Hunting and Hearing Protection

[Fred in Wisc]

I like the Howard Leight electronic muffs too. I wear them when handgun hunting, but not rifles or shotguns.

 

[brainwake]

It's tough..because...well at least while deer hunting...you need to listen. So I tend to not wear hearing protection. But last year, I took three shots on a deer. One hit some brush. So it was a miss. The second put the deer down. And the third was a mercy shot to finish it off. First time I have ever taken more than 1 shot. Usually, one shot doesn't bother me. But three had my ears ringing for a few days. So now I am also a little more concerned about it. Where I hunt...if you see a deer...it's on! So most likely you will be caught up in the moment. So I plan to try and hang some plugs around my neck. But I hope I have the awareness and patients to plug them in before I shoot next time.

 

[DoesItGoBang]

OK after two shots from a 4" 357 to finish off a deer did my ears in (they are still ringing. This started a search for some hearing protection.

The end result was Peltor Sporttacs
http://peltorcomms.3m.com/world/Product.asp?PageNumber=934&Product_Id=34&ProductCategory_Id=39

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Tactical-H...4471115&sr=8-1&keywords=peltor+tactical+sport

One set of batteries last more than a year for me plus you can hear a chipmunk from the other side of the woods if you want.

 

[hso]

I'll reiterate that electronic muffs allow you to turn up the volume to the point you can hear leaves rustling even through foam plugs.

For a lousy $70 you can protect your hearing for life. Sounds like a good investment?

 

[natman]

It's tough..because...well at least while deer hunting...you need to listen. So I tend to not wear hearing protection.

That's why electronic muffs were made. Properly adjusted you can hear just as well as without and you can tell where sounds are coming from and how far away they are. It's no longer an either/or proposition.

There is no longer any excuse.

 

[gspn]

It's tough..because...well at least while deer hunting...you need to listen.

You don't even need the electronic kind…just keep your muffs on your head right above your ears. When you need to shoot just ease them down. I do it every year…it's never caused a problem.

 

[Doc7]

I wear the howard leight sport impact muffs. Agree with all comments above, I love them. I have 2 pairs and it makes instruction at the range a breeze without worrying about hearing pro going on and off between strings of fire.




In fact, in some states they are illegal as enhanced hearing (i've read, anyway). I can definitely hear animals MUCH farther away than i can with my naked ears.

My first few times in the woods alone, small game hunting, I would take OFF the impact muffs, because I heard so many things out there that I was freaking myself out! One time I heard a coyote coming for over 20 seconds, sat very still, and he ended up sitting and scratching himself not 20 yards from me. 7 days before 'yote season opened!

That same day, they clued me in that a squirrel was eating nuts somewhere above me. 5 minutes of slowly scanning the treetops later, I pulled the trigger and I was eating my first non-fish game that I harvested myself ever a few hours later.

 

[JohnKSa]

Do you guys wear hearing protection when you hunt?

Yes, I have a set of Peltor electronic muffs which actually improve my hearing.

I also already have tinnitus, though I'm not sure if that's linked to actual hearing loss.

It is linked to hearing loss. Protect what you have left.