• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Preferred Ear Protection?

MidMichBow

MidMichBow

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2024
Messages
69
Location
Michigan
Hi everyone,
I'm wondering what's your go-to ear protection when out in the field. I primarily hunt turkeys and deer and really feel it's important to be in tune with any noises nearby so wearing muffs the whole time is not a good option. Rarely am I in a blind so moving to put on muffs before a shot is also not ideal. I've done the earplug in the ear closest to the gun and that helps. I know the military has devices they use that immediately block loud noises while maintaining the same level for ordinary noise but I'm pretty sure they're illegal to use for hunting because they include amplification options. I know using a bow eliminates thus problem but sometimes you need the ol' firestick (or at least want it). Thanks in advance!
 
This is the first I've heard that active ear protection could be illegal. I wear 3M Pelotor ear bud style protection while rifle hunting. I did a deep dive when I first bought them, and the 3M brand was the most durable according to reports. There is a black model that tactical and made for gun ranges where the cut in and out is frequent. The green ones that I have are for industrial settings. But for hunting and one shot all day, they work fine. I purposefully didn't want ones that have bluetooth and phone synch because it's more stuff to break. They are not cheap. I didn't want muffs because the way I shoulder a rifle, the stock hits any muff. Also, I hoped that the ear bud style would preserve directional hearing more so.
 
I have Walker’s Silencer 2.0s and they are great. Silenced the report of a gun and directional hearing is excellent.

I also have some cheaper Axil’s I bout that pretty good as well, and great for the money.

I’m with Raisins, I can’t imagine any state having an issue with amplification and even if they did I would still use them and tell them to pack sand.
 
dalton916 said:
I have Walker’s Silencer 2.0s and they are great. Silenced the report of a gun and directional hearing is excellent.

I also have some cheaper Axil’s I bout that pretty good as well, and great for the money.

I’m with Raisins, I can’t imagine any state having an issue with amplification and even if they did I would still use them and tell them to pack sand.
Click to expand...

It would render hearing aids illegal. I can see how the little dishes people use to spy would be illegal. But the ear buds I use provide little to no amplification. I don't consider them an advantage in the field at all. They change natural hearing to the point where it is a slight hinderance. I'm sure I can't pick up subtle sounds and subtle direction as well with them on. But I have tinnitus already and I'm not shooting a high powered rifle with unprotected ears again. If it came down to it, I'd buy a silencer and stamp or just stop hunting with a firearm and just bow hunt.
 
I wear muffs at the range but for one or two shots a year, I hate to say it but I just let her rip. I shot a lot as a kid without them and I have a constant background ringing (that is the norm and I only notice at night when things get quiet.). That said, my turkey gun has not barked at a bird in three seasons and I carried a rifle a little last season but it remained silent as well. So, in reality I might get 1 unfiltered shot per three or four years on average.

I will say this too. If I am at the range and were to shoot at a target my ears would ring. I have never had that happen in the field shooting an animal. I hear the boom, but no instant ringing.
 
You can pick up those walker razor electronic muffs for a pretty good deal here and there when on sale. I got a pair few years back and have been happy with them. I will pick up some more for the kids and spares if I see them on sale again. I doubt any CO would consider that hearing enhancement. It clarifies some things in the woods imo, but nothing that you couldn't hear with out them. I bet a quick email to your AHJ for a clarification on your phone would be a good back up if you were worried about it.
 
raisins said:
I'm already mostly there....last year I rifle hunted for like 2 hours. No other firearms hunting.
Click to expand...
I'm going the opposite direction as I get older.
Still going to bow hunt but, in comparison, I'm liking how easy it is to put meat in the freezer with a gun on public land.

Edit: I forgot what the topic is about! I use a few of the Walker's electronic buffs w/ bluetooth. One is hanging on the lawn mower and there's one in each of my hunting vests. I don't use them hardly at all really, but I like the idea of having whatever noise my phone makes going into my ears vs. out in the 'wild'.
I do not like the fact that phone conversations aren't possible even though they're advertised as such.
 
Last edited:
NMSbowhunter said:
Sound suppressor/silencer...
Click to expand...
Wish these were legal where I lived.

I use the Howard Leight by Honewell hearing enhancement and protection muffs. The fold up pretty compactly and do a great job in the turkey woods. I just like them to help me hear distant gobbles but they do get tedious wearing after awhile. They're nice at the gun range too when everybody is shooting.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Wish these were legal where I lived.

I use the Howard Leight by Honewell hearing enhancement and protection muffs. The fold up pretty compactly and do a great job in the turkey woods. I just like them to help me hear distant gobbles but they do get tedious wearing after awhile. They're nice at the gun range too when everybody is shooting.
Click to expand...
They really should be legal and unregulated everywhere. Suppressors are the only hearing protection/ sound mitigation device not mandated. Try buying a new vehicle without a muffler. Hiram Maxim invented both by the way.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
They really should be legal and unregulated everywhere. Suppressors are the only hearing protection/ sound mitigation device not mandated. Try buying a new vehicle without a muffler. Hiram Maxim invented both by the way.
Click to expand...

It's partly due to why balisongs/butterfly knives are regulated many places.....politicians got their info from ninja and spy movies. A smooth action Spyderco manual opener with the thumb hole is actually faster to open (as fast as a switch also, or faster if the switch has a safety). Similarly, they probably think that a suppressor make a high powered rifle sound like a blow gun.
 
While shooting at a Sporting Clay event, I use the Walker Game Muffs. All of my rifles have suppressors, except the 450 Bushmaster which has a Linear Compensator on it. I only use the 450 BM for the Deer Gun Season, so its' limited use doesn't justify buying a suppressor.
The Linear Compensator is like a muzzle break, but all of the relief ports/holes are only on the muzzle end. This projects the sound away from the shooter, which does a great job and they're less than $50.
Kaw Valley Precision makes a nice one, that is sold on Optics Planet for $44.95.
Doe 4.jpg
 
raisins said:
It's partly due to why balisongs/butterfly knives are regulated many places.....politicians got their info from ninja and spy movies. A smooth action Spyderco manual opener with the thumb hole is actually faster to open (as fast as a switch also, or faster if the switch has a safety). Similarly, they probably think that a suppressor make a high powered rifle sound like a blow gun.
Click to expand...
100% agree. Also, I love Spyderco's. I have a couple of Delicas and a Police. They can be very, very fast.
 
woodsdog2 said:
I use the Howard Leight by Honewell hearing enhancement and protection muffs. The fold up pretty compactly and do a great job in the turkey woods. I just like them to help me hear distant gobbles but they do get tedious wearing after awhile. They're nice at the gun range too when everybody is shooting.
Click to expand...

For the money the Howard Leights have by far the best sound quality of all the different ones I’ve tried. I have an older pair of digital behind the ear walkers that have better sound quality but they were $400+ a pair.
 
brydan said:
For the money the Howard Leights have by far the best sound quality of all the different ones I’ve tried. I have an older pair of digital behind the ear walkers that have better sound quality but they were $400+ a pair.
Click to expand...

I missed the Howard Leights when I was looking into this. They are on my radar if my 3Ms go south. I think Howard Leight foam ear plugs are the best I've tried.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top