Hearing protection for hunting

Yoteless in Ohio

Yoteless in Ohio

New member
Does anyone have experience with a in the ear hearing protector that can block out shots but does not block out normal sounds?

I expect that short of spending hundreds of dollars I will not be able to hear sonds at normal levels AND protect myself from the sound of the shot. I am not wanting earmuff styles, but hearing aid style or better yet an earplug that is mechanical, not digital.

I am developing tinnitus in my ears and have to do something.
 
Personally I really like Surefire's Sonic Defenders, specifically the EP5.
They are "full block" but not like you would think.
When I wear a foam-type plugs they seem MUCH quieter for ambient sounds, and conversation. Once the lead flies however, I think the EP5's are easily as good. The sound is different, but quiet. Almost like the bang is all you notice, instead of resonance from the gun/stock, etc.

I like that they fit IN your ear, and don't stick out to rub on coat cuffs and such.
 
I've got a pair of sonic defenders, wear them from time to time. When open they muffle conversation more than I like, and while providing some protection while open they don't dampen as much as I would like so I don't wear them that often. They are pretty comfy though, can leave them in for quite a while if you're at the range or pdogging.


I have a pair of electronic muffs I give to new shooters so I know they can hear me talking. And its nice knowing I can whisper about staying calm and shot placement when someone is staring at their first buck. About $30 from midway. I hate wearing muffs, so besides making sure they work I rarely wear them myself.

What I end up with is a pair on a string, about $2 at walmart. I tie the string over the adjuster on my hat and leave the left plug in and right side out. I can hear just like normal and takes about 1/10th a second to slip in the second plug before I shoot. In an absolute pinch, like I'm behind my buddy at the range and see too late he's about to shoot, I just lean my ear against my shoulder
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Tinitus sucks, and unfortunately it's a 1 way street.
 
Originally Posted By: tnshootistWhat?What did you say?What is that ringing noise,you hear it?
You only have two choices:
Keep you hearing,
or gredually loose it.

Jack
 
Yes Jack I am doing both.I always try to warn young people about the things I have learned the stupid way.Most think I am just a fogy old man I guess but I tell them don't make the same mistakes,at least make some new ones.I have lost 60% of one ear and 40% of the other.It is not all shooting.I was around a lot of loud equipment before there were any hearing protection requirements.You take hearing for granted till you lose enough of it to start to isolate you in conversations and you can't hear your grandchildren.
 
I always wear protection when at the range, but nothing when I am hunting. I a definitely going to start wearing something when I am dove and duck hunting. Hearing isn't as important then.

I will have to decide about coyote and deer hunting. Those are when I want my hearing unobtruded. But the ringing I have now is about as much as I can stand so I might have to take the handicap.

I guess one good thing about coyote hunting for me is that it is pretty rare that I have to shoot the gun! Lol...

It is certainly not 100percent from shooting for me either. But I will definitely do what I can. I love turkey hunting more than anything and rely heavily on my hearing for success.

I will look into some of these.
 
Originally Posted By: Jack RobertsOriginally Posted By: tnshootistWhat?What did you say?What is that ringing noise,you hear it?
You only have two choices:
Keep you hearing,
or gredually loose it.

Jack

This.^^^

I'm 21 and am already practically deaf in my left ear..don't be stupid.
 
I've said it before, I'll say it again. Why do people look at hearing protection like an all or nothing deal? They think they either have to spend their entire lives asking people to scream at them so they can be heard, for the sake of shooting yet another deer, or they think they have to sit in a stand with so much hearing protection on the cant hear an atom bomb.

There is no deer soooooo awesome that you have to deafen your entire life just to kill it, and there are no ears sooooo cumbersome they take more than a split second to use.

This is one of the few times in life you can truly have it both ways.
 
Something else I will say again. TINITUS SUCKS. Thanks to a screwy thyroid I would have it if I spent my entire iLife in an isolation booth. I'm working to keep it at no worse than it is.

You can have 100% hearing up until the moment you pull the trigger. Or pull the trigger without and next season start out at 80%. Season after that 75% etc.
 
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Yeppers, one of the many benefits of being hypo. The ringing will sometimes stop once the thyroid is treated, but not often. My thyroid went really slow for a while and I had trouble sleeping for a while. After getting the gland back in check the ringing went back to where it normally was. My meds pushed me hyper for quite a while, even crossing over didn't improve the ears a bit so I figure the ringing is here to stay.
 
I am taking two different pills and they have helped some they say my blood test shows and I feel some better but they say the pills should be working better than they are.I had never heard that about the ringing before.Is there anything the Thyroid does not mess up?
 
Yotless In Ohio,,,You might want to check around at any competitions held in your general area..Usually the bigger, the better, and see if there isn't some one that makes/sells the injectable molded ear plugs...

We have a gal that has outfitted many shooters/competitors around the State of MO and several LEOs and FBI offices for them... I have two pair that she has made me and they are great...For quite a few bucks more, she can install the electronic pick up amplifiers, very similar to the Walker Game Ears, but custom fit to you...She usually attends most competitions and gun shows on weekends and works as a Radiology Tech during the week...

Having spent numberless hours on a Firing Range as a Police Firearms Instructor and a Competition Shooter for the last 45 years, I use the injected ear plugs with electronic muffs over them when at a competition where shooting is almost continuous...For normal shooting or hunting, I just use the electronic muffs that let me hear almost everything that is low level, but still protects what little hearing I have left...
 
I just got a set of hyscore electronic muffs to replace my older ones.They are ok but not great.If I was getting another set I would not get those again,but,they were cheaper.I think you get what you pay for in electronic muffs so if you have several years ahead I would spend the money and get the best you can get.
 
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