I've never worn hearing protection while big game hunting. I don't think most people do. And truthfully, I don't know that I ever remember a high powered rifle being noisy afield in a big game situation. Anyhow, who here wears ear protection afield for big game? Especially you guy who shoot the bigger stuff or things with muzzle breaks, or do you just ignore it? Lately I've been trying those earplugs with baffles. They seem to work, kinda. At least they take the edge off.

What do you do?

I wear ear muffs at all times at the range but not while hunting.For this reason I will not have a rifle with a muzzlebrake.

Waldog,

I use a Marlin 1895M with porting and I wear a Sonic 2 plug in my left ear, other ear doesnt ring for some reason, something to do with the muzzle line, works well, but still a pain in the arse, especially in the thick stuff that I hunt in, need all the hearing you can get.

At the range I wear plastic, baffled plugs AND ear muffs! While hunting I wear the plastic plugs on a cord around my neck. With the plugs loosely inserted in my ears I can hear normally. When I see a potential shooting situation unfold, I push them in snuggly before taking the shot. If there is no time to push them in (it hasn't happened yet), I won't shoot.

This proceedure has worked well for me in all my North American hunting and two plains game safaris in Africa. I haven't hunted dangerous game yet, but when I do I'll still wear the plugs loosely inserted. If there's no time to push them in before taking a shot, so be it. Better deaf than dead!

I take the subject of hearing protection very seriously because a tendency to premature deafness runs in my family. I have watched over the years as first my grandfather, then my father and now my aunt withdrew from society and avoided contact with their friends and family because they could not understand or participate in normal conversation. It's a very lonely existence.

I'm in no hurry to follow in their footsteps and will do everything possible to protect my hearing.

Keep in mind that the ringing in your ears after shooting without hearing protection is a symtom of permanent auditory nerve damage. Even though you may only fire a few shots per year without hearing protection, over the years it adds up.

The bad news is that nerve damage is cumulative and irreversible.

The good news is that it's preventable!

For the last 5 years I've worn earplugs while hunting deer or elk. Often I will only plug my left (ringing)ear.

For pig hunting, however I'll walk around without plugs as I need to be able to hear the porkers in the brush. Then, if time permits, I'll insert at least one plug.

I hope to try "Walkers Game Ear" soon as that appears to be the ideal solution.

Loud noises hurt my ears, makes me flinch and give me tinnitus. I spent the price of a new Tikka on electronic ear plugs and have just been given a clean hearing test 200 shots on game later.

I bought a pair of ESP brand fitted analog electronic ear plugs recently. They are great on the range, as they don't turn off but only limit the decibel level.

I think they would be terrific in warmer weather hunting where your ears don't have to be covered, e.g., in Africa. Under ear flaps, balaclava, or other ear covering, however, the fabric rubbing up against the plugs is just too noisy. I ended up not wearing them after a couple of days.

Checkout Ear Inc. http://www.earinc.com/ and Walker's Game Ear. Both devices block noises above a certain decibel level...I think anything above 85-90db and allow you to hear everything else normally. The Walker also intensifies distance smaller noises such as game walking through leaves and the like.

A lot of trap and skeet shooters use the Ear Inc. type of devices. Keep in mind that both of these are active type devices as opposed to passive such as normal muffs or ear plugs. They work much better, but cost MUCH more. How much is your hearing worth? To me...quite a lot.

Any type of protection is better than nothing at all!

Here's the products for hunters and shooters at Ear Inc. http://www.earinc.com/p1-electronic-hunting.php

[ 11-25-2002, 19:14: Message edited by: jcsabolt-2 ]

I wear all I can at the range and in the field it depends on how I'm hunting. In a blind or on a stand I wear electronic muffs.....if I'm walking I wear Lee Sonics or at the very least some small rubber inserts in both ears.

I only wear hearing protection at the range. Yes, I have damaged my hearing and yes so will all of you who shoot..I cannot imagine wearing hearing protection while seriously hunting, especially dangerous game. Still, it boils down to choices.

I always wear ear plugs or muffs at the range, and just before I fire my rifle while hunting. While hunting I wear a set of electronic Stereo ear muffs, and keep some ear plugs in my pocket for backup when raining.

[ 11-26-2002, 06:56: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

You know, it's funny. If I take a shot at the range with...say my .30-06 (or anything else for that matter) it rings my ears something awful....and IT HURTS! I'm a retired airline pilot, and for many years flew crop dusters and was also a flight instructor in light aircraft which really takes a toll on your hearing. Like most high time pilots, my hearing loss is significant. However, like you say, I don't wear hearing protectors in the field because I have enough trouble hearing a deer coming the way it is... and have NEVER noticed my ears being hurt by a field shot while hunting... Interesting!

Never wear anything in the field, but always at the range, shooting skeet, etc. To me the sound of gunfire is like recoil: it NEVER hurts when the shot is important. I don't think Ive ever notice either when there was a game animal involved.

My hearing is borderline (could justify hearing aids) from age and years of shooting. We did not wear any protection long ago. A friend has the fancy ESP's that seem to be large, fitted hearing aids that also protect. He wears them pheasant hunting and wore them once deer hunting.

To me they seem like a bother and something to loose. If you drop something in the snow it's very hard to find it.

When I go chuck hunting I might carry some ear plugs but being hard of hearing is not all bad.

Do you know why old married men go deaf? It's because they want to!

I also have now a good case of tinnitus . I use the "Sound Scopes" in the ear molded electronic plugs . I get a 20db boost with volume up and it clamps for the blast.If you shoot a pistol or if you're in a duck blind with another shooter you can't afford not to have some kind of protection. If you feel pain in your ear you just forever lost some of your hearing.

Oh, the best part is if you're walking on dry leaves you just turn down the volume and the deer can't hear you coming.

I have a Browning A-Bolt with a BOSS in 280 Remington. One shot at game with the BOSS and I purchased the BOSS CR which is the conventional recoil version of the BOSS. Much less painful, but certainly not quiet. If I'm sitting in a stand I'll put plugs in, but when still hunting or rattling I don't bother.

Huh!??! Whaddjaa sayyy? Yes I have significant hearing loss and am in my 40's. I hope to hunt for a bunch more decades. My ears ring all the time. I have used the tac 6 and the pro ears. They help lots but are hot in warm weather. In cold they help with the muzzle blast and cold ears and additionally enhance the sound of deer walking in the woods. This has helped some and hurt me some. I once heard some deer comming behind my stand. It was so loud that I thought he US army was marching in. I though the deer was on top of me it was so loud. I was scared to turn around lest I spook the deer it sounded so close. Finally after several minutes of them coming ever closer I just eased around and it was a big doe and two yearlings. They had really been much further away than I thought. How much is your hearing worth? How much are hearing aids? You can pay me now or you can pay me later. Or both. Good hunting. "D"