Walkers Game Ear
09-05-2003, 07:49 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Satsop Washington USA
Posts: 138
Walkers Game Ear
Anyone know anything about the Walkers game ear? a friend of mine called me up and is going to get one and wondered if it was worth the extra money to get the digital model or are they worth having at all. He is 69 years old and does alot of elk hunting,(mostly sitting), in Western Washington and turkey hunting in Eastern Washington. His hearing is OK but not great. What shall I tell him? His wife will let him have whatever one I say is the best
09-06-2003, 07:54 AM
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: Walkers Game Ear
Have I am on my 3rd season with a pair of Game Ear IIs and wish I woulda bought them years ago! I have killed my two big bucks in the last two years (one 14 pt 154inch gunkill and a 131inch 8pt bowkill) and each time I heard them coming before I saw them and was able to get up and get ready.
I originally bought them for hearing protection because I got a Sako/Lazzeroni Warbird that I had a KDF brake installed on. It is THUNDEROUSLY loud and I didnt want to have to keep hunting with muffs around my neck. But after only a trip or two with them, I use them for ALL kinds of hunting. I wear them bowhunting because of the ability to hear so well. I wear them turkey hunting because you can hear birds MUCH farther than can believe, and I also have learned that I can hear other birds with an " approaching tom" and that allows you to tell which ones already have hens with them long before you can see them. I wear them dovehunting not only to protect from repeated gunblast, but they allow me to turn them down yet still hear normal conversations and " calls" from hunters across the field letting me know birds are coming my way. For gunhunting they are superb. And using them for waterfowl hunting is simply " cheating" lol. Likewise I use them when target practicing. You can still talk to others without fighting muffs.
I bought two " pair" so that I have one unit for each ear instead of relying on only one. This helps with " stereo" hearing as well. It takes a lil practice to learn what is directly behind you vs direactly in front of you (before you can see them obviously) but you certainly are " on alert" long before the game is in view.
My brother and some other friends have since gotten the " custom hearing aids" from an ear doctor that are custom molded to the ear and are no more expensive than buying two pair of Game Ears. They are more comfortable than the Game Ears but I havent used them in the woods to know the performance comparisons, but I would certainly look into them if I were you or your buddy.
I am only 32 but wish I woulda " taken care" of my hearing better since I started shooting/hunting as a early teenager. A couple of years ago I started noticing my hearing wasnt the same (to many years of guns, rock music, Harleys and fast boats). At least the various " hunters hearing aids" bring back your hearing and prevent further damage.
My brother is a dealer for Game Ear and they have NEVER had a customer who bought them that didnt just rave and love the products,
RA
I originally bought them for hearing protection because I got a Sako/Lazzeroni Warbird that I had a KDF brake installed on. It is THUNDEROUSLY loud and I didnt want to have to keep hunting with muffs around my neck. But after only a trip or two with them, I use them for ALL kinds of hunting. I wear them bowhunting because of the ability to hear so well. I wear them turkey hunting because you can hear birds MUCH farther than can believe, and I also have learned that I can hear other birds with an " approaching tom" and that allows you to tell which ones already have hens with them long before you can see them. I wear them dovehunting not only to protect from repeated gunblast, but they allow me to turn them down yet still hear normal conversations and " calls" from hunters across the field letting me know birds are coming my way. For gunhunting they are superb. And using them for waterfowl hunting is simply " cheating" lol. Likewise I use them when target practicing. You can still talk to others without fighting muffs.
I bought two " pair" so that I have one unit for each ear instead of relying on only one. This helps with " stereo" hearing as well. It takes a lil practice to learn what is directly behind you vs direactly in front of you (before you can see them obviously) but you certainly are " on alert" long before the game is in view.
My brother and some other friends have since gotten the " custom hearing aids" from an ear doctor that are custom molded to the ear and are no more expensive than buying two pair of Game Ears. They are more comfortable than the Game Ears but I havent used them in the woods to know the performance comparisons, but I would certainly look into them if I were you or your buddy.
I am only 32 but wish I woulda " taken care" of my hearing better since I started shooting/hunting as a early teenager. A couple of years ago I started noticing my hearing wasnt the same (to many years of guns, rock music, Harleys and fast boats). At least the various " hunters hearing aids" bring back your hearing and prevent further damage.
My brother is a dealer for Game Ear and they have NEVER had a customer who bought them that didnt just rave and love the products,
RA
09-06-2003, 03:45 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: the woods of NJ.
Posts: 5,643
RE: Walkers Game Ear
I like the game ear cause you can hear things you normally wouldn' t BUT it does not give you stereo so you can not tell which direction the sound is comming from. I once heard some deer running through the woods at me and looked all around for the direction of the noise. Didn' t see them till they were passing me. You know I cursed out that game ear for weeks. Now I more or less use it only before sunrise to get an idea if there' s something out there. Once its shooting time I take them off. I quess if you had 1 in each ear they would work.
