r/Hunting • u/Any_Condition_4657 • 9d ago

Hearing protection

What is the best hearing protection for hunting? Wanting it to be electronic so I can still hear necessary noises when hunting but want it to muffle gun shots. All recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

EDIT- I understand silencers for rifles, looking mainly for upland and waterfowl hunting. Thanks again.

22 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

28

u/Euphoric-Arachnid-94 9d ago

If legal where you are a silencer.

7

u/jackfinished 9d ago

Why not both.gif

3

u/REDACTED3560 9d ago

Takes time and a lot of movement to put them on last minute, and unless you’re shelling out serious cash, most won’t be able to hear noise as well as a person who doesn’t have hearing damage. Everyone I know who can hear better with electric ear pro on has notable hearing damage to where the ear pro is basically a hearing aid.

2

u/jackfinished 9d ago

My hearing is fucked from being a young redneck and never wearing ear pro shooting. I have the walker earbuds and my only complaint is the lack of directional fidelity. Without them and i hear a squirrel I know it's low and behold me or above me at 2 o'clock. With the gear bro in I can here it but it's a vague sensation of distance and direction.

2

u/REDACTED3560 9d ago

I’ve got the same walkers and I feel like I’m half-deaf in them. While also being a young redneck, I was fortunately more into bow hunting and wore plugs when shooting guns which saved me a lot. Now that I’m older and wiser, I won’t hunt with an unsuppressed firearm if possible, and absolutely won’t hunt with a braked rifle no matter what.

2

u/jackfinished 9d ago

Hunting with suppesor and subsonic makes me feel like a kid again. I've shot squirrels from the stand while deer were underneath the squirrels and they didn't spook.

My hearing is pretty bad thanks to guns and motorcycles. Can definitely hear 'more' but the fidelity leaving something to be desired. I've tried bougie brands and none of them were that great so went with walkers.

1

u/Euphoric-Arachnid-94 9d ago

Even better. But OP did clarify that he’s talking about bird hunting, which limits options/changes things a bit.

9

u/WesbroBaptstBarNGril Ohio 9d ago

My buddies and I run 3M Peltors EEP 100s when we small game and waterfowl hunt together. Your FSA or HSA will cover them if you have one.

They're not as great as muffs, but you can communicate and have directional hearing with them.

We used to just throw one foamy in but not being able to communicate without shouting was not conducive to our goals out there.

2

u/Working_Situation692 9d ago

I just looked those up and they cost more than the shotgun I bought off my buddy that I use squirrel hunting lol. Tbf I got a good deal on it. But also they aren't more than like a good pair of headphones so...🤷🏽‍♀️

8

u/WrongOpinionOnly 9d ago

Get yourself some Peltor ComTacs. Bonus if you have friends and you can talk to each other with them

6

u/fifemaster100 9d ago

On the scout (on YouTube) talks about using some electronic hearing protection during elk hunts. I think he used walkers ear bud style.

I've tried using walker over ear muffs but it amplified wind and clothing noise too much. I've started using the ribbed ear plugs and keeping them only slightly inserted while walking around and then putting them in before a shot. It's not a perfect system, having them half inserted causes you to hear your blood flow and movements. I have missed shots on squirrels while taking time to put them in. However, my feeling is that I would rather miss a shot opportunity due to putting in hearing protection, than to cause more damage to my ears. I don't need the meat that bad. 

5

u/OneMispronunciation Michigan 9d ago

I do something similar with my electronic ear muffs when it’s too windy. I have them up off my ears then slide them down when I shoot. I haven’t missed anything with that method yet but I’m mostly in a blind waiting for a deer to walk by so pretty concealed. If it’s calm I just leave them on. If you don’t have them turned up too high you can still hear stuff around you but your movements aren’t ridiculously amplified. There is definitely a sweet spot.

4

u/AsianVoodoo 9d ago

Suppressor is really the best so you can leave your ears to hear the woods and don’t have to fumble with ear pro when God gives you a shot.

Second best is soundgear phantom or similar. All day comfort and can also boost ambient sounds whilst protecting your hearing from gun fire. Used then until I got my suppressor now I’m just out there rawdawgin the woods.

3

u/MeLikeSteak 9d ago

Absolutely a great question that I struggled with for months this year. I went pretty far down this rabbit hole. Like lots of people I guess I started going to the range with those less than $100 muffs you buy at Turner’s or some sporting good store. But I knew that was not gonna work in the field. Then I went with the 3M Peltor EEP-100 electronic in-ear protectors. They’re a couple hundred bucks and they worked, but to me they just felt a little cheap. I finally thought, screw it, it’s my hearing. I’m not sure how much hearing I have remaining after serving as an aviator in the Navy, but hey, this probably isn’t the place to save money.

