The hunters curse has been lifted

[peternap]

No not the Diabetes....Hearing loss.

Like most people who hunt and shoot, often without hearing protection, I've lost a lot of hearing. Getting older hasn't helped either.

I had no intention of buying a hearing aid that costs $2,000.00.

Getting ready for bow season I realized I couldn't hear twigs snap or leaves rustle so I started looking at the Walker Game ear. I ran across a couple of hearing aid sites where people are using them instead of conventional hearing aids...so I bought one last night.

What a difference! I'm still playing with the settings but I can hear everything people are saying. I had been picking up some of the conversation, reading lips and guessing at the rest.

Best two hundred bucks I've spent for awhile.

[Redoverfarm]

Wonder if they give a discount for bulk quanity?   I am like you Peter too much time at the range, running equipment and scuba diving.  When I first started shooting our idea of ear plugs was a wad cutters in each ear. I keep putting off the inevitable.  Yes I do a lot of "what" but for now everyone will just have to put up with it.

[firefox]

Peter, Which model did you get? I need some too.
Thanks,
Bruce

[MountainDon]

Same boat here,      It is too bad especially because now we know and recognize what did the damage. For me it was gunfire and unmuffled competition  motorcycles and car engines, plus some injudicious head set use.  I've found my amplified shooting, chainsawing and workshop muffsets to be great for assisting hearing. They just aren't something I want to wear all the time. 

Let this thread also be a warning to all the current invincible young guys and gals.  Damage does not show up until it is too late. The temporary hardness of hearing after loud percussion noises does go away. But the real losses in hearing certain frequencies takes longer and sneaks up on you. I now have my electronic muffs (home and cabin) and carry assorted muffs higher quality plugs in all my vehicles. I even had a pair with me in Europe. 

[peternap]

Peter, Which model did you get? I need some too.
Thanks,
Bruce

It's the HD Pro.
http://www.walkersgameear.com/enhancement_hdSeries.html#hd

[rick91351]

Most all of use know the curse and have a mans litany of why. I will put up eight, ten or twelve hours of roaring old locomotive power like SD 40s  against anything out there.  Believe it or not hearing protection was against the rules till about 1988 or so now it is mandatory. Helper service was the worst.  Get on the rear end of a train and crawl up a mountain eight to twelve mph in eighth run.  The highest throttle setting just sit back and listen to the roar.  Wrestle it to the top of the hill, unhook, come back and do it again and again.   Today you can actually carry on a normal conversation in a locomotive cab.

Between the tinnitus, and a few other annoyances mostly due to hearing problems I find I love the 'silence of the outdoors' and the simple sounds I can still hear when I am in the woods.  I just love my quiet times with nature.                

[peternap]

One especially nice thing is it comes with silicone earpieces and a foam plug that can be used instead. The unit has a threshold where it cuts off (Like Don's muffs) so you can plug the other ear and shoot with the unit on. I'll stick with muffs at the range but this is good for hunting.

[firefox]

Thank you very much Peter!
Bruce