Hunters ears question

Got a question guys. High on my list of favorite parts duck hunting is the sounds of the hunt like whistling wings, quacks, whistles... But I don't want to go deaf from no ear protection. Has anyone ever use the hunters ears or ear bud type protection, and some at a reasonable price?

I have the custom-molded inserts. They were expensive when I bought them 10 years ago. They are even more expensive now. They are worth the money in my opinion. My son has a pair of Radians battery-powered electronic head muffs. They are much less expensive and work well for him. We are both still able to hear whistling wings, quacks, etc.

My suggestion is to buy a pair of the less expensive electronic head muffs and try them. You may want to step up to a custom-molded device later as finances allow. I can tell you that after my military career and a lifetime of hunting my hearing is severely degraded. Whatever you do take action now to preserve your hearing or you will certainly have more difficulty hearing those special sounds later in life. Don't wait to preserve your hearing.

Biggest problem waterfowlers have is this

I have these:

http://www.surefire.com/ep4-sonic-defenders-plus.html

They're cheap and they protect the hearing and I'm still able to hear quacking and whatnot.

Nobody else, walkers game ear?

Man, I paid $259 for Walker Game Ear muffs about 10 years ago. They worked "okay", now I see they are as low as $19.99 and are probably better. One feature I'd look for is using AA batteries. My old ones took some odd size battery.

Have been using a set of Walkers game ears, didn't like the ear piece on them so bought one of the kits to custom mold your own custom plugs then put a hole in them for the game ear tube. works pretty good. It did take me a couple of the kits to get it right but was much less expensive than getting the molded one professionally done

I use the howard leight impact sport muffs. Excellent clarity and amplification of any slight noise. I can hear whistling wings around me easily. Lets you talk in the blind without having to sound like youre shouting. I bought them on sale at cabelas for $35 last week.

Say what now?

I have hearing damage already from shooting, i use the walkers earmuffs that are around 100 bucks, plus earplugs.

good info here:

http://keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=2052

You can also get tinnitus which is what I have. Continuous ringing in your ears. I never wore ear protection and I listen to music as loud as it can go. My advice is to wear anything that can protect your ears. If you do get what I have it will freak you out for about a month. You literally can't function because of the ringing. Thank God my doctor was right, your brain actually takes over and evens everything out and you don't hear the ringing anymore. It's a nerve that gets whacked out and has nothing to do with your ear drums at all. I was lucky that mine stopped so soon. I've heard of some that last for over a year.

one of the best things I bought for that very reason. they are diaphragm ear plugs. let normal sound come through, but when high DB noise they close off to act as normal ear plugs. link below. i am sure you can find them cheaper, but for $20 they are great. i have tried walkers and other sound assisted muffs, and I get annoyed with all the other noise (planes, wind, cars on the bridge above me, just kidding)

http://www.workwearcanada.com/products/detail.cfm?product=965

I've had these for two seasons and they work great

X 2. Got mine this season and they work great.

I have had the ringing since 1989. I'm use to it and don't think about it most of the time. Not wearing ear protect back the did me in. I wear now all the time.

I have two pair of walkers 50$ model, you can still hear great and hear the quacks/ limbs breakin... The only thing you can't hear that I wish you could are wing beats! One of my favorite sounds and a really useful sound to hear when it comes to alerting you that birds are in the area!