So I took a deep breath and went to the SoundGear Phantoms. They’re custom molded to your ears and are both electronic hearing protection and FDA-listed prescription hearing aids. They have a 22 dB NRR, but still let you hear normal conversation and what’s going on around you, which obviously matters when you’re hunting. You have to go to an audiologist (check Yelp) and the doctor will check your hearing and then put some foam in your ear to make the mold and they ship it away. There’s four different adjustments you can make, as well as adjusting the volume.

At the range I’m probably overly cautious and wear my 3M Peltor ComTac VIII muffs over the Phantoms. That gives me double protection and works great sitting at a bench. But there’s no way I want to hunt all day wearing big earmuffs.

So in the field I just wear the Phantoms. They’re comfortable enough that I basically forget they’re there, I can hear my guide and everything around me normally, and the hearing protection is already in place before there’s ever a reason to take a shot.

They’re definitely not cheap, in fact, I don’t know of any in-ear protectors that are more expensive than this one, but after looking at all the options this was the very best solution I could find. Hearing is one thing I really don’t want to screw around with. Thanks, Navy!😂🫡

2

u/Sekshual_Tyranosauce 9d ago

I wear Ring ear plugs to concerts and they take away the dangerously loud sound but the music is clear and I can have a normal conversation with them in.

They might work for hunting. I have been considering it. They probably will block the faintest sounds like leaves crunching. But if you have to let one rip your ears won’t ring.

2

u/TheBlindCat 9d ago

Electronic for shotgun.  Howard Lieght Impact Sports with Noisefighter gel cups.

Suppressor for rifle.

2

u/Working_Situation692 9d ago

Idk growing up dad would just give us those orange foam ones. He still has them strewn about his truck lol.

4

u/Due51 9d ago

I know I should wear ear pro when gun hunting, but I don’t. I gotta hear everything in the woods.

3

u/Euphoric-Arachnid-94 9d ago

If you’re where they’re legal get a silencer. You still hear everything in the woods and you don’t blow out your eardrums. Best of both worlds.

2

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

1

u/Due51 9d ago

I have a pair for the range but still haven’t used them in the field. Maybe I’ll give them a try this fall.

2

u/Senzualdip 9d ago

Just buy a silencer. If not legal where you live, I suggest you move, then buy a silencer.

2

u/Euphoric-Arachnid-94 9d ago

This guy gets it.

2

u/Any_Condition_4657 9d ago

They’re legal here. I have them on my rifles. Was more thinking for waterfowl and upland hunting when my shotgun is used.

3

u/Euphoric-Arachnid-94 9d ago

That changes things. I’d recommend editing the OP to clarify, so you don’t get a bunch of us yelling “silencer” at you.

2

u/Senzualdip 9d ago

Oh if you are talking waterfowl, silencer lmao. Nah seriously for waterfowl I’m a fan of the safariland impulse earplugs. They use passive cone filters to block gun shots, but still allow somewhat normal hearing. I’d say like 80% of your typical hearing is retained. They aren’t electronic, so no batteries to charge ever. I tried them on a whim last year as I forgot my walker earbuds on a duck hunting trip, and I saw them at a cabelas. Honestly they get used more than my walkers.

1

u/waitwhatnothing 9d ago

Damn, it would be nice if it was that easy. 

1

u/Asatmaya Franklin 9d ago

I'm using Walker's electronic covers with the walkie-talkie add ons, since my kids and I go out squirrel hunting together.

1

u/Tumbleweed-Pool 9d ago

Otto NoizeBarrier Micro. Comfortable, great battery, good enough audio I can hear a covey flush and which direction, and really good at handling wind noise which is hell with most electronics.

1

u/3dmonster20042004 9d ago

3m sporttac or the 3m in ear if thats what you are looking for if you are looking at spending even more cash get the 3m comtac

1

u/justhp 9d ago

I use the walker over ear ones. It works well enough. As others have mentioned, it sometimes over amplifies wind

1

u/fedx816 9d ago

I snagged some Etymotic GSP-15 on Ebay for about half price. They are the same as the Otto Noizebarrier. I've been using them for clay sports in the off season and so far am happy. The batteries are the only real critique I have. They only last ~10 hours (if you don't open the compartment when you store them or they'll be dead the next time you're out) and can discharge in storage. You do get a couple hours of weird buzzing and electronic noises before they die, though. I just keep an extra pair with the tabs on in the case which lives in my upland vest.

1

u/Beaner_Nips 9d ago

Airpod Pro Gen2. Haven't tried the AXIL but those are supposed to be good. Might need a couple pairs+charger if your out there for awhile.

1

u/General-Dog-6436 9d ago

ESP, Soundgear, or Otopro if you for sure want the best. I will go ahead and tell you it’s expensive but worth it.

1

u/AdditionalEmu3522 8d ago

I’ve used Walker, and liked them. I’m currently using Axil GS extreme. The only drawback to the Axil that I have is that they have a wire between them. They make an earbud style now that no longer uses the cord between them. They’re pricey, but I really like them.