Hearing Loss

[HandgunHunter]

On the topic of young guys attempting to save our hearing, does anyone have any recommendations for what they use while bird hunting? I’ve started carrying earplugs in my bino harness for big game, but I like being able to hear while I’m hunting birds.

Walkers makes small electronic ear plugs as do other companies.

the custom molded ones will be the most comfortable

lots of places are making them now.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Without a hearing test there's no way for you to know how bad you are. My first clue was when I was looking at a rattlesnake shaking its tail and I couldn't hear it.

I was standing right on top of one for a few minutes glassing some deer before I noticed him coiled up in the strike pose rattling his tail off. I took a video of him back to my wife to see if he was actually making sound.

FYI
If you don't protect your hearing now you will start when its mostly gone.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Walkers makes small electronic ear plugs as do other companies.

the custom molded ones will be the most comfortable

lots of places are making them now.

There are a few other options on that other forum as well. I think I'm going to look into the walker in ear for the short term, suppressor long term. Big game there is usually time for ear plugs, but pheasants and ducks you need hearing and no time to insert plugs.

 

[Western Traveler1]

I seldom wear my hearing aid. I dislike it so much I didn’t go back for my second one, but I wear hearing protection now. Going to have to surrender to the inevitable eventually but for now I just hang around ranchers and mechanics. They all talk loud enough that I feel normal.
Speech range is different than much of surrounding sounds so it is possible to be effected by one and not the other.

 

[mdhunter]

My hearing is bad for many of the same reasons already listed. My doc explained it like this: “you will never hear better than you do today. If you do nothing you hearing will slowly continue to deteriorate until you have virtually none or you die, whichever comes first. If you buy and wear hearing aids you will slow your hearing loss.” I bought them...

 

[noharleyyet]

Construction, football helmet to helmets, guitar amps dime dialed, extended wind roar on the motorcycle, muzzle blast....I really have to guess what someone wearing a mask is saying.

 

[JAG]

I was born with a severe to profound loss and this new mask environment is a killer. I read lips over 60% of the time.

Best thing to do is 'feel' sound when you are in the woods; feel your fabric rubbing when you move your legs or drag your heel, get soft shoes that feel the pine straw and leaves rub, crunch, or crumble.

When all else fails, don't get upset..get a sense of humor: What does a deaf gynecologist do?
.
.
.
He reads lips.

 

[MarvB]

Construction, football helmet to helmets, guitar amps dime dialed, extended wind roar on the motorcycle, muzzle blast....I really have to guess what someone wearing a mask is saying.

I’m with you on this one fellow geezer... between logging (cat tracks squealing and chainsaws), shooting, and a few concerts in my youth that the front row seemed like a great idea I’m left with doing the slow nod when folks are masked up about half the time. They walk off and I’ve got to ask the wife what I just agreed to!

 

[shoots-straight]

I got hearing aids last year, and still can't hear chit.

 

[diamond hitch]

High pitched womens voices are not an option for me. The sounds all run together. I don't really miss those but my grandson is worth listening to and I will likely have to wait for him to mature. Hope I live that long.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Was on elk hunt last week with 73 year old father who worked construction and can’t hear shit. Every time I asked if he heard that he looked at me like I was insane.

other note. For the last 17 years we’ve lived close together and worked on numerous noisy projects and shot firearms. Every single F$&@$!;:time I had hearing protection handy and he would say “it’s to late”.
This last trip he decided he would go get some hearing aids. Gawddammit.

I like hearing elk bugles and wear ear plugs when I mow the freaking yard.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I remember working in a tire shop in college and people looking at me like I was insane wearing ear plugs all day. Who is sorry now? It takes 35 seconds

 

[Dinkshooter]

Strange it’s like old fart bragging rights. Don’t be that guy.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Strange it’s like old fart bragging rights. Don’t be that guy.

Speak up sonny, nobody can hear you.

 

[timmy]

What’s that?

 

[Cheesehead]

Man, this thread is so on point.
I’m 33 and have noticeable hearing loss from shooting guns and running lots of power tools without ear protection growing up.
For me, it mostly shows up in crowded places with background noise. Socializing at a party is a joke as I can’t hear a damn thing. Huh?

 

[Ridgerunner6901]

Wow I thought I was probably the youngest one worrying with tinnitus and hearing loss. At 37 I've got documented tone loss in both ears and continual tinnitus. This elk season i kinda got in my head and wondered if I had been on elk and just couldn't hear the damn things, till finally I heard a few. After coming back in from hunts the wife would ask if I heard anything, with a giggle I always go " eeeeeeeeeeeeeee". Between guns, farm equipment, chainsaws, and guitar amplifiers i did it to myself. The old man was right.

 

[Nick87]

Yah nothing to mess with my left ear has significant loss and the right is close behind it. Years of heavy equipment, crushers etc.and getting your ears blown out duck or dove hunting.my kids are probably so annoyed with me I pretty much follow then around with ear plugs and headphones when were doing anything loud. Wish I'd of listened when they told me the same.

 

[Nick87]

Wow I thought I was probably the youngest one worrying with tinnitus and hearing loss. At 37 I've got documented tone loss in both ears and continual tinnitus. This elk season i kinda got in my head and wondered if I had been on elk and just couldn't hear the damn things, till finally I heard a few. After coming back in from hunts the wife would ask if I heard anything, with a giggle I always go " eeeeeeeeeeeeeee". Between guns, farm equipment, chainsaws, and guitar amplifiers i did it to myself. The old man was right.

33 here my old employer did hearing tests once of year due to our exposure I was the youngest guy there out of 30 for years and I had the worst hearing. Nothing to brag about.

 

[timmy]

If you shoot much out in the field get a suppressor. Not because it provides an advantage but because it protects your ears. My hearing is gone but the young guys can still protect theirs. I learned this too late. It is still loud but it doesn’t produce the muzzle blast for the shooter.