# Hearing Protection?



## Jeff Zierden (Jan 27, 2006)

What is everyone using out in the field to help protect their hearing. Mine is fading fast from muzzle blasts, but with normal ear plugs you can't hear yourself call decent. I have looked into the Walker Game Ear type and others that amplify sound and then cut out with muzzle blast, but they are way out of my price range. Is there anything out there that doesn't amplify but just cuts out from loud noises?


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## deafishunt (Feb 5, 2005)

I never wear hearing protect. I favor without it because I am hearing impaired. :lol: :lol:


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I've used a bunch of different brands of ear plugs. The problem out hunting is I have to hear the birds all the way, so to me the ideal ear plugs is something you can flip on in seconds. There are quite a few brands that hang around your neck but only one have I ever found comfortable and they're the fastest to flip on. I used them an entire season a couple years ago, lost them, and couldn't find a replacement since and tried a bunch of imitators.

I just found the pair through one of my distributors and got a couple pairs in. They're from the brand Silencio and the model # is SKW-96. The band is yellow with blue ear plugs. I think I may get another dozen or so and throw them in the store since I think they're that good....and they only cost a couple bucks.

Once you get in the habit of using them it's not a hinderance at all.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

This is a VERY important topic!!!! I wear hearing protection in a simple form two plugs in a lanyard style. I will look in the am. as to the exact type that I use. they are simple yet effective. I leave them out, then when the birds are about in range, they're in my ears. with-in literly 5 seconds! Don't mess with your hearing. My ears started ringing three years ago and haven't stopped since. Am I doing preventive measures now? probably NOT the damage has been done. The only loud noise I've supjected my ears to in the 44 years I've owned them, has been gun shots. I think it's called Tinitis, Rock stars get it from loud music. Do yourself a favor USE HEARIANG PROTECTION even when hunting you dont want to hear what I'm hearing now!


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## Jeff Zierden (Jan 27, 2006)

It is already to late for me as well. My ears started ringing 2 years ago and now I have to live with it. I can't stand it and I can't afford to let it get any worse.

I already own ear plugs that are on a lanyard and they work great but I need to be able to hear myself call all the way till the shot is called. I won't have time to drop the calls and put ear plugs in before the gun shots go off.


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## SASKATOONGOOSEHUNTER (Aug 25, 2005)

After having my ears "cleaned out" on Monday morning's shoot, I've been thinking about posting this topic myself. I've always worn one of the sponge compressibles in my right ear and nothing in my left ear so that I could hear whats happening with the birds. As well, I try to position other shooters to my right. I don't think that's a satisfactory solution and I want my kids to have something better than what I've put up with.



> the brand Silencio and the model # is SKW-96


I'll be googling this as soon as I leave this site.

Anybody else with any info?


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I've been thinking about this lately as the wife has been giving me a hard time about wearing hearing protection when I hunt.

We discussed it and I am going to bite the bullet and buy the Walkers Game Ears and be done with it. I think it will be money well spent.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

gandergrinder said:


> We discussed it and I am going to bite the bullet and buy the Walkers Game Ears and be done with it. I think it will be money well spent.


You may want to get opinions on it. I hear that it's annoying to wear while goose hunting as the calling is REALLY loud and obnoxious. Just thought I'd save you the $$$ to allow you to read some opinions first.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I thought about that too. I kind of want to get custom ones so that I can have them set so the calling doesn't get annoying. Also they would fit in my ears better because they are made for me. I might go in to the hearing clinic and talk to someone about it to see what options I would have.


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## Cinder (Sep 2, 2003)

Go to a hearing aid person that you trust and buy some good ones. You make think a couple of thousand is out of your price range but your hearing is worth a lot more than that. Take it from a 62 year old that keeps asking people to repeat themselves.

I have hearing aids now that cost me around $3000 but I really don't know I have them on and they cut out the loud noise and I hear better to boot. Mine are at least six years old and the new ones I believe are even better.

Again, spend the money or quit shooting the shotgun because you are damaging your hearing without protection.


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## bjn (Jul 17, 2003)

I am an audiologist in Bismarck and fit many custom noise protectors each fall. I have been wearing a set for 9 years and have not had a shift in my hearing ever since. They do take some getting used to, as they obviously occlude one and change your "normal" sense of pitch for calling, but after wearing them for a while, it's really not that bad. I too would recommend finding an audiologist that specializes in hearing conservation or industrial audiology and further discuss this as each situation is unique.
I realize that not everyone can afford $500-$600 for a pair of custom noise protectors, but it's far cheaper and less frustrating than a $5000 pair of hearing aids down the road.
Brady Ness


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## The Dak (Nov 23, 2003)

Your hearing is something you don't want to lose! I am friends with many hearing impaired folks and I really don't want to end up that way, especially with how much I shoot.

