Hearing loss

[idaho guy]

I have never used any ear protection while hunting until last year or two. I have noticed mild hearing loss recently but have been using a 30-378 with a muzzlebreak for probably 20 years? I put the orange ear plugs posted by bob around my neck now and if I have time I will put them in before the shot.  If you are shooting longer ranges you will have time.  I shot 7 big game animals last year and had plugs in on 5.   This is after forty plus years of hunting with high powered rifles so if you are just starting I wouldn't worry about it   Also  my hearing loss is probably from any number of things outside of shooting so you should be good regardless. I think you would be a fool to not wear protection at the range but hunting I am not sure its a big deal. If you are concerned just use the orange one around your neck they are easy and don't get in the way   

[no.cen.wa]

My hearing probably isn't as good as it was 20 years ago, at 69 most of us loose some, but it was probably caused by 42 years as a phone tech, always listening for phone trouble. I wouldn't argue against wearing ear protection, just wish I could hear better right after I shoot when buck runs out of sight, sure can't hear much then!
But I have to say I often hear an animal before I see it, hunt in pretty dense forest areas. Maybe I'll try to have ear protection handy, my hunting partner has lost a lot of his hearing, I'm sure from his military days in Vietnam, "and I thank him and all others for their service" . We should all wear ear protection when we can I guess.
John G

[KFhunter]

I use walker game ears, but mostly because I already have hearing loss.  I can't hear a grouse beating its wings, or a buck snort, or a cat stalking me. I have a hard time with elk bugles far away, and forget about soft cow calls.  My buddies hear them, stop and put their hand up in the classic "I hear something" gesture; I about pop a blood vessel straining to hear what they're hearing and I cannot.

If you're worried about it I'd suggest the inserts to help amplify noise a little but still deaden a shot and you don't need to stop to put them on. 

If you archery, the muffs don't work unfortunately.  I still use them for archery until I get the buds, but instead of taking the time to put ears on I have to have time to take the ears off 


I'll be switching to ear buds like these that'll stay in the whole duration of the hunt.

[jpharcher]

I recently lost all hearing in my left ear and am trying to figure out how am I going to hunt as an archery hunter....I have no sense of direction for sound, the ringing in the ear is worse now than it was before they removed the tumor.... PROTECT YOUR HEARING AT THE RANGE AND IN THE FIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[2MANY]

Warning:
My sport ears muffle the sound of my own elk bugle and make it difficult to understand the actual sounds I'm making.

[vandeman17]

Warning:
My sport ears muffle the sound of my own elk bugle and make it difficult to understand the actual sounds I'm making.

Wind also wreaks havoc on my muffs

[JWEBB]

Walkers game ears all the way! They don’t muffle the shot as well as ear plugs but they enhance sounds and when shooting, they considerably reduce the noise. Even though I recommend these, I still don’t have them in all the time when I’m shooting. I have just never gotten comfortable with anything in my ears while hunting. You think I would have learned my lesson 4 years ago when one shot from my 300 win mag has given me hearing problems and tinnitus in my left ear.

[Molon5labe]

SilencerCo Harvester .30. Before that earplugs and hope I had time to put them in, or better yet, remember to bring them with me.

[trophyhunt]

Walkers game ears all the way! They don’t muffle the shot as well as ear plugs but they enhance sounds and when shooting, they considerably reduce the noise. Even though I recommend these, I still don’t have them in all the time when I’m shooting. I have just never gotten comfortable with anything in my ears while hunting. You think I would have learned my lesson 4 years ago when one shot from my 300 win mag has given me hearing problems and tinnitus in my left ear.

If it was to shoot that bull in your avatar it was worth it!!  Hell, I'd cut off a toe for that beast!

[JohnVH]

Do something before its too late.. I got tinnitus pretty bad from a hunt in 2010, ears ring 24/7 and it sucks.. Do yourself a favor and either get ear plugs, or some good electronic earplugs!

[AL WORRELLS KID]

Used to, but don't have a problem anymore with loud sounds coming from my weapon. Not in the field or at the range. 
Doug

[Old Man Yager]

I've got that damn Tinitus, always ringing in my ears. I have hearing loss, and as I'm getting older, a lot of noises are starting to bother me. I never used haring protection when I was younger, I do now, but it's too late.

[JWEBB]

Walkers game ears all the way! They don’t muffle the shot as well as ear plugs but they enhance sounds and when shooting, they considerably reduce the noise. Even though I recommend these, I still don’t have them in all the time when I’m shooting. I have just never gotten comfortable with anything in my ears while hunting. You think I would have learned my lesson 4 years ago when one shot from my 300 win mag has given me hearing problems and tinnitus in my left ear.

If it was to shoot that bull in your avatar it was worth it!!  Hell, I'd cut off a toe for that beast!

Yeah I wouldn’t have been too upset if that was the case. It was a 5 point whitetail and I missed

[biggfish]

I have tinnitus that comes on in attacks from shooting without ear pro. I have used plugs with removable center plugs to still get some sound, but now I have walker razor xv ear plugs, they work great. With the amplification I can hear stuff I couldn't before.

Sent from my LG-US701 using Tapatalk

[Jonathan_S]

I have had impeccable hearing my whole life and its something I seek to maintain when possible but I have never worn earpro while hunting.

Last fall I planned to plug my ears while somebody else was shooting a moose with a braked 280.  Never did because I'd rather watch through binos    After several shots like that, I had tinnitus off and on for a few months.

When I hunt with or around a braked rifle, I suppose I'll probably carry earpro from now on but not otherwise.