09-07-2003, 03:38 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 4,276
RE: Walkers Game Ear
There are much cheaper alternatives to the name brand " Walkers Game Ear" that work almost as well or better than the Walker' s. Take a look in the Cabela' s Fall master catalog. There is another one in there, i forget the name, but it works just as well. My father-in-law has both the el-cheapo and the Walkers. He swears by the el-cheapo! I' ve also used both and can tell no difference.
Just keep your options open.
Just keep your options open.
09-08-2003, 05:27 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
RE: Walkers Game Ear
If there' s nothing wrong with your hearing you probably don' t need one . You' d be better off training yourself to listen to the sounds of the woods around you , and learning what critter makes which sound . In the long run this will make you a better hunter instead of depending on technological gimmicks .
09-08-2003, 05:59 PM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: Walkers Game Ear
Kevin with that mentality I hope you truly live by the words you speak. You dont have any Thermax/Thinsulate/GoreTex/Scent Lok clothing do you? What about your boots, I hope you only wear deerskin mocs instead of the latest boots. Do you hunt with a knife or a spear? Because it wouldnt be fair to especialy use a scoped rifle or a compound bow (hell even the selfbow was an " evolvement" of technology over the spear).
See where it goes? You cant paint everyone with such a broad brush. Hearing enhancement isnt the only reason for using such tools. Hearing protection IS something that every hunter needs to be conscerned with and I dont care how old/young they are. I suspect you are young in your comments. I too was " 10ft tall and bulletproof" when I was a teenager. Now at 32, several pounds heavier and after 3 kids and a wife, I realize I am merely a lil over 6' tall and water resistant...
Live and learn,
RA
See where it goes? You cant paint everyone with such a broad brush. Hearing enhancement isnt the only reason for using such tools. Hearing protection IS something that every hunter needs to be conscerned with and I dont care how old/young they are. I suspect you are young in your comments. I too was " 10ft tall and bulletproof" when I was a teenager. Now at 32, several pounds heavier and after 3 kids and a wife, I realize I am merely a lil over 6' tall and water resistant...
Live and learn,
RA
09-09-2003, 06:26 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: pineview GF. USA
Posts: 374
RE: Walkers Game Ear
Been using Walkers for yrs. Started off with one..went to 2..and back to 1.
There' s little tecniques you can use to tell directions using just one..just takes getting used to.
I wouldn' t go to the woods without mine..my ears ring 24hrs a day and can' t hear high frequency noises..without the game ear I don' t even hear birds chirp.
I also use the silicone ear plugs you can get in drug store..instead of the ones that come with game ear..the silicone molds to your ear.
There' s little tecniques you can use to tell directions using just one..just takes getting used to.
I wouldn' t go to the woods without mine..my ears ring 24hrs a day and can' t hear high frequency noises..without the game ear I don' t even hear birds chirp.
I also use the silicone ear plugs you can get in drug store..instead of the ones that come with game ear..the silicone molds to your ear.
09-09-2003, 07:02 AM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
RE: Walkers Game Ear
RedAllison ,
I' m 43 , have 4 kids and 4 grandkids , and a dickie do also . Us" old fogeys" may have to explain what a dickey do is to the younger members ...
And no , I don' t wear any of the items you mentioned other than an Army MOPP suit and insulated boots . Insulated boots aren' t new tech , they' ve been around for thousands of years , and I' ll concede on the MOPP suit . I did , in fact , look for some sheepskin lined mocs earlier , the softer soles would be a real bonus when the leaves turn " extra crispy" . My comment only addressed what I feel is a growing reliance on tech tools to replace basic hunting skills . My state bans thermal tracking devices , recorded deer calls , and baiting for just that reason . And I agree with them . I agree that hearing protection is a must with firearms , but what' s wrong with nice low tech ear plugs once the quarry is coming in ? $150 is sort of steep for one ear plug .
While my smokepole is an inline , it still loads from the front . I chose an inline because it' s more reliable than a sidelock . I' ve recently taken up the recurve bow , but wouldn' t exclude the possibility of using a compound since both are bows . I also own and will be using a crossbow this year during our late archery season . The crossbow predates firearms by over 1,500 years , so it couldn' t be considered new either . I' ll have the option of sights or the red dot it came with , but will go with the sights .
