Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Electronic muffs for hunting?

Anyone use them for hunting? Its getting colder here now and I find my ears getting cold but I hate having a hat covering my ears, just can't hear well enough. Thought maybe the electronic muffs,either on their own or over a toque would be an option. Anyone tried it?

I have , but only out of necessity. I had to put a muzzle break on my .06 two years ago .

The muffs are darn uncomfortable when walking, but work quite well when on a stand. Turned on while walking they sure let you know how much noise you are making.

If I had the money, I'd look at a set of those in your ear molded ones. They should be more comfortable. But then again, my hearing aids feel like I have my elbow in my ear.

This probably doesn't help much, but you got to do what is needed.

Do they pick up wind noise bad?

I've worn them. Sometimes they pick up too much wind noise and you have to turn them way down.

The problem I have with them is they seem tuned to the wrong frequencies. I can hear a car drive by a half mile off, but can't hear a squirrel in the leaves 20 yards away. A different model may behave differently.

They pick up about everything

I have two Encore rifles that are my "go to" guns here in GA. One is an 18 in ported 444 Marlin for heavy cover and the other is a 270 with a break for a stand I have that is clear to 300 + yards, so hearing protection is a must.
I wear Walker Game Ears on every hunt and found with a little practice the vol can be adjusted to minimize wind noise while still allowing enhanced hearing and protection when shooting.
The last 3 deer I shot I heard them before I saw them. I try hard to remember to take them on every hunt.

I use the Pro Ear Gold for handgun hunting.They have separate volume adjustments for each ear.They are also great for the duck blind.
Joe

For keeping your ears warm and cutting muzzle blast they work. Pretty worthless for hearing game and woods noise. I'll take the cap every time for hunting, but the electronics for range work if others are around. Don't even think of low-balling on price!

xxclaro,

In the hunting circle I there is only one guy who does not use electronic hearing muff while hunting. They are like binoculars for your ears.



Not my experience at all!

I'd be willing to bet he eschews the cough silencer and butt-out tool as well.

I always carry a set of ear plugs connected by a cord draped around my neck. Usually I have plenty of time to put them in my ears. When I don't have the time, like most shots at game, I don't notice it. However, if I can, I put them in prior to the shot. I've taught my kids to do the same.

That's how my Pro Ears Predator Golds are

Males, especialy seniors lose higher frequeny hearing first.Once the hearing of higher freqency is gone,no hearing aid or muff will bring it back.

The car far way is at low freqency. More than likley the squirrel noise is a higher frquency

Even the cheapest ones will keep your ears warm. What ever you get, use them all the time. May take a while for some to get used to them. If wind noise bothers you, turn down the volume.

I've been hearing impaired since childhood. With the electronic muffs I still can't hear as well as others but with them on, for the first time, I heard a deer BEFORE I saw him. I hear birds sing that I never knew made any sound.

Don't wear them over a toque. That won't protect your ears. Protect your hearing no matter what.

I have used a set of MSA Sordin Supreme PRO-X electronic muffs for still, blind, driven and stand hunts. The are of little use to me if stalk hunting. They are rather controllable to minimize wind noise. I found with E-muffs as with most things; you get what you pay for.

European hunters use them a lot on driven hunts with a radio and boom mic to communicate. But that usually involves short barreled rifles and high volume shooting.

I would pick up a set for range use and take them out hunting a time or two to see if they work for your hunting style. If they don't then just keep them in your range bag.

You would probably laugh if you saw his muzzle brake. Behind it he installed a washer about 2 1/4" diameter to deflect the sound. When he saw my Nightforce 12-42X56 he said, "I can't see any reason that rifle should not be used on an elk rifle."

Would that be what they call a double rifle?

I don't use them big game hunting, but won't be without them in a duck blind...the trick was learning to adjust my call volume because birds sounded so much louder and closer than they really were

About 10 years back I bought a set of Walkers dual mic headsets, used them while sitting in my tree stand while hunting on the PA/NY border. Kept my ears warm in freezing weather and could hear great.

Thank you for this slice of good stuff! Kawi.