Hearing Protection for Hunting

[Forrest Halley]

I use impact sport by Howard Leight electronic muffs. They have auto shut off in case you leave them on. I have no idea the battery life on them. It is a long time. They are my daily shooters and I find they have great directional hearing. The one downside is that they get tight after a long while.

I also have and use the walker razor with the two way radio attachment. I like them as they are softer in the ear cups, but feel like I have less directional awareness using them. They are still in the new to me stage so we'll see how long it takes me to master them.

I always use plugs and muffs when practicing with larger rifles and anything compensated. Makes a difference in disorientation during and afterwards.

 

[Challer]

So I was about to start a thread on combined protection/amplification. I envision using these for both hunting/shooting, but also wanted a pair for riding on my Harley. Are these secure in the ear? I have a pair of Apple AirPods, they're great, but I wouldn't dare use them riding a motorcycle. They're not the most secure and occasionally fall out of my ear.

Air pods Pro with Comply foam tips never fall out. But the people using these for hearing protection are nuts.

 

[Challer]

I use 3M Peltor TEP 200 with comply tips for birds and hunting. Peltor 500 muffs with plugs for the range.

 

[shootist~]

I have profound hearing loss and wear hearing aids. I'm effectively deaf otherwise.

To be able to hear (and understand) my PH I needed something top of the line. Based on a recommendation from a professional shooting friend I went with the ESP product. They worked very well for me. I also wear them under my electronic muffs at the range.

They are custom molded, so a trip to your local audiologist for a standard set of ear molds is needed. Sending the results of a hearing test is recommended if going with the higher end models.

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[Rare Breed]

Electronic noise canceling custom made earplugs.
Buy once, cry once...because you will get what you pay for.
And no price is too high to save your hearing while hunting.

1+

 

[Vintageguy]

First of all I always go for some type of hearing protection but I just want to put this out there. Much of hearing loss I is genetic. I know and have known many people who weren't shooters and didn't work in noisy environments who lost their hearing early. While others like my father never wore any hearing protection but shot and hunted and could still hear great when he passed away. I've raised, trained and hunted gun dogs for 37 years and I've had some die at old age that still heard well while others were nearly deaf when they died. I know also that it can be a cumulative thing but I also know as in my case it can be one dose. For me it was 2 mags through a 45acp handgun and my hearing was never the same as before that and I was 18 at the time. However it hasn't degenerated much since either while some of those friends can't hear themselves fart.
But much of age related hearing loss is hereditary and there isn't anything that helps that. Just how it is, but we're smart to prevent further damage if we can.

 

[Newboomer]

I wear hearing aids after a lifetime of chainsaws, construction equipment and shooting and I take them out when I shoot on a range. I use electronic muffs for that. I used to not wear my aids when hunting and on my last hunt I forgot to take them out. Found out they act like protection by cancelling a lot of the noise from shooting. That way I don't have to think about putting something on before a shot.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I wear hearing aids after a lifetime of chainsaws, construction equipment and shooting and I take them out when I shoot on a range. I use electronic muffs for that. I used to not wear my aids when hunting and on my last hunt I forgot to take them out. Found out they act like protection by cancelling a lot of the noise from shooting. That way I don't have to think about putting something on before a shot.

Have you experimented with your earmuffs combined with your hearing aids? I ask because I have had various electronic muffs pick up interesting things like flashlights on high, cell phones, wireless cameras and power lines. This causes an interesting whir that is something of note when you're searching for other natural noises.

 

[Newboomer]

Have you experimented with your earmuffs combined with your hearing aids? I ask because I have had various electronic muffs pick up interesting things like flashlights on high, cell phones, wireless cameras and power lines. This causes an interesting whir that is something of note when you're searching for other natural noises.

Yes, I have had some interesting sound effects like a high pitched squeal if I have my aids turned up. They do seem to dampen the sound of gunshots if I turn the electronic muffs off. I take my aids out when on a range because they put pressure on my head between them and my glasses and it's a little uncomfortable. Sometimes between the muffs and aids I get strange sounding conversatiion with someone else. Words get sort of garbled. Too much amplification or something.