I use an 8 dollar pair of SONIC II hearing protectors and am pretty happy with them. They are the insert type and are made of silicone with a metal insert. You can hear most everything, but they are just enough to take the edge off the muzzle blast. They feel annoying at first, but you adjust after wearing them a few times. I think they also come in 3 sizes: S, M, and L. When calling, things sound a little flat, but as with how they feel, you figure out the differences in sounds after a few wearings.

At any rate, get something!


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## Chesador (Aug 15, 2003)

BJN,

Please check you PMs.

Mark
aka Chesador


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## Tundra Saver (Feb 1, 2006)

Get ahold of the Radians ear plugs that allow you to hear and zone out muzzle blast. They're not as good as the $1000 set I have from the hearing doc but they allow you to hear and shoot w/o any problem. For $10 they're the best investment I've made. Anyone else?


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## Cinder (Sep 2, 2003)

Has anyone actually done any tests on the different devices. One audiologist told me the $10 sonic type devices don't really react fast enough to do any good --- does anyone know of any tests that say different? Also, an audiologist told me not all your hearing comes from your ear canal, some comes through the bone around your ears so the ear muffs work the best.

Again, I am no expert, to say the least, but I can verify that shooting shotguns and rifles will damage your hearing. If anyone can point to any tests or studies on hearing protection devices I would be most interested.


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## Doghollow (Nov 11, 2005)

They do take some getting used to, as they obviously occlude one and change your "normal" sense of pitch for calling, but after wearing them for a while, it's really not that bad. I too would recommend finding an audiologist that specializes in hearing conservation or industrial audiology and further discuss this as each situation is unique. 
I realize that not everyone can afford $500-$600 for a pair of custom noise protectors, but it's far cheaper and less frustrating than a $5000 pair of hearing aids down the road

I totally concur with bjn. Have had a pair of $600 customs for about 8 years and can't say enough about 'em. Yes, they take getting used to. They are annoying when walking thru dry grass, but the volume control minimizes that effect.

As for calling, I feel it enhances my calling, since I concentrate more on the pitch, throat vibration and other indicators of correct calling. I put them on in the vehicle to practice, since you can't, or shouldn't, do that w/o hearing protection. Even the two-tone highball calling itself is probably doing damage over time. The calling part is an adjustment, but I have found that I can tell based on birds' reactions when I'm doing well or not.

Finally, I concentrate better on my shot with them in. There's no worry, or tendency to flinch because you know all you'll hear is a pop gun sound, while everything leading up to that (except the calling) point is amplified.

The cost? What is it worth to be able to hear the highest of bird-call pitches when you're 65 years old and still going strong? Think widgeon, pintail, white-throated sparrows...


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

so, bjn are you saying the ear muff protectorsdon't do a good enough job? I am going to start wearing some of the foam inserts, but want something easier and more comfortable for my son. thought the earmuffs would be easiest.


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## bjn (Jul 17, 2003)

The earmuff type of noise protection is the most fool proof, aside from custom noise protectors as it is difficult to actually put either of those types in wrong. With foam plugs, there is great variability in how well one gets them inserted from time to time. This is the reason that OSHA recommends reducing the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) listed on foam plugs by 50% as those numbers listed are found in a perfect, lab-coat setting, not out in the middle of a slough with dirty fingers and no mirrors. For earmuffs, they recommend about a 25% reduction because they find that many have just worn out and aren't as effective as day 1.
It is true that we hear through bone conduction (through the various bones near the ear like the mastoid bone, jaw bone, skull, etc.) as well as air conduction (through your ear canal). Therefore, one can use this information to conclude that even the best fitting, cadillac of all hearing protection can only reduce noise by around 35-40 dB before other variables allow some sound through. For those of you mathematicians out there, a 12 gauge is about 150-155 dB, a magnum caliber rifle is 160-165 (roughly speaking). Therefore, some excessive noise is still getting to the cochlea, but 120 dB isn't near as bad as 160. The only way to absolutely eliminate the possibility of noise induced hearing loss would be to quit shooting period. Brady Ness


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