ear protection...

[XD40EZO]

do you wear ear protection when you hunt?

if yes, how do you hear your intended target approaching?

if no, isn't too loud?

...just curious, cause i want to try hunting someday..

peace,

 

[sumpnz]

When I was deer hunting last November (first time ever ) I carried foam ear plugs with me so that if I had the time I could put them in. As it turned out, I'm glad I didn't wear them regularly as I heard more deer before I saw them than anything else. I did get off 2 shots at a spike. I had buck fever so bad though that I missed both times. I jumped him while walking near the edge of a wash and definatly had no time for putting in ear plugs. It is true that you don't really "hear" the shots when hunting. But afterwards my ears did ring a bit, and I do think I've had at least some lasting damage. Not much, but if I were getting shots off every year like that I'd be worried about cumulative damage becoming significant over 20 or 30 years. makes me that they won't let us use supressors. In some European countries it's practically a requirement that hunter use supressors.

 

[DigMe]

I use these kinds of earplugs except a different brand:

I push them partially in and hope that if I see the target I have time to push them all the way in before shooting. If I don't though it still gives me a little protection.

The ideal thing for hunting though are the Peltor style muffs that amplify everything until it hits a certain decibel level (gun shot) and then it muffles at that point. I just haven't had the dough to get any of those yet.

brad cook

 

[Art Eatman]

No. I've always tried to hunt with my ears as well as my eyes. I only expect to shoot once, and whatever hearing loss one shot would create is quite acceptable.

Hearing loss is from an accumulation of noise impacts. Two or three shots in the field during deer season isn't even a drop in the bucket compared to all the other high-db inputs of one's life.

Mostly a joke: Noise-impact hearing loss occurs in those frequencies that are about the middle of the human speech range. I do just fine except when there's background noise when somebody's talking to me. Since most folks don't have anything to say that's really worth listening to, it's no problem.

Art

 

[ID_shooting]

I use ear plugs when at the range, but not when hunting. For what ever reason, I don't seem to notice it, even when bird hunting when shots are much more frequent.

 

[XD40EZO]

..i went with my friend in the middle of their 500 acre preservation and shot a couple of rounds with my 870 express... IT WAS LOUD!

...my ears rang forever... so i was a bit curious how hunter do it..but i guess Art is right, you only expect to shoot once...

peace,

 

[bean357]

Know what you mean about the ringing after bird hunting! I've tried wearing earplugs when we have been pheasant hunting and the bird population is up. It was a definite disadvantage, as often birds would get up behind me or off to the side and I did not hear or see em, plus my husband would be hollering to me where they were....(didn't hear him either though.....hehe). So, right or wrong, I go without plugs and at times just put up with a little ringing. I always wear protection while targer shooting and plinking though.

 

[DigMe]

I'm a musician and I've already lost enough hearing. I don't want to lose anymore.

brad cook

 

[mainmech48]

These days I wear my electronic muffs religiously when in the field. They don't keep your ears warm, but I can actually hear critters moving about better with them than without.

If only something similar had been available back when I was a youngster, I wouldn't have to deal with nearly as much tinnitus in my geezerdom.

 

[client32]

I don't wear ear protection when hunting (primarily pheasant hunter).
Suppose you could wear an ear plug in one ear though, then at least one ear is protected.

I agree that the electronic ear muffs would probably be the best thing to do..... but I'm still young and stupid.

 

[XD40EZO]

DigMe... what instrument do you play? i play BASS Guitar for our Praise Team... we've already recorded 3 cds.

that's awesome...

peace,

 

[XD40EZO]

DigMe... here's one for us musicians and shooters...

 

[DigMe]

XD40,

I play bass too. I've played for about 13 years. Currently my only gig is also my worship team at church but I've played in lots of bands in the past. I also shoot an XD (the 9 SC though). Great minds...

brad cook

 

[XD40EZO]

hey brad...guess what??? i'm looking at your ActiveBass profile right now... look for me there... awesome!

Edwin Ormeo

 

[rbernie]

Hmm - doesn't look like a Steinberger action. Kramer headless?

 

[Itote]

Protection only at the range.Hummm,now that I think about it,maybe thats why I have three kids

 

[45crittergitter]

Elec. amplified muffs when I'm using louder guns & handguns.

Permanent damage does result from even one shot of some of those loudenboomers, like magnum revolvers.

 

[landon74]

You should check out Howard Leight's Matrix earplugs, they make NRR 29 earplugs that allow a lot of regular level sounds through, but block out things like gunfire. If you go to www.howardleight.com you can request samples, test them out to see if you like 'em. If you're worried about further hearing loss, they're a good compromise.

 

[rbernie]

Screw the Peltor's - these work great. If I can't wear 'em for some reason, I'll at least keep a set of foam plugs on a tether around my neck and try to put 'em in before I light things off...

 

[DigMe]

Screw the Peltor's - these work great.

Personally though for hunting I'd rather have some that are in stereo so as to better help me determine the direction of the sound without having to take them off. I've seen the Harbor Freight muffs before and I'd be interested if it was just for the range.

brad cook

 

[XD40EZO]

i saw a friend of mine using a personal-molded ear piece... it was cool. custom made for him...

...i have a peltor and it seems kind of tacky...i think i'll end up using foam ear protection...

peace,

 

[Mauserguy]

I have one of those Harbor Freight ear muffs and I think that they are great. Having said that, though, I am not sure I would use them for deer hunting. It would make wearing cold weather hats difficult, and if you only fire one shot, it may not be a problem. For the range, though, you just can't beat Harbor Freight ear muffs.
Mauserguy

PS: I always wear plugs under the muffs while at the range. I figure that a second layer of protection is beneficial. With the amplification of the electronic ear muffs, you can hear conversations like you weren't wearing ear plugs at all, but gun blasts are hardly noticeable.

 

[rexelbion]

ear protection

I recently bought a pair of amplified ear plugs. Not only do they work as hearing aids, they also block out gunfire and protect your ears.

The only drawback is that they can be pricey.

If you hunt often, I highly recommend the investment.

 

[EghtySx]

I've never worn hearing protection when hunting. Even dove hunting. Soehow I can still hear but I wouldn't recommend this practise because the experts don't. I used to shoot trap without protection untill I found I could concentrate better with. I guess it blocks out distractions and puts me "im my own little world" so to speak.

I've used the molded ones and they are surprisingly aren' the best protection you can get. Even cheap ones crammed in your ears seem better to me. Of course, I had mine made years ago so maybe the dimensions of my ears have changed.