When I shot my 2nd gobbler a few days ago I was sitting against a very large white pine. actually I was turned si that my right ear was facing the tree.
My ears took a hard blast and have been ringing every since. The first one I shot an day or 2 before that I didnt even notice.
Soo now Im thinking i need protection and looking around there are a lot of options but non I really like. I still hear pretty good but I do have a high frequency lose. When at the range I have headphone which work well but I cant use them to hunt.
If I have to use them (and I need to ) then I want to hear or else turkey hunting aint the same.
Anybody use these?
https://www.walkersgameear.com/rope-hearing-enhancer/
I guess what I want . (in my dream world ) is the best quality sound enhancement I can get and blast protection.
Well, when turkey hunting I wear my hearing aids. Nice for hearing those gobbles that I might otherwise miss. Mine, as most bona fide hearing aids, will "shut down" when the decibel level reaches a certain point which could be dangerous for your drums.
You have to choose your poison, huh?
I'm also interested to see if anybody has a good solution to this
I always carry earplugs and most times I can put them in before the Gobbler comes in. A lot of times I put in one so I can still hear. Couple seasons ago I had one of those flash Gobblers that answered at 80 yards and I saw him coming in a matter of seconds. No time for earplugs or to even sit down. Shot Gobbler at 20 yards, first time I'd shot my gun without protection for several years, I forgot how loud it was my ears rang for two days.
After a lot of searching I bought the MSA Sordin Pro earmuffs. They have sound enhancement that can be adjusted. I leave them on the lowest setting and can still hear and course Gobbles but they block 82 dB of the shot as good as any earplug. These cost a bit more than some but the reviews were all good. They have gell ear muffs that are really comfortable and are small enough that they don't interfere with the gunstock. IMO worth every penny...and how much is your hearing worth.
Do not fool around protecting your ears. I have permanent hearing lost. It cannot be reversed. Long story short. Military, work, firearms all have contributed. Script hearing aids do not block sound from gunshots. I had a run of a few years not getting birds. I could not hear them. I went with Wild Ears they are molded for ears. Expensive yes, worth it absolutely.
I'll be tuned in to this for the duration. I've got some hearing loss as well and an awful case of tinnitus. Curious to see what comes of this.
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I ve been very carefull with my ears for the last 15 years .. before that not so much. The problem with turkey hunting is you want to hear the best you can. In my case . better than some not as good as some. My wife can hear sounds birds are making I cannot.
I use eargasm plugs when motorcycle riding but they would not be an option to hunt with. 3 days and I still feel that blast so ... not good.
Never was concerned about it until I started using a ground blind for wife and kids. Blast can be brutally amplified in a blind. Bought 2 pr Howard Leights and they are a blessing. Very happy with them. You can hear everything and coach the kids along with just a whisper. When the gun goes off, you hear nothing.
Quote from: Wvdanimal on March 26, 2020, 08:53:52 PM
Never was concerned about it until I started using a ground blind for wife and kids. Blast can be brutally amplified in a blind. Bought 2 pr Howard Leights and they are a blessing. Very happy with them. You can hear everything and coach the kids along with just a whisper. When the gun goes off, you hear nothing.
I used Howard Leights and I still do for range. Good affordable hearing protection
Enjoyed reading these responses. Shot from duck/goose blinds unprotected for around 45 years and recently the layout blinds have put a real hurting on mine. Was told by a Dr. that when you have that ringing in your ears then damage has already occurred. My Son-in -Law plays in a Rock band...can you say "huh"? Trying to figure out my course of action too. Thanks for ya'lls advice!
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1018341729?pid=749111&utm_medium=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Shooting+-+Ear+%26+Eye+Protection&utm_content=749111&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlqL50L666AIVvf_jBx3eIwnCEAQYCSABEgLAKfD_BwE
i started wearing these about 3 years ago. i don't find them too burdensome and they don't bother me when shooting. you can crank the mics way up or leave them off.
hundreds of concerts and duck hunting caused a lot of damage and i want to hear when i'm 60.