24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,364
P
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
P
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,364
Anyone use any type of hearing protection? I never have while hunting quail but I'm starting to rethink it. Need something so that you can still hear flushing birds, but after 3 days of shotgun blasts and whistles I think I have auditory fatigue! Lol. Caught a couple of muzzle blasts from my buddies standing slightly behind me that left a lasting impression. You guys that have been at it for a long time suffering any hearing loss from the shotgun?

Last edited by pharmvet; 01/11/17.
BP-B2

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524
RWE Offline
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524
Yes.

I found that light duty ear plugs and some "keep your ears warm" ear muffs take the edge off the crack yet still let me hear the birds flush.

I don't let anyone stand near me and shoot.

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,719
W
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
W
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,719
I do almost 100 percent of the time.. Can't afford to loose any more of what I have left!!!!!


Molon Labe
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 8,573
W
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
W
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 8,573
Always wear hearing protection. Even the cheaper electronic muffs will keep your ears warm and let you hear the flush while helping protect your hearing.

Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 10,124
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 10,124
always no matter what kind of hunting.

P.

IC B2

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 709
R
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 709
I'm 82 years old and my hearing is still fairly good after 4 years in the Marine Corps and untold shotgun and rifle shots without any protection at all. I have a high frequency loss, which is the result of the shots, but it's not disasterous. I worked for Beltone the hearing Aid company for many years and the Audiologist there told me that close up rounds can damage your hearing. If I had to do it over, even though I'm not too bad off, I would wear ear plugs as much as possible. Especially in a Waterfowl Blind, where your partner is right next to you.


Better to be over the hill than under it.
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,323
C
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
C
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,323
Yes, always. I won't shoot one shot without hearing protection any more. People who shoot without hearing protection are permanently damaging their hearing with every shot. It is cumulative, irreversible, and you won't know until it is too late.

My hearing has been severely damaged by doing too much shooting without protection and other dumb stuff. I have constant tinnitus and frequency loss and bad balance.

I use Etymotic hearing protectors lately while hunting, they are built something regular like hearing aids but are meant for shooters. Work OK and cost much less than prescription hearing aids.

I otherwise use electronic muffs, and somethimes the valve type ear plugs that still allow some sound in while giving some blast protection.

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 84
M
Campfire Greenhorn
Offline
Campfire Greenhorn
M
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 84
Like the others, I always do, for maybe the last 15-20 years after doing the first 15-20 years without, and having some tinnitus and hearing loss as a result. My brother has the expensive electronic devices, but what I found and like to use are what used to be called the Sonic Ear Valves, and are now a different name (link below.) THey are cheap so I have a pair in my upland vest, in my waterfowl gear. I can still hear birds flush, and wings of birds overhead when duck hunting. I believe they work as I don't experience the after effects of gun blasts, even in duck blinds with other guys barrels near my head, and I think I my hearing issues have not become worse. I think there are other brands similar on the market. Mine are fairly comfortable for me.
http://www.earplugstore.com/health-enterprises-acu-life-shooters-impact-ear-plugs.html

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 84
M
Campfire Greenhorn
Offline
Campfire Greenhorn
M
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 84
Hear is an article by a well-known gun writer about his experience with "Sonic Ear Valves" and his experience and feeling about them is exactly the same as mine (for once someone agrees with me!)
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-gun-nuts/ear-valves-hearing-protection-for-hunters

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,087
M
Campfire Tracker
Online Content
Campfire Tracker
M
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,087
Originally Posted by munsterlander
Like the others, I always do, for maybe the last 15-20 years after doing the first 15-20 years without, and having some tinnitus and hearing loss as a result. My brother has the expensive electronic devices, but what I found and like to use are what used to be called the Sonic Ear Valves, and are now a different name (link below.) THey are cheap so I have a pair in my upland vest, in my waterfowl gear. I can still hear birds flush, and wings of birds overhead when duck hunting. I believe they work as I don't experience the after effects of gun blasts, even in duck blinds with other guys barrels near my head, and I think I my hearing issues have not become worse. I think there are other brands similar on the market. Mine are fairly comfortable for me.
http://www.earplugstore.com/health-enterprises-acu-life-shooters-impact-ear-plugs.html


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have been using similar ear plugs for most of my bird hunting for the last couple years and they work great..

