To hear or not to hear, this is the question. When I was in Hunter’s Safety, they stressed the importance of wearing eye and ear protection when using a firearm. Even when at a shooting range, safety is always Number 1. In a sense, safety should be equally important while hunting, more specifically, hearing protection.
A lot of time while big game hunting, shot opportunities happen in an instant and do not give the shooter an opportunity to put their hearing protection on. This has been the case for me more times than not. Generally, when I have had the opportunity to take the shot, I do not notice the noise of the shot because of my adrenaline and focusing on the shot. However, I notice the blast of the shotgun a lot more when I am hunting waterfowl. Generally, I feel the after-effects of the shotgun for a couple days. Because of this, I knew I needed to find a solution.
In The Blind
Here’s the scenario…3-4 hunters sitting in the blind on a crisp, late-fall morning. Shooting hours have started and the sun is just peaking over the mountain tops. Suddenly, a flock of ducks is spotted. Calling commences and the birds are coming in like they are on a leash. As they come closer, they start dipping and diving with their wings cupped and ready to land. The hunters pull up their guns and open fire resulting in success. This is a common occurrence in the world of waterfowl. On average, a shotgun blast is about 155 decibels (according to www.decibelpro.app). Noise levels above 85 decibels are considered hazardous to our hearing. Now, with that being said, let’s think about the scenario. With 3-4 guys shooting, there is a lot of blasts going off all at once. Over a couple hours of being exposed to this, one is at risk to having their hearing damaged.
Hearing Protection and My Two Cents
If you’re anything like me, I like to be aware of my surroundings, especially when I’m hunting. The years leading up to the last 2 hunting seasons, I would try using standard hearing protection when hunting. In doing so, I felt that it was more inconvenient than it was beneficial. I found I would remove my ear plugs multiple times due to trying to talk with my buddies, trying to listen for birds, or because I was just tired of having ear plugs in my ears. It wasn’t until I started using electronic hearing protection that things changed for me.
I use both the rope style hearing buds and the earmuff style hearing protection. This gives me the option of which style to use depending on the situation. Generally, I will use the rope style when I’m hunting and will use the earmuff style for target shooting or even while doing yard work. Like with any product, there are pros and cons. Let’s dive in and I’ll share my thoughts about each one.
Let’s look at the Walkers Game Ear Razor Muff Patriot Series first. One thing that immediately stood out to me was how low-profile these were, both when folded down to store and when wearing them. Another feature I have found useful at times is the audio input jack. I have been able to hook up an audio cable from these to the computer or even my phone and listen to videos or music. The sound is great, the convenience of the volume knob on the side makes it easy to use.
Now, with the good, there is some bad. Fortunately, it’s nothing major. Two things I have found I dislike about these, comes down to a clearance issue and the speakers. First, the clearance issue. Depending on the rifle or shotgun I am shouldering, the bottom of the earmuff interferes with the top of the stock. Really, this is more of an annoyance than anything.
The second dislike I have has to do with the speakers. Because the earmuffs are designed to reduce the blast or noise down to a mere 23 decibels, it does struggle with the noise from un-muffled motors and the wind sometimes. For example, while out duck hunting there was an airboat that drove past. For those that have been around them or have ridden on them know just how loud the motor and fan are. The airboat was just far enough away that it caused the speakers in the earmuffs to crackle and pop like a blown speaker. Luckily, the easy fix is to turn the earmuffs off while the airboat was driving by.
WALKERS GAME EAR ROPE HEARING BUDS
Next up is the Walkers Game Ear Rope Hearing Enhancer Buds. I have enjoyed using these when I am waterfowl hunting. One of the first things I noticed about these were how small and lightweight they are. They are easy to wear and even while stored in the carry case, they don’t take up a lot of room in my blind bag. Another nice feature I would like to mention is that they are rechargeable. Unlike the earmuffs, these do not have a volume knob. Instead, they have three volume levels: low, medium, and high. Generally, I will use my ear buds with the volume on low which still allows me the ability to hear my surroundings without an issue.
Now, for the dislikes, there are only two I’d like to mention, which are more of an inconvenience than anything. First thing is the earbud itself. Inside the packaging, it comes with 3 different sizes of foam earbud tips to get the best fit for your ear canal. I have found that they sometimes become uncomfortable and must remove them to give my ears a break, but only for a few minutes.
The second item to mention is regarding the speakers. Like the earmuff, I had the same issue of the speakers popping and crackling when an airboat drove past our blind. I also experienced extra noise from the wind also. Depending on which volume level the earbuds are set at makes it that much louder. Again, the easiest solution I have found is to simply turn them off.
Conclusion
If you have read any of my previous articles, you may have noticed I am a fan of gear that will not break the bank. These two sets of hearing protection would fall into this category. With all things considered, and with both pairs costing under $60, I would recommend these for anyone’s gear list. Whether you are hunting, shooting, doing yard work, or even just trying to get some peace and quiet, I do not think you can go wrong with either of these.
I hope this article has given some insight to anyone interested in hearing protection while hunting. Be safe and happy hunting.