 

[Newboomer]

Yes, I have had some interesting sound effects like a high pitched squeal if I have my aids turned up. They do seem to dampen the sound of gunshots if I turn the electronic muffs off. I take my aids out when on a range because they put pressure on my head between them and my glasses and it's a little uncomfortable. Sometimes between the muffs and aids I get strange sounding conversatiion with someone else. Words get sort of garbled. Too much amplification or something.

 

[1dirthawker]

I carry a pair of Silencio gel ear plugs in my pocket. They form fit themselves when; inserted. It's just a matter of my quarry allowing me enough time to put them in ....

I'm with brent,

i know ear plugs are very effective, but i need to have them in to work. usually during the stress of the stalk i don't think about putting them in. also, that is a lot of attention drawing movement right before one is about to shoot.
i think that the noise cancelling hearing protection that also have some sound amplification is the right direction to go. when guiding bears, i need to be able to communicate with a client, ear plugs wont let that happen for him or i. i also want to be ready on the gun if things go bad and can't always plug my ears with my fingers.

if in a blind by yourself, ear plugs probably are a good choice but for an active stalk, i think they CAN (not necessarily WILL) create issues for the hunters.

 

[Woodcarver]

when guiding bears, i need to be able to communicate with a client, ear plugs wont let that happen for him or i. i also want to be ready on the gun if things go bad and can't always plug my ears with my fingers.

Where do you guide these bears? Are malls or supermarkets better? Do you wait to shoot if he seems to be managing the kill on his own? So, you wear earplugs to not hear the screaming? Do you use sign language to communicate? All these questions....

 

[VertigoBE]

While I always wore earmuffs, then electronic earmuffs at the range, I made the mistake to use nothing for years while hunting, in retrospect, I think, largely because I did not have many opportunities hunting in scenarios when more than a few shots per day where fired, if at all. I never realized that my hearing suffered, and in truth I am not sure how much it suffered, if at all...

My awakening moment came with my first African Safari when instead of firing one shot, or maybe two, per week, or per month, or per year, at big game, I fired close to 40 shots in 10 days in the course of a 16 species PG package, plus a few varmints, plus a few culls. Firing a .340 Wby did not help either. Sadly, I damaged my hearing for the rest of my life, and I can "hear" tinnitus as I type these lines...

Over the ear electronic earmuffs are great, but they are too hot in Africa.

Earplugs on a cord (I tried the Surefire EP7 Sonic Defender Ultra Ear Plugs), or banded earplugs (I tried the Elvex GelCaps), work great but the fundamental issue is that you cannot hunt with them, listen to your PH, etc. This means that you need to have the time, and the presence of mind, to put them on before the shot. On my two following Safaris, I put them on ... most of the time, and lost a bit more hearing...

As BeeMaa said:


Whether $700 or $1,300 or $3,500 or even $5,500 (Axil top of the line Extreme Blue) must be spent to get a quality set of electronic noise cancelling earplugs was the next question in my mind? Before taking the jump, I decided to try the $150 Walker's Silencer.

They are so effective that I shoot anything from .22 to .470 NE with them, and so comfortable that I have realized a few times back at home that I was still wearing them and had completely forgotten about them...

View attachment 372090

Yes, batteries only last ~80 hours, but I do not care; I carry in the Walker convenient little box a few blister packs of quality German batteries (Amazon).

View attachment 372092

Also, I replaced the Walker foam tips with longer, denser and more comfortable Comply professional foam tips that I can discard and replace when they get too oily - my ears produce a fair amount of wax (Amazon).

View attachment 372093

I highly recommend them.

Whether custom made $700, $1,000 or $3,500 sets are better, I do not know, but what I know is that on my last Safari I put the Walker on in the morning getting in the truck, and took them off, back at camp at night, and never thought about them anymore, except to notice that I can actually use them to hear game better than anyone else around because I can crank up the volume when something tiptoes in the bush...