IC B3

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,350
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,350
As a musician I have been using Etymotic High Fidelity ear plugs for years. They work great for shooting too. I use them for sporting clays and hunting.
Sounds are clear, you don't think they work until the volume goes up or the gun goes off.

Etymotic


Music washes away the dust of everyday life
Some people wait a lifetime to meet their favorite hunting and shooting buddy. Mine calls me dad
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884
D
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
D
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884
Earlier season, especially when waterfowl hunting, use foam earplugs at the very least in the left ear. Calling often will hurt my ears as well as shooting.

If anyone is shooting near me, for sure I will have protection on both ears.

Late season pheasant hunting, I'm usually wearing a heavy hat with ear muffs and maybe a head band also. That seems to dull the shotgun blasts enough.

I have also found there is a distinct difference to me between ammo that produces 1400fps and higher velocities (say high-speed steel) versus 1250fps pheasant loads. The first really "cracks" my ears and feels damaging. The latter doesn't feel nearly as bad.

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,041
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,041
I'm trying really hard to convince myself to spend this much money: https://earinc.com/shothunt-series/

Until then, I have two sets of moulded silicone plugs, one set with Hocks Noise Brakers.

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 709
R
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 709
whttail, At least you are using something. There are less expensive earplugs around. I don't get the electronic ones. The ones I have seen only amplify sounds, not deaden them. I could be wrong on this, because I'm not looking any further. When I shoot, I just use a pair of foam plugs. They do it for me and they are peanuts.


Better to be over the hill than under it.
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,323
C
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
C
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,323
rondrews, the Etymotic electronic plugs that I use do cut out blasts, not just amplify sounds. Of course, foam plugs do the job too!

Last edited by castnblast; 01/15/17. Reason: fixed spelling
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,923
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,923
I guess I figure I'm not really shooting that many shots when I go out for pheasants or grouse so I never bothered with it. Guess I should though. I lost some high pitch hearing from my time in the military but can hear just about everything else.

Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284
I've been wearing the basic foam plugs for many years - much more consistently now than in earlier years. I do have tinnitus (it's at a tolerable level) but I don't want it to get any worse.


One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.
Archibald Rutledge

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,493
T
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
T
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,493
I started to wear them this past season. My daughter in law works for a hearing aid company. She had me and my son come in and get custom molded silicon plugs with valves made. Work pretty good, hardly notice them they well made.

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,582
U
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
U
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,582
One guy in camp showed up this year with Howard Leights (sp?) Not that his 20 ga quail gun was loud, he just sort of wore them all day. (Maybe all night some guys have raised snoring to high entertainment levels.) Our deer season overlaps bird hunting in Kansas so we change things up depending on weather, the dog, the old man who owns the dog...stuff like that. I shoot a BOSS equipped rifle so naturally I am wearing some protection while deer hunting. Tried the muffs...Ed brought along three pairs. What I noticed is when walking, the amplification made you very aware of how noisy your footsteps are. Annoying at first but anything that slows you down and makes foot noise minimal is not hurting a thing. We all have a few pairs of muffs for range time but unless they are flatter NC muffs they seem to interfere with cheek weld or whatever shotgun shooter call it. The new thin designs deserve a place in the game fields.


Watch 'Yer Topknot!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 986
N
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
N
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 986
Just started wearing hearing protection while bird hunting last fall. I grouse hunt a lot, as well as all other bird hunting. Was having increasing issues with hearing grouse flush in heavy early season covers, as well as the dogs bells when they got out abit. Muffs are too damn hot and interfere w/ gun mount. mad

Did a whole lot of research, and ended up with the Sound Gear customs by Starkey. They made a world of difference for me, like night and day. Fitted by an audiologist, work just wonderful. Use them on the skeet/5 stand range, bird hunting, turkey hunting and deer hunting. Wish I had done this years ago!!.

Duck hunters need hearing protection more than anybody.

NB


NRA Life Member
"Use Enough Gun"- Robert Ruark
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
639 members (06hunter59, 007FJ, 01Foreman400, 222ND, 160user, 1234, 69 invisible), 2,843 guests, and 1,423 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,655
Posts18,399,259
Members73,817
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.099s Queries: 15 (0.003s) Memory: 0.8995 MB (Peak: 1.0518 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 19:11:43 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS