Hey all,

Call me paranoid, conservative whatever. Im looking for some kind of solution for hearing protection while rifle hunting. Ill be shooting a 6.5 manbun, and am curious what your go-to solution is. Best I can come up with is a waterproof style
Earplug (three silicone rings) and keep them around my neck. If I get time to put them both in great. If not start with left first and see if my shoulder/jacket can shield the right.

I’ve got over the ear electronic muffs but fear they would get too hot to have on all the time.

Due to serious overspending on other hunting gear I’m not looking to go in ear active protection just yet.

Thx for your thoughts.

I use the ones you are using now.  They work the best for me.  I take it you are taking longer shots so hearing the animals up close is not a concern.

Does CO allow suppressed rifles for hunting?

I used Surefire Sonic Defenders until I bought a suppressor for the .308.  They worked great.  Could hear fine and blocked the rifle crack when the trigger was pulled

This will be my first time out in CO. I plan on putting them in if I get a chance. Don’t think I’ll walk around with them in. Gotta be able to hear what’s going on.

If I get Into this and do it regularily it may just make sense to get a can. Problem is its already a 22”-24” barrel.

For deer or elk hunting where you might fire 1 shot, I don't wear any.

Prairie dogs where I shoot 300+ a day. Yeah ear plugs

I have hearing loss so I used electronic muffs or just put one foam plug in my left ear (takes the brunt) and try to put one in my right ear if I have the time.  Finally got a suppressor and don't bother with the ear pro any longer.  At least not for hunting as it is just one shot.  I still use earpro when I target shoot suppressed with anything other than 300 subs and 22LR.

I never bothered while deer hunting since it's only one or two shots, though I acknowledge that it was doing some hearing damage.  For duck hunting I do use the soft, molded plastic ones, though I usually only insert the left one halfway so I can still hear a little.  I'm a lefty and always sit on the left side of the blind, so my right ear takes the brunt of the noise.  The molded plugs are obviously a better choice than foamies, since you don't have to wait for them to expand.

I've since gotten into suppressors, so I don't deer hunt with an unsuppressed rifle anymore.  Length is a concern in some situations, but that can be mitigated by a shorter barrel or shorter can, or both.  Obviously, as things get shorter, volume increases.  Unless your rifle is fluted or has a carbon wrapped barrel, you could probably afford to lose a couple inches and get it threaded without too much loss in performance.  You could also go with a short can like the TBAC Ultra 5.  It won't be as quiet as a long can, but a hell of a lot quieter than no can.  Definitely a more costly option than any ear plugs though.

If I'm hunting from an enclosed stand, I'll wear the foam plugs.

From my dad's porch... I don't wear any.

Suppressor is life :)

Not really worried about traditional long barrel weapons of modest chambering out in the open. Of course it’s not good for you, but at this point, meh… I wouldn’t have any interest in using a “magnum” like many do for bear/moose or whatever without some kind of protection, but I’m really not worried about my slug gun or a 26” .308. No brakes or comps for me, I want an A2, linear comp, or silencer.

For dove, where you’re liable to shoot a lot, especially when you suck like me… just wear plugs. It’s almost entirely visual, and you’re most likely just sitting around.

From a blind of some kind, I don’t see much excuse to not have muffs handy. Make sure you get that muzzle outside the blind! You’re not ricky-recon-super-sniper, you don’t have to eat that muzzle blast inside a box.

Silencer is always the best option, in my opinion. The added benefit, being less disturbance of the wildlife. When I’ve shot loud, everything scatters straight off. Using a silencer, they’re confused and run in circles. I understand this is highly subjective, but I’m not the only one it’s happened to.

I use the Safariland plugs, which offer a scaling protection based on the impact noise. 12db passive to 32db with a gunshot. I don’t believe they actually make that full 32db though. They do not block the same noise that regular foam does, but for more pedestrian weapons, and working industry, they’re good enough. Short+braked guns, you want to go back to foam at least, and should really add muffs. Of course, you should always use a silencer too…

I tried the surefire sonic defenders, and IMO, they’re hot garbage. Didn’t seem to block a bit of sound. Besides the subjective fit, which was poor at best for me.

