers Ear Muffs. They keep my ears warm and are great!!!

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

I use ear plugs with my 35dB ear-muffs at the range. Blocks out almost everything.

Hunting, admittedly, I don't use any hearing protection, unless you count my hat which has ear flaps to keep my ears warm which do deaden a little sound. If I hunted with a rifle that had a muzzlebreak I would.

I hear the Walkers Game Ears are a good product. I don't use them because they are a bit expensive, they require batteries which will, with my luck, go dead 30mins after I get settled into the stand 2 miles from the truck and I'll have forgot to put spares in my pocket, or one would fall out of my ear when it was dark and I wouldn't be able to find it. Just one more thing to forget, lose or break. I used to carry a bunch of gear into the field, but I've since decided that traveling light and keeping it simple is the way to go for me.

Mike

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

Just keep a couple foamies behind your ears or on a string around your neck. Then put them in right before you shoot.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

The foam plugs are ok but I prefer the rubber plugs (like Silenco) with the soft rubber 'fins' much quicker to install than the foam ones. As for the muffs, Sport Ear makes a nice set. And they are far less expensive than Walker's.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

My opinion is you really don't need hearing protection for hunting, unless you're super sensitive. There are two types of hearing damage: traumatic and long-term. Traumatic is from an instantaneous loud noise. Hunting guns generally aren't loud enough to cause traumatic hearing damage, although everyone is different. Long-term damage comes from a lot of shooting with no hearing protection, i.e. range time over the years (even with a .22). The few shots you'll let loose while hunting won't amount to much when it comes to long-term damage.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

i use cheap ear plugs when on the range and nothing while int he woods.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

At the range, depending on what I'm shooting (and how many others are there shooting), I either use muffs, or foamies+muffs. Hunting, I don't bother. Like USMC above said, the one shot isn't loud enough to do damage.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

The guys that say that don't use hearing protection while hunting are the same guys that say WHAT when you ask them a question. I would not hunt without my PRO EARS electronic ear muffs. They keep my ears warm, can hear deer walking in the woods, can havea conversations with them on, and protects from hearing damage. Don't buy the $100.00 Pro-Hunter brand as I have had two of them break within two days from purchase. The PRO EARS have a 5 year warranty.

My dad suffered permanent hearing damage from shooting a .38 caliber revolver in a valley about 25 years ago.

RE: Hearing Protection while shooting/hunting?
 

I always use ear protection while shooting but never have while hunting. I hunt mostly with a 12ga slug gun and last time I shot at a boar on a hog hunt my ears rang for days which made me think about hearing protection.. During deer season I hunt hardwoods and use a facemask so I think there would be too much movement to install ear plugs just before I shoot, I would probably never get the shot off.. I do use the rubber ones though like mentioned..

I don't care much about increasing the sound in the woods, I would probably feel like tree rats were climbing all over me.. lol I just don't want to loose any sound but would like to block the shot..

I emailed walkers game ear about the original game ear and the new itc.. The original behind the ear offers 29db reduction and the new itc is between 24-27 db of reduction. Which might be ok for hunting situations.. Expensive yes, but maybe worth not hearing the ringing in my ears...