Hunting & Fishing Ear Pro while hunting?

[McReef]

What are your thoughts on this? Anyone who has worn a good set of electronic muffs at the range has to have at least considered this. I am looking at protection as a side benefit, enhanced hearing has got to help I would think, even if it just serves to make me more aware of my own clumsy-ass, stumbling, ruckus making as I stalk.

I imagine there are several variables that would effect usefulness...

Your quarry of course - You aren’t going to out-hear most any animal, but maybe you could pick up on things that might influence their movements, like that rare hunter who makes more noise than you crashing around 500 yards or so off to your left...

The muffs themselves - Some seem more directional than others in my experience. If you can’t direction-find, what’s the point?

Weather - A windy day might present an overload of input. Too much background noise to be useful?

I’ve never worn them outside the range before, but have been mulling this over a bit. What say you sage stalkers?

 

[jeph83]

I always wear hearing protection while hunting deer(I don't hunt anything bigger). Sometimes electronic muffs, sometimes not. I don't do it for enhancing sounds just to protect my ears. I don't have expensive muffs, but as long as the wind isn't too bad they definitely do allow you to hear the crunch of leaves or sticks better.

It has got me a few times when a deer sneaks up on me and I don't have them on, but I'd rather miss my shot than blow out my eardrums.

 

[coldboremiracle]

The best ear pro you'll ever buy, gives you 100% of your hearing:

 

[Johnnybrah]

I usually have a cheap pair of those band ear pro around my neck. I’ll keep them off when I’m scouting around and stick them in if I’m about to take a shot. Super easy and fast, so I can still react if something suddenly pops up

 

[B-P-UU]

Suppressor. Once you get it, you'll wonder why you waited so long in the first place.

 

[Jrb572]

I hunt with my eytomotic I think gp15 ear plugs in all the time. I really like them. But I have mine custom fitted.

 

[BLKWLFK9]

When i use to hunt with a brake, i would wear my electronic muffs. The shit you hear will keep your heart rate going b/c a squirrel sounds like a black bear. Since i started hunting with a suppressor, i dont wear anything and i have come to the point that i refuse to hunt without the suppressor. Its just too nice. I even had a PRC barrel cut to 18" to make it more length friendly with the can. My factory 147s go exactly the same speed as a 24" 6.5cm with factory 147s. Not a bad trade off.

 

[Backcountryguy]

I hunted with my $30 low profile Caldwell muffs last season. They worked great. Only downsides I can foresee are them snagging on branches and whatnot....and also the wind could get annoying on windier days

 

[McReef]

The best ear pro you'll ever buy, gives you 100% of your hearing:View attachment 7165811

Suppressor. Once you get it, you'll wonder why you waited so long in the first place.

Right. I probably should have mentioned I reside somewhere that doesn’t allow me to have one of those, you know, for my own protection.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Wearing electronic pro while walking in the woods leads you to believe you are trashing around. Take them off....it's pretty a quiet stalk. LOL

In a tree stand: Wind noise isn't so bad, but then hunting in 20+ winds would be a problem in general.

Squirrels and birds will have you on edge ready for the "big one" but after awhile you get trained what requires a look around.

Hearing someone walking 500+ yards away? Not likely... Hearing an animal just walking/slipping thru within maybe 50 yards...oh yea....you will hear them. Terrain at that point is a bigger factor. Slip down into a draw or stream and you won't know they are there.

Directional: More related to the design and mic placement. Mics facing only forward will still hear a sound to the side. Looking at my Howard Leight Impact™ Sport Earmuff the mic is hidden behind some foam but in a channel to draw in sound from the side and front.

For the cost of electronic muffs you could experiment with them to see if you like how they perform. As others posted a suppressor is the top choice overall but it might not be what you want to undertake to get one.

 

[smacha538]

All the ear pro I use...but before fans, honestly I never wore muffs while hunting

 

[TanktheFrank]

Before I started using the whisper pickle I kept some impacts in my backpack. 75% of the time I forgot to put them on... looking back I should have just kept some of those plugs that sit around your neck.

 

[xdeano]

I typically run suppressed also, but I've been thinking about picking up some walker game ear, ear plugs that are recharable and blue tooth. It might be nice to amplify some noises. Ive got buddies that use them out calling Coyotes and they say that when the coyote is coming in, it sounds like a horse coming in.
Xdeano

 

[Stooxie]

MSA Sordin X muffs are fantastic for electronic hearing protection. Worth every penny. I adjust the volume to match my normal hearing or just a tick higher, but I don't crank them up so that a mosquito fart sounds like thunder. I wear these when shooting unsuppressed.

-Stooxie

 

[jbuck88]

I hunt almost exclusively with my kids. We've tried all kinds of plugs and muffs, but they either get to hot or he gets loud with plugs in because he can't hear himself.

 

[the_master_midget]

I use a tikka 300wsm 18 inch barrel with a rugged micro 30 but need hearing protection. I have been rocking the sound gear insta fit electronic ear plugs. all I can say is I love them. The #10 air batteries are cheap, available everywhere, and last 4-6 days on avg. I use my plugs a lot and have another set that are rechargeable but they are larger and if its like a cell phone battery will not last for more than 2 years. the insta fit electronic earbuds are tiny and comfortable. I prefer them over ear muffs during hot weather. If you are in cold weather with a hood or beanie on you don' have the scratchy sound from the hood moving over the muffs. Also if you have to run or get jostled the sound gear plugs stay put since they are so light weight.

 

[davsco]

last year was first year i started to wear earpro while hunting. the same pro ears 300 electronic muffs i wear at various shooting matches. i have electronic plugs but they have awful high pitched feedback if wearing a hat over them.

 

[xb40]

The problem I have with electronic ears is you hear everything in the damn woods. The second problem is you can’t tell where in the hell the sound is coming from or exactly how close it is.

 

[Stooxie]

The problem I have with electronic ears is you hear everything in the damn woods. The second problem is you can’t tell where in the hell the sound is coming from or exactly how close it is.

I think you.l might need to try a different set, then.

-Stooxie

 

[dang472]

I ran the OTTO Noizebarriers last year with my NV helmet. After taking a blast from my buddy’s Scar and firing off a few rounds of my braked AR in a tower blind, I’m not hunting without ear protection. The OTTOs have a high/low setting and low works fine for me.

 

[SD Carpenter]

I mean... I never hear or feel the shot while hunting. I don't wear ear protection

 

[mongoosesnipe]

i picked these up for competitive shooting and will be taking them into the woods come gun season
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020574653?pid=535441 they are light rechargable and work really well

 

[4066.5]

Sordins look cooler then hearing aids.

I double up. I can't hear shit anyways due to never wearing earpro on and off the job. For me it's mostly to try to prevent it getting worse. Hearing people talk and looking tactical as fuck while I wear them are a plus.

If you still got your hearing and don't want electronic muffs, check out Surefire EP7's the have some filter in them that's supposed to knock levels down to 82db and don't amplify everything that's not. They're <20$ on Amazon, might be worth a shot.

 

[mongoosesnipe]

i think there is an adrenaline factor up until this year have never hunted with ear pro and have never had ears ring not that that doesn't mean there isn't some damage but this year i am taking my new ar10 build into the woods and it has a muzzle brake so i feel ear pro is a must for me this year