Use hearing protection if you like hearing. One shot does permanent damage every time. These threads are always the same.

I use MSA Sordin Pro muffs. I know you said you're not looking to spend a fortune, but these are the alpha of electronic ear muffs. After a few minutes I forget I have them on. They reproduce sound so well and sit fine over my insulated balaclava. I have had them on for hours at a time with zero issues.

I have suppressed rifles, too. With these headphones, I happily reach for an unsuppressed one if that's what I feel like shooting.

Don't listen (HA) to these people saying one shot unprotected doesn't matter. That's literally crazy talk. What's your hearing worth?

-Stooxie

I have found a suppressor to be the best ear pro for hunting. Also seems like the game is less disturbed by it.

Cans are awesome.

None of my hunting rifles are threaded so there is a. Issue for me. I need to change this.

When I deer hunting in MO I am either sitting on a high seat or in the large box blind we built last summer. There I use a set of active muffs since I either hang them on the rail or set them on the bench. In 25 years if hunting that ground I have never come close to a snap shot. I do keep them on walking from the blind after hunting in the mornings and when heading back down for the evening. You know. Just in case.

Here in CO where it is spot and stalk mostly I keep a pair of ear plugs on that plastic cord da fling from the back of my hat. If there is time I put them in.

For Africa I do the same thing as CO. I have lrobablt
Remembered to put them in for maybe 40% of over 40 animals I have shot there (I got to do some culling).

Best I can say is anything is better than. I thing because your hearing never grows back.

Assuming its a non varmint hunting l, i dont use ear pro. Its bulky for 1 shot

If it is varmint hunting its my 3M muffs

I hunt with a suppressor in MN. It's the best ear pro. I have my barrels threaded by a local gunsmith.

I hunt suppressed but already have significant hearing loss and tinnitus so I take my Sordins. I wear them almost the entire time. The amplified sounds of the woods boosts my situational awareness and mostly drowns out the ringing in my ears which is a nice bonus.

I’m a big fan of the percussive decibullz ear plugs. When molded properly, they work great, and are under $100.00

Edited - IIRC

Sonic defenders, Walker's razors, suppressor are my choices depending on situation.

If you like ringing then don't worry about it. If you like hearing other people talk in a crowd then push those plugs in. Let it be something that slows down your heart and lets you take your shot without buck fever.

I’m going suppressed on everything.

I use Walker electronic muffs here in SC.  I don't have them over my ears the entire time I sit.  Most of the time early in a hunt I put them up so to speak and as it gets closer to civil twilight and deer move, I put them down.  It has worked for me for years.  I shoot a 16in Grendel with a brake, so it is plenty loud.

Electronic wireless ear buds.  Wear them all the time.    


I was using 3m peltor eep-100 but they died in a year.

Recently purchased axil xcor.    

The ability to listen to a podcast while waiting in a deer stand is nice.  The 3m was smaller and more comfortable but the fact they died so quickly for the price point makes me hesitant to buy again.  

The ear buds go with me everywhere.    Brother is damn near deaf and hearing loss runs in the family, stapes ossification or something…  Trying to avoid it.  

Axil was worth the money so far.


Edit: just read op and saw no in ear active…

I’d just use plugs until I had enough for buds… 3m push in to save time during shot opportunity.

My hunting coats have a pack of earplugs in the hand warmer pockets.  Foam disposable or rubber three valve type although the rubber ones I need to trash or replace as they’re getting hard.

If blind or stand hunting if I have time I will put them in.   Every shot you take unprotected does damage.   I have managed to shoot three deer iirc while having time to put the plugs in.   Not that hard if your stand hunting and are relatively concealed and have time to observe.  

I would not bother while slow stalking.  I have not found a deer while stalking where I had ample time.  Well at least not with deer I wanted to shoot.  A few does and spikes I walked up on and could have used hp because they never saw me.

I use electric ear pro plus a can.

