How many wear hearing protection while hunting?

View · by **EAJuggalo** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:32 pm

It's been discussed here before but I'd like to get some numbers on each side. Who wears hearing protection and who does not? Also, why or why not? My wife thinks I'm crazy that I'm planning on deer hunting this fall with my electronic muffs.

View · by **Heffay** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:17 pm

EAJuggalo wrote: Also, why or why not? My wife thinks I'm crazy that I'm planning on deer hunting this fall with my electronic muffs.

If you hunt without hearing protection, you don't need to listen to her anymore. It's a loophole. I'm surprised she doesn't know about it.

Besides, your ears are almost as valuable as your eyes when hunting. Sound frequently alerts you to game before sight.

View · by **12smile** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:26 pm

I thought I saw a brand that emphasized it's AMPLIFICATION ability to spot game as well as it's speed in damping sound during the shot.....the brand name indicated that ability as well...

View · by **farmerj** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:27 pm

Part of the reason I chose to go with the Walker Game ear. Can wear them on the range or out hunting.

View · by **EJSG19** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:33 pm

I know I should, never have.

I only seem to wear ears when its a longer torture test like mowing the lawn or shooting trap or steel or bowling pins.

Not the brightest, but thats my history.

But, don't worry, you'll be so excited when you take a shot, your brain will tell you that the gun wasn't loud at all.

Its sort of like tuning the wife out when she's had a bad day and you did/said something you shouldn't have when she gets home. Only replace excitement for the pure misery you brought on yourself.

View · by **rtk** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:45 pm

EJSG19 wrote:I know I should, never have.

I only seem to wear ears when its a longer torture test like mowing the lawn or shooting trap or steel or bowling pins.

Not the brightest, but thats my history.

But, don't worry, you'll be so excited when you take a shot, your brain will tell you that the gun wasn't loud at all.

Its sort of like tuning the wife out when she's had a bad day and you did/said something you shouldn't have when she gets home. Only replace excitement for the pure misery you brought on yourself.

And that my friends is why I refer to him as the Voice Of Reason!

View · by **JoeH** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:58 pm

I started wearing my Pro Ears two years ago because I was shooting a 454 Casull revolver. Now I won't go back regardless of what firearm I'm shooting. No hearing damage and I can hear the critters.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

View · by **mnmike59** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:02 pm

What?

View · by **1911fan** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:27 pm

I have not, but I am thinking I might, I have some electronic ears that work ok, and have shown me how much I have lost in hearing, so I have an appointment with an audiologist next month to get tested and see what they have available. surprisingly so, my lovely wife's health insurance will pay for them. or at least a large portion of the costs.

View · by **Thunder71** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:44 pm

What?

View · by **EJSG19** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:14 pm

Thunder71 wrote:What?

never quite as funny the second time...

View · by **westberg** on Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:35 pm

I started last season.

View · by **goalie** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:37 pm

Always have. TOW missiles and tanks are loud. I have lost enough hearing already that no game animal on the planet is worth losing more for. The electronic muffs I bought from a board member were much nicer than putting in regular plugs before shooting though.

I would guess that putting them in before shooting has cost me 2 deer max. Neither was during a season I was skunked, so it has never bothered me.

View · by **Ramoel** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:50 pm

I started wearing amplified Pro-Ears about 11 years ago. It almost seems unfair because I can hear the deer coming long before I can see them. Without the "ears" all I hear is the ringing I have from years of unprotected shooting noise. Standing on the deck of a ship while they fired the big guns with no hearing protection didn't help either.

Back when I started shooting, hearing protection was putting your fingers in your ears. Real men got used to the noise and after awhile it wasn't as bad.

I never realized how much damage I did to myself until I had my first hearing test in the 1960's and the person doing the test said "I see you are a shooter". These days I do whatever I can to save what hearing I have left.

View · by **R.E.T.** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:00 pm

Hearing loss is permanent.