Do you use hearing protection when hunting deer, elk, moose, etc.?

[Dubz337]

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/hdx...ion/1001632880

Twelve bucks at Home Depot, just wear them around your neck and pop them in before you shoot. Seems a cheaper price to pay then hearing loss. Only get one set of ears, but there will always be other game if the one second it would take to put them in before you shoot somehow costs you a shot.

[waldedw]

Yes at the range or trap shooting, when predator hunting or bird hunting always, also have plugs or electronic muffs with me big game hunting and try to get them on or in before taking a shot, most times I have had time.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dubz337

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/hdx...ion/1001632880

Twelve bucks at Home Depot, just wear them around your neck and pop them in before you shoot. Seems a cheaper price to pay then hearing loss. Only get one set of ears, but there will always be other game if the one second it would take to put them in before you shoot somehow costs you a shot.

How many seconds? If you are going to try and justify something, at least try to be somewhat realistic. You will lose several seconds to properly install two ear plugs, get both hands back on your rifle, and aim to shoot. Even a few seconds will lose you opportunities in the field, especially at close range, or where animals cross openings in cover.

[Dubz337]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

How many seconds? If you are going to try and justify something, at least try to be somewhat realistic. You will lose several seconds to properly install two ear plugs, get both hands back on your rifle, and aim to shoot. Even a few seconds will lose you opportunities in the field, especially at close range, or where animals cross openings in cover.

Good job being pedantic. I don't know how physically disabled you are that putting in earplugs takes you that long. I can do it with my offhand while still looking down the scope. If you're staring down openings in cover, you could already have them in. There's this crazy thing called 'intuition', if i see an animal and am putting on a stalk i can reasonably guess I'm going to be taking a shot and put the earplugs in beforehand. If its a quick encounter I don't mind risking the 1 or 2 seconds it takes to put them in before a shot. If it costs me, oh well, not the end of the world, means I get to keep hunting. But you have fun being that guy nobody likes who always has to say 'WHAT' to everything in twenty years.

[Smoky buck]

Yup I am out this is just getting ridiculous

There is no absolutes in hunting, people hunt under a wide range of conditions and time available varies depending on hunting style/conditions

There are hunts a guy could sit back and handcraft custom earplugs between seeing an animal and making a shot. Other times you better have that rifle in your hand ready to go or you miss your window

But what do I know

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dubz337

Good job being pedantic. I don't know how physically disabled you are that putting in earplugs takes you that long. I can do it with my offhand while still looking down the scope. If you're staring down openings in cover, you could already have them in. There's this crazy thing called 'intuition', if i see an animal and am putting on a stalk i can reasonably guess I'm going to be taking a shot and put the earplugs in beforehand. If its a quick encounter I don't mind risking the 1 or 2 seconds it takes to put them in before a
shot. If it costs me, oh well, no the end of the world, means I get to keep hunting. But you have fun being that guy nobody likes who always has to say 'WHAT' to everything in twenty years.

I have been hunting for over 50 years, I retired after 35 years in industry, with better than normal hearing for my age. I have been in many situations over the years where I had 2-3 seconds to aim and shoot, so even 2 seconds would have cost me a shot opportunity. Situations like an elk suddely crossing a cutline, or passing through an opening in the timber . In many cases, I heard the animal before seeing them, or I probably wouldn't have seen them at all. In other situations I had 5-6 seconds, but I used a few seconds to range the animal, because it was at longer range, and I wouldn't guess when shooting that far. I have harvested well over 100 big game animals , and there were situations where I had
plenty of time, but there were others where I didn't.

[Battle Rat]

What is the purpose of the original question?
By stating that that you are stunned leads me to believe that you already had a strong opinion for hearing protection and are attempting to store a pot.
Can the data derived from the poll be applied to anything useful?

[antler1]

Last fall my daughter took a WT buck with her 25-06 out of a pop up blind. I was sitting beside her and didn't notice the end of her barrel was inside the blind.
I didn't get my hands over my ears in time and the concussion slammed my nearside ear. I have a permanent ringing in that ear now. I purchased two setting of electronic ear muffs so we can protect our hearing and still whisper to each other when a deer comes by.

[philintheblank]

I got a set of custom molded ear plugs that started wearing after I put a muzzle break on my main hunting rifle. I don't really hunt thick brush anymore like I did when I first started hunting.

So far I haven't run into a situation yet where I didn't have the time to put them in before shooting. Maybe one day I will miss a shot opportunity at an animal because of it. Time will tell.

I have thought about a set of noise canceling ear buds. The kind that amplify sound like talking, but close off when a shot rings out, but a good set are spendy.

Even bird hunting I usually have time to put in the plugs when I see the dog getting birdy.

[birdseye]

we always use hearing protection,Walker's are great for amplifying noise until the triger breaks.

[6.5 shooter]

Gopher patch and range Always, even if just the .22RF. Big game hunting not so much.