Ear plugs

[Billy74]

Not sure if this gets covered a lot but as a new hunter I'm not sure of ear protocol.  I do intend to use protection but wasn't sure when most guys put them in.  I like being able to hear (don't have fancy electric ones) what's around me in the woods but don't want to get caught off guard and need to shoot quick.  I do have the "headphone" style I can keep on without putting in my ear that might be quicker that grabbing them from a pocket.  Those are a tad uncomfortable though.  What do you guys do?


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[JakeLand]

For hunting I don't use them ! Why would you? At the range yes

[JWEBB]

I still don't use earplugs but I should. I lost a good portion of my hearing in my left ear two seasons ago shooting with my 300. There was a large rock bluff to the left of where I was shooting and it enhanced the sound as I shot. My ears always ring after I shoot but I knew it was different this time because it was also painful. I couldn't hear for a week out of that ear. Now two years later my hearing has improved some but I have constant tinnitus in my left ear. It really bugs me sometimes. For ear protection advice I would grab a pair of walkers game ears. They enhance normal sounds but muffle shots

[fish vacuum]

Use hearing protection at the range. Then you don't have to fire so many shots in the field that you damage your ears.

[Forks]

 SoundGear "in the ear" model works well for me. They enhance hearing and are the smallest on the market.

[Stizz]

Ear plug band all the way. The shooting will eventually catch up to all of us-especially if you shoot a muzzle brake...so i wear one of these around my neck hunting. Hardly notice it, and while i don't mess with it for quick shots, most of the time i have time to get set up and put them in.


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[jamesfromseattle]

Ear plug band all the way. The shooting will eventually catch up to all of us-especially if you shoot a muzzle brake...so i wear one of these around my neck hunting. Hardly notice it, and while i don't mess with it for quick shots, most of the time i have time to get set up and put them in.


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These are great. I stick them on my hat or hang them on the belt of my pack. I flinch without ear protection, so if I’m taking a long shot it’s always worth it to me to put them in.

[CP]

For deer hunting I can’t see that ear plugs are needed.  I wish that I had worn them over the years for waterfowl hunting though.  It’s not your shot that is going to damage your ears, it’s your hunting partner’s that you have to worry about.

But from now on I’m using this:

[h20hunter]

I now carry muffs snd keep them ready.  Can't get your hearing back so taking a few seconds to protect my ears is more important than any critter.

[Rainier10]

46 years old and wearing hearing aids. Wish I would have taken better care of my ears.

[Shrimper]

I wear ear muffs for more than just shooting, mowing the lawn, running the chainsaw, etc....  I had a generator once that would rattle the earth, amazing a 10hp motor could make that much noise.

My kids have been wearing muffs since an early age and now they wont work on anything loud without them.

When ear muffs are not an option I just use foam plugs.

[Evil_EdwardO]

I just bought the EP3's at Walmart for $13 and they work well. You can still hear. I play guitar and used them at band practice last night. I could still hear pretty clearly without taking them out and my ears were not ringing when I did. I'll be wearing them this weekend hunting.

http://www.surefire.com/tactical-equipment/earpro-products.html

[Bob33]

I (prefer to) never shoot without hearing protection, even when hunting.  If I'm mobile I usually use something like these around my neck. I insert them when getting ready to shoot.

https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Honeywell-Reusable-R-01521/dp/B001DZROH8/ref=sr_1_35?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1509550349&sr=1-35&keywords=Ear+plugs

[BigGoonTuna]

I just bought the EP3's at Walmart for $13 and they work well. You can still hear. I play guitar and used them at band practice last night. I could still hear pretty clearly without taking them out and my ears were not ringing when I did. I'll be wearing them this weekend hunting.

http://www.surefire.com/tactical-equipment/earpro-products.html

thanks, i'll have to go grab a couple pairs of those.  i end up with a headache from the noise when duck hunting some days, can't be good for me.

i was surprised when i took a(bad) shot at a deer last week with my .250 savage 99.  i'd never fired it without earmuffs on before, the sound was more like a loud .22 mag than a typical deafening centerfire blast.

[724wd]

I (prefer to) never shoot without hearing protection, even when hunting.  If I'm mobile I usually use something like these around my neck. I insert them when getting ready to shoot.

https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Honeywell-Reusable-R-01521/dp/B001DZROH8/ref=sr_1_35?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1509550349&sr=1-35&keywords=Ear+plugs

  always a set around my neck hunting