I proactively change the batteries every 4 days (about 48 hours of use) so as to not run the risk of them weakening during the hunt. I guess I could try to run the batteries to 80 hours, but why run the risk, 2 batteries cost $0.50...

One note: I deliberately chose a set that has changeable batteries over rechargeable batteries, because tiny rechargeable batteries have a limited life...

And no, wearing electronic ear plugs is not frown upon by the PH

Hello @One Day...

you recommended this set of Walker's electronic earplugs in 2020, would you still recommend these, or have you found a better option in the mean time?

Thank you for your advice!

V.

 

[One Day...]

Hello. I have not tried anything else in the mean time. My experience is still good with them

 

[VertigoBE]

Hello. I have not tried anything else in the mean time. My experience is still good with them

Thank you, I’ll be trying them out then

 

[Woodcarver]

I fell off the fence and bought a set of Walker's based on @One Day... 's recommendation. I bought the rechargeable version, rather than the replaceable battery type, thinking my primary use will be in the US rather than traveling abroad, so recharging would be more convenient than swapping out batteries.
That being said, this fall they were tested extensively. The case recharges the earpieces, capable of multiple recharges before the case ran out of juice. I found the case easily went 5-6 days of daily use before I needed to recharge it. If I go really remote, I'll pick up one of the flexible solar panel systems on the market to keep these and the cell phone charged. Been looking at getting one of them anyway.
I too replaced the stock tips with the same ones One Day suggested, although I had to get the small version. With the replacement tips, these are quite comfortable to wear for extended periods. Worn while pheasant hunting, they effectively reduced the gunfire while only impacting conversations minimally.
The only thing that took getting used to was the sound of a text coming in or my phone ringing, lol. These bluetooth to your phone and function just like any other earbud. The app allows some minimal adjusting. The lady that suddenly announces the impending shut down can startle you too! Adjustable for 2, 4 or 6 hour auto shut-off through the app.
They are not as effective as the custom molded plugs I have, but those must be removed to carry on a conversation. With tips that fit, a 12ga popped less than a 22. Shooting a 375 is just a bit more sound, but I wouldn't call it loud. Nor does it result in any ringing. I'll buy them again if these get lost or quit working.

 

[Woodcarver]

@VertigoBE Good timing, Midway has the non-rechargeables on sale for $80, basically half price. Just saw the email...

 

[VertigoBE]

@VertigoBE Good timing, Midway has the non-rechargeables on sale for $80, basically half price. Just saw the email...

Thanks @Woodcarver ! Unfortunately for us European folk, it was a rather stout 165€ or 185$ for the replaceable battery one.

I will need to give a look at the replacement tips too, but first will try them out.

 

[Woodcarver]

Thanks @Woodcarver ! Unfortunately for us European folk, it was a rather stout 165€ or 185$ for the replaceable battery one.

I will need to give a look at the replacement tips too, but first will try them out.

Sorry, forgot you were on the other side of the pond when I posted that. Normal price here is $150, so not too much difference.
The original tips work, they're just not as soft as the replacements. I did not find them comfortable to wear for very long as a result.

 

[Surgeon1]

Over 50 yrs of operating tractors and other farm equipment, 45 yrs of flying high performance airplanes, 35+yrs of IPSC & 3gun,20yrs of trapshooting (incl 4 on college team), 12yrs of racing in SCCA, 40+yrs in a noisy operating room and a mother who wore hearing aids for 61 of her 99 yrs
has left me with a significant hearing loss and tinnitus from hell despite always making every effort with good equipment to protect my hearing! The last 20+yrs I've had both a great ENT and audiologist. The technology continues to make dramatic improvements.
Now I'm using the top end plugs from Tactical Hearing a good passive muffs over the top for any sustained fire! Amplifying/suppressing plugs for stalking and hunting and they may have saved my life
in Africa this last summer when of all things a really nice Onyx charged out of thick brush at point blank range and those with me didn't hear him coming in that split second but I did!
Lesson learned find and use good hearing specialist (not a bankrupt farmer selling BelTone garbage) and spend what ever you have to spend to save as much hearing as you can, because once its gone its gone forever!