Hearing protection while hunting

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Carbon_15

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I will be using my Browning BAR 30-06 with a BOSS for the first time this year for whitetail hunting. I will also be carrying a handgun for backup, and/or hog hunting. The BAR is extreamly loud and handguns are more than uncomfortable, so I would like to use some sort of hearing protection. my biggest concern is not hearing loss from a single shot, but that I might flinch in antisipation of the sound if I know I don't have hearing protection. I target shoot alot, and it feels very unnatural to shoot sans muffs or plugs. I would be very aware of the lack there of.
I don't like the electronic muffs or plugs because of the unnatural nature of their sound. Does anyone use 'baffle' type plugs? Do you leave your plugs in all the time, or just when you think a shot is imminate?
Thanks
Jason
 
I can't imagine using hearing protection when hunting. The ability to clearly hear the sounds of the forest contribute greatly in the success of a hunt. Many, many times I have heard deer (turkey, ducks, geese, squirrels, etc.) long before I saw them.
I would think that in using hearing protection you'd be cutting your chances of a successful hunt practically to zero.
 
One shot isn't gonna make all that difference, insofar as damge to your ears. Think "Sight Picture". Keep on thinking "Sight Picture".

You'll never hear the muzzle blast nor feel the recoil. Not enough to matter, anyway.

Art
 
I agree with Piney Woods in that hearing is an essential part of any hunt. Therefore I protect my hearing when pulling the trigger with these cheap ear plugs from Remington.

A chord holds them together so you can leave them hanging around your neck while not in use. You leave them out of your ears of course, so you can hear what's going on around you while hunting. I only put them into my ears if/when the animal I've already identified as a shooter is in sight, and I'm ready to prepare for the shot.

These particular plugs are very soft/pliable and thus are easily placed into your ear using just a thumb and forefinger from one hand. I literally put it in the canal opening and push. The plugs snake their way into the canal to create a seal and protect your hearing.

Is it necessary to take precautions for just one shot? That’s debatable. But when taking the precaution is made so easy by such an inexpensive easy to use product… why not do it just in case?
 
Lately, I've been using electronic plugs. My ears don't ring after the shot, and I can still hear with as much volume as I want -- amplified, if I want to put up with wind noise. I have enough tinnitus and hearing loss from an unprotected handgun shot near my head. I don't need more.

I'm more satisfied with these than normal plugs. I can't imagine wearing electronic muffs.
 
Those remington plugs would be good for hunting, you just stuff 'em in and don't have to wait for expansion. I personally just wear a pair of muffs on my noggin and pull 'em down when I'm ready to shoot, well, at least that's the plan. I'm a bit of a noob and haven't had an opportunity... yet :D

I have tinnitus, you never know if you're going to get it or not, but better to aim on the cautious side. I'd pay $1,000,000 to lose the ringing if I could.
 
Of all the shots I've taken I dont think I remember hearing the report of any of them.

I did wear a pair of Caldwell electronic muffs while on a dove hunt last year and they didn't hinder my ability any. Actually, they helped me hear my buddies better when they let me know that birds were coming my way.

If I had the money I'd try the Walker game ear and see how they help. To hear the crunch of leaves or a snap of a twig sooner would be an advantage.
 
The last time I was able to spend time in the woods hunting, I carried ear plugs with me. I used them if I had to take a finishing shot.

If I were hunting small game or birds- anything that I knew would take multiple shots- I'd be sure to wear electronic muffs.

John
 
I use the Walker Quad Four game ear muffs when hunting or on the range. They amplify normal woods sounds. I can hear hogs moving through the brush that I could not hear without the muffs due to hearing damage from firing everything from 81 mm mortars to .22 LR over many years.

Wind noise is a problem and I often wear the muffs above my ears on windy days and slip them over the ears for a shot. Once in a while I forget and shoot without sliding them into place, but for the most part I will protect my remaining hearing.

Regards,
hps
 
By using electronic ear muffs you get used to them and the difference in sound stops being a bother.

Any kind of loud noise can damage hearing and the damage is cumulative. If you don't take care of your ears now, you may not need the muffs later because you'll be deaf.

I admit, carrying muffs is a pain. At the least use the foam ear plugs when ready to shoot if possible. If you don't want to wear two ear plugs, if shooting right hand at least wear one if the left ear since that one will be exposed to the most noise. The baffel plugs don't work.
 
I bought a pair of Peltor Sporttac about two months ago after i found that even the crack from the :22 blank in the dummy launcher made my ears ring.
It was strange at first wearing them while hunting but i'v just about got used to them now. I have always used ear protection down the range and at work.
You can hear normally when wearing them and even turn up the volume. They cut out all sound over 80db.
I set the volume at about what i normally hear. Turn the volume up and there is just to much noise out there.
 