As for me, using something to protect your hearing is not practical - you can't hear the environment when you dont shoot. It is better to use a weapon with a silencer.

Was axis hunting the week before last. Carried my small backpack with binos, rangefinder, hearing protection and other stuff.  I've hunting in a few states and all but once have I not had time to put muffs on. Having major hearing loss in one ear I can't afford to not wear it.

When I hunt on the fields, I use a suppressor. When I’m in the woods, I use a 45-70 lever gun with no suppressor, but whenever I shoot a deer, it doesn’t seem to ring my ears. I hear the boom, per se, but it’s weird. Anyway, I tried wearing walkers electronic ear muffs, but I hated hearing literally everything around me. Squirrels became even more annoying, and you could hear every leaf hit the ground for several acres. Plus. Wearing them for a couple hours always hurts my ears after a while from the muffs squeezing my head. I was better off just not wearing anything.

These threads really do always go the same way, which is sad, because it means there are really no true answers. Yes, a single shot does damage your hearing, that is indisputable. Is it enough to matter compared to that grinder, lawn mower, chainsaw, or anything else that you just had to get done quick? Possibly. Maybe not.

There's really on 3 options

#1 ear plugs/muffs, block all hearing

#2 electronic ear plugs or muffs

#3 suppressor

Technically I guess you could ignore it until you go deaf. Just look at that guy above, he can shoot and not even hear ringing. He has hearing damage. I do too, but mine still ring.



I've tried those baffled or whatever ear plugs, and maybe they help hear talking next to you a little easier, but when it comes to actually hearing, they are about as useless as normal ear plugs, maybe worse. I am not a fan of foam ear plugs for hunting ever. I've tried them with only one in the offside ear, the one that gets the blast, but it still doesn't work that great. With both ears plugged you can't hear anything, which at best is terrible, and with multiple hunters is a disaster waiting to happen. Putting them in before a shot might work with the harder styles, especially the kind with the neck band you can just put them over your ears and they seat themselves. This would obviously only be a stand hunting, or long range deal due to the movement.

Ear muffs are very much the same as ear plugs, with the added bonus you can keep them on your head, so it takes less movement to put them on. I've known waterfowl hunters who wore them over their hat and pulled them down as birds approached. They are a little big and bulky to keep on your head all day if moving. The squeeze on your head gets painful after a few hours too, so you can't really keep them on all day if sitting in a stand.

Electronic muffs and plugs I think can be more practical, but only in certain situations. Where they really come into their own is anytime you are moving, any kind of stalking, or bird hunting, they are good. You can hear others talk, and you don't need to hear small details. The cheap ones kind of suck, and it can be hard to get a sense of direction with them. Even something loud like a pheasant flushing, it can be hard to hear the direction its in. For deer hunting from a stand, electronics really limit your hearing to the point I can't use them. They really make that lawn mower 3 miles away loud, and that deer 25 yards away quiet. Throw in wind, and you can't hear anything. Maybe some really high end ones work better, I know Tetra is a big name and supposed to be very good. The problem is, if you are spending $750, $1000, $1200 on electric muffs, why didn't you just go with option #3?

Suppressors seem like a no brainer on rifles to me, especially now with no real wait times. Maybe it wouldn't be fully hearing safe, but I don't see how it could harm your hearing any more than the radio in your car every day. The weight and bulk is no more than a set of muffs. The only drawbacks to suppressors is when talking about non-rifles. Shotguns for example do not have nearly the same options out there. Even of what is out there, shotgun handing is much bigger concern than with rifles. Because of that, in my opinion integral suppressors are much more practical on a shotgun than the screw in options. Something like a barrel modified by Pheonix Weaponry, is a much better option for a hunting shotgun than screwing in something like the Salvo-12. Anything involving a shotgun is MUCH more damaging to your ears since youo often shoot 5-10-20+ shots in a day, every day. Handgun hunting depends. You can screw a suppressor right on a FN 510T 10mm auto, but it's not even an option for the much more common 44 magnum revolver.