If the term " technological gimmicks" is what caused you to respond , then I am somewhat confused as to why it annoyed you . My grandfather hunted deer with a single shot 12 ga. loaded with OO, dressed in red and black plaid coat with brown pants , and took his limit nearly every year . He was one of the best hunters that I' ve ever met to this day . He despised " Hollis Allen' s Arrow Launching Device" when it first debuted , and prophesied that it would be the death of traditional archery . For the uninitiated , the device in question was what we now call a compound bow . Was he wrong ? I think so , look at the number of bow hunters in the woods these days .
I' ve sometimes been catigated for my stand on crossbows , yet I look at the Cabela' s catalog and I see scopes , red dots , and other toys for compounds that the catigators jumped on me for since my tool has the ability to mount the same items . Are they wrong ? I would tend to think that they are simply prejudiced toward a tool they don' t personally use .
I spent a long time becoming a hunter , and tried at all times to learn the way of the woods . I do no better or worse than those in the next woodlot , and carry far less gear since I rely on my senses to guide me . I only reccomended this way to Have 2 Hunt as a way of improving his skills as a hunter , I think you would agree that is more important than toys . We have a responsibility as the senior hunters to help the juniors become the best hunter that they can be . Otherwise we run the risk of failing both them and the sport we all love .
I' m 43 , have 4 kids and 4 grandkids , and a dickie do also . Us" old fogeys" may have to explain what a dickey do is to the younger members ...
And no , I don' t wear any of the items you mentioned other than an Army MOPP suit and insulated boots . Insulated boots aren' t new tech , they' ve been around for thousands of years , and I' ll concede on the MOPP suit . I did , in fact , look for some sheepskin lined mocs earlier , the softer soles would be a real bonus when the leaves turn " extra crispy" . My comment only addressed what I feel is a growing reliance on tech tools to replace basic hunting skills . My state bans thermal tracking devices , recorded deer calls , and baiting for just that reason . And I agree with them . I agree that hearing protection is a must with firearms , but what' s wrong with nice low tech ear plugs once the quarry is coming in ? $150 is sort of steep for one ear plug .
While my smokepole is an inline , it still loads from the front . I chose an inline because it' s more reliable than a sidelock . I' ve recently taken up the recurve bow , but wouldn' t exclude the possibility of using a compound since both are bows . I also own and will be using a crossbow this year during our late archery season . The crossbow predates firearms by over 1,500 years , so it couldn' t be considered new either . I' ll have the option of sights or the red dot it came with , but will go with the sights .
If the term " technological gimmicks" is what caused you to respond , then I am somewhat confused as to why it annoyed you . My grandfather hunted deer with a single shot 12 ga. loaded with OO, dressed in red and black plaid coat with brown pants , and took his limit nearly every year . He was one of the best hunters that I' ve ever met to this day . He despised " Hollis Allen' s Arrow Launching Device" when it first debuted , and prophesied that it would be the death of traditional archery . For the uninitiated , the device in question was what we now call a compound bow . Was he wrong ? I think so , look at the number of bow hunters in the woods these days .
I' ve sometimes been catigated for my stand on crossbows , yet I look at the Cabela' s catalog and I see scopes , red dots , and other toys for compounds that the catigators jumped on me for since my tool has the ability to mount the same items . Are they wrong ? I would tend to think that they are simply prejudiced toward a tool they don' t personally use .
I spent a long time becoming a hunter , and tried at all times to learn the way of the woods . I do no better or worse than those in the next woodlot , and carry far less gear since I rely on my senses to guide me . I only reccomended this way to Have 2 Hunt as a way of improving his skills as a hunter , I think you would agree that is more important than toys . We have a responsibility as the senior hunters to help the juniors become the best hunter that they can be . Otherwise we run the risk of failing both them and the sport we all love .
09-09-2003, 09:54 AM
#9
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: Walkers Game Ear
Kevin I understand what you are saying, but I think you are wrong for calling hearing enhancers/protectors " gimmicks" . Training ones self to " listen" for the right sounds is only easier with such pieces of equipment. I learned long ago to tell the difference between the sound of an approaching deer vs another animal. The Game Ears only make that option greater and sooner. I also hear grunts, snorts and calls at ranges far greater than I ever expected or heard before. That can only help a hunter, regardless of their skill level. I just think that using your analogy, why would a person use eyeglasses to correct faulty eyesight? Thats no different than purposefully ignoring the prospect of enhancing ones hearing while at the same time protecting it as well.
I too have gone the " traditional equipment" route before with regards to my recurve. I killed two very nice bucks with it (one of which was my first P & Y buck). I still buy " Traditional Archer" and LOVE the allure of the beautiful handmade equipment that makes up the very personal sport. I just no longer shoot my takedown at deer because I dont feel like I have enough time to properly practice enough to be confident in using it in the woods, nor do I any longer wish to accept the closer limits of my abilities with such equipment. But that doesnt make me a " techno hound" IMO. But rather the technology allows me better utilization of my time afield and in preparation for such times. The same I think can be said for the vast majority of sportsmen.