I bought a set of the Remington electronic muffs from Wal-Mart when I used to take my .44 mag. hunting. Only problem I had was that the muffs got tight on my head after wearing them for two hours. And when I took them off, the silence was eerie in the dark woods after hearing so good with them on.
I've taken a shot from the stand with the adrinilin pumping, and as Art said, you won't notice how loud it is. But physically, I think it can still do damage, but as little as I get to take a shot, I don't worry too much. (5 years hunting and only seen one running that I shot at)
 
I use the Silencio ear plugs (cheap kind) while hunting like Trip20 said. Keep them around my neck on a shoe string. Put them in as game approaches. But, the lack of ear plugs would not stop me from taking a shot if it comes down to that. I have been considering the game ear or muffs as an experiment.
 
I agree about using hearing protection! I know too many hunters that can't hear well anymore!

The muzzle blast of a hot-loaded .44 mag. handgun is rough on the ears, even though you don't "hear it" as normal when you touch off the round!

I too use the $100 Reminton amplified range muffs. They are great on the range during competitions . . . but they are also wonderful during the hunt.

1994987Remingtonearmuffs.jpg


Like the other poster said about his, you get used to them (in stereo by the way) and when you remove them the woods seem SO QUIET!!!

They don't amplify a lot in the wood, but they DO help . . . and their sound triangulation is virtually the same as one's normal sound detection.

For $100 they were a great set of range muffs . . . with the ability to keep me from blowing out my ears while hunting.

Great idea!

T.
 
unless your doing something with tons of shooting like say duck or dove hunting, dont use it. One shot every couple weeks at the most maybe only once or twice a year will not damage your ears that much. You may not have anyhting to hear if you use them cuz you wont hear animals and people yelling "dont shoot!" lol. Unless your thinking about taking about five or six shots dont worry about going deaf
 
I also use the Cheapo Cabelas electronic amplifying ear plugs with audio protection. I have them out sometimes to hear the direction of animal movement. That's the only major disadvantage of these things. You can hear the movement, but the direction of it is hard to determine. Yes hearing loss is cummulative, and I can tell who, at work, is a hunter/shooter.
 
Where I hunt, and with the style I choose to employ (spot n' stalk) I almost always hear deer before I see them. Can't imagine using earplugs or even amplified earmuffs.

When I'm about to pull the trigger, the last thing that I'm worried about is noise or recoil. With that much adrenaline I don't flinch and after the shot, I've never once thought, "da*n that was loud".
 
For those who think that hearing protection doesn't matter, you ought to have your hearing checked every year. The loss will be there. It is insidious in that you don't notice it until there is a substantial loss. Then all you can do is relegate yourself to saying "what?" a lot and protect what you have left. I use a Hunters Ear which amplifies sounds and cuts off when loud sounds (like my shot) occur. Been there, and now my world is very quiet when I don't have my aids in.
 
Hearing loss is cummulative, much like vision loss. You don't notice it until you put on a pair of glasses or a set of hearing aids or when it's too late. It's really up to you whether you want to do it or not. I picked up a pair of rubber plugs for $9 that's supposed to reduce quick pressure (like gun shots), but allow voice to be heard. They really suck when compared to foam plugs or ear muffs, but I guess for hunting it may bring the shots to a bearable (not quiet) level.
 
+1 to everyone who's said that hearing protection is unnecessary. let's say you want to bag two deer opening day. even if you're a horrible shot, that shouldn't be more than 5-6 shots in a day. 2-3 in any short span. that's not really going to do damage, and as everyone said, the loudness and recoil really don't bother you during the excitement of a hunt. if you're taking more shots than that, it's either time to switch your caliber or hang up the camo until you figure out how to shoot better, probably the latter.
 
Every shot does damage. I have significant loss from one incident, one shot. Hearing loss is cumulative. Every shot does an amount of damage.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm

Do some reading here.

The electronic hearing protectors that allow normal hearing but shut out loud noises are the way I hunt, unless I'm doing archery. And with the loss I have in my right ear, I may start using them then anyway!
 
+1 to everyone who's said that hearing protection is unnecessary. let's say you want to bag two deer opening day. even if you're a horrible shot, that shouldn't be more than 5-6 shots in a day. 2-3 in any short span. that's not really going to do damage, and as everyone said, the loudness and recoil really don't bother you during the excitement of a hunt.
Click to expand...

Should you have the opportunity to teach younger shooters, I hope you forget to pass on this bit of advice.

There are plenty of practical/affordable ways to hunt whilst protecting your hearing. Shooting with out hearing protection permanently damages your hearing. Period.

It may not "bother you during the excitement of a hunt", but that’s non sequitur. To avoid this inevitable cumulative damage, protection is a must - completely opposite your advice.

You want to damage your hearing -- feel free. You're also free to smoke and not wear your seatbelt, but do you suggest youngsters do the same? Well, there may be young shooters who cruise this board for advice -- think about it.
 
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