I have a small red totebag that I call my " must have bag" that rides in the truck to each hunt. In it you will find a plethora of " modern conveniences" such as my weather radio, Leica rangefinder, a pair of Game Ear IIs, pair of Motorolla 2ways, knives/sharpeners, several pair of binocs (Steiner, Zeiss and Optolyth), flashlights of various types and sizes and several other " tools" that I consider as great aids in my serious pursuits. Each " tool" was bought for a specific need and while we all have a collection of " gimmicks" stashed in a box on a shelf of the garage forever to remain unused. Most of us have our " tried and true" tackle that goes with us each time out and it only makes the outing that much more fun. Do I just HAVE to have that bag on each hunt? No, certainly not but I feel each item in their serves a very vaulable purpose for a specific need while afield.
In 20 years of chasing deer, I have learned what works for me, what doesnt and what I need as well as what I dont! I would imagine most in here are much the same. Tools come and go and I dont think incorporating various " gifts" of technology into our hunting is all that bad. Time afield for various reasons is still " time away" but if a modern creation can help the odds, why not? You mentioned your scent suit. I too use one (Scent Lok MicroSuede) and consider it equally as important as anyother tool. But you wont see me not recommending them on the basis of, " they are a gimmick" .
To each his own I reckon,
RA
I too have gone the " traditional equipment" route before with regards to my recurve. I killed two very nice bucks with it (one of which was my first P & Y buck). I still buy " Traditional Archer" and LOVE the allure of the beautiful handmade equipment that makes up the very personal sport. I just no longer shoot my takedown at deer because I dont feel like I have enough time to properly practice enough to be confident in using it in the woods, nor do I any longer wish to accept the closer limits of my abilities with such equipment. But that doesnt make me a " techno hound" IMO. But rather the technology allows me better utilization of my time afield and in preparation for such times. The same I think can be said for the vast majority of sportsmen.
I have a small red totebag that I call my " must have bag" that rides in the truck to each hunt. In it you will find a plethora of " modern conveniences" such as my weather radio, Leica rangefinder, a pair of Game Ear IIs, pair of Motorolla 2ways, knives/sharpeners, several pair of binocs (Steiner, Zeiss and Optolyth), flashlights of various types and sizes and several other " tools" that I consider as great aids in my serious pursuits. Each " tool" was bought for a specific need and while we all have a collection of " gimmicks" stashed in a box on a shelf of the garage forever to remain unused. Most of us have our " tried and true" tackle that goes with us each time out and it only makes the outing that much more fun. Do I just HAVE to have that bag on each hunt? No, certainly not but I feel each item in their serves a very vaulable purpose for a specific need while afield.
In 20 years of chasing deer, I have learned what works for me, what doesnt and what I need as well as what I dont! I would imagine most in here are much the same. Tools come and go and I dont think incorporating various " gifts" of technology into our hunting is all that bad. Time afield for various reasons is still " time away" but if a modern creation can help the odds, why not? You mentioned your scent suit. I too use one (Scent Lok MicroSuede) and consider it equally as important as anyother tool. But you wont see me not recommending them on the basis of, " they are a gimmick" .
To each his own I reckon,
RA
09-09-2003, 04:00 PM
#10
Dominant Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
RE: Walkers Game Ear
No prob RA ,
I' m not a raving buckskinner either , I use a GPS for a rather huge forest I like to hunt , it is used primarily for scouting . The thought of navigating 17,000 acres without one is kinda scary , but I still carry a compass and know how to use it . Once I have the visual markers down the GPS stays home .
I' m hesitant to admit it , but age and some of the jobs that I' ve held may conspire to make me join you on hearing enhancement . I' m seriouly not thrilled by the prospect , but I may not have much choice . In my case this would be a matter of need rather than want , but I' ll hold off until I have to .
You sound somewhat similar to me , although I' ll probably never embrace technolgy to the degree that you do . I celebrate our differences , as well as our similarities , and I' ll look forward to sharing ideas with you later .
I' m not a raving buckskinner either , I use a GPS for a rather huge forest I like to hunt , it is used primarily for scouting . The thought of navigating 17,000 acres without one is kinda scary , but I still carry a compass and know how to use it . Once I have the visual markers down the GPS stays home .
I' m hesitant to admit it , but age and some of the jobs that I' ve held may conspire to make me join you on hearing enhancement . I' m seriouly not thrilled by the prospect , but I may not have much choice . In my case this would be a matter of need rather than want , but I' ll hold off until I have to .
You sound somewhat similar to me , although I' ll probably never embrace technolgy to the degree that you do . I celebrate our differences , as well as our similarities , and I' ll look forward to sharing ideas with you later .