@BeeMaa - agree there is great protection out there that still lets you “Hear” while wearing them - my headphones actually “enhance” my hearing while turkey hunting and only shut-off-loud noises (gun shot). I wish I had these devices when I first started hunting, because as kids, 3 of us Duck hunted together out of one boat or blind and on ‘good days’ we would shoot 2-3 boxes of shells EACH. I remember times my ears would “ring” after we all UNloaded on a flock. I got very careful with my hearing in my 30s and especially when I introduced my Son & Daughter to hunting - protecting their hearing AND mine. Even though I started wearing ear plugs while duck hunting in my 30s (started with stuffing tissue paper in them) and now Never hunt without good hearing protection since——-I still have 40% high frequency hearing loss…most of which is hereditary for me. I can’t afford to lose anymore. Any hunting with high volume shooting (ducks, doves, even rabbits = plugs or better. If muzzle loader hunting or rifle hunting alone - I will try to put plugs in just before I shoot - provided I have time or wear my Walkers Game Ear headphones.
Stuff I never did as a Kid - Never wearing life jackets or even “having” life jackets in our boat, Never wore hearing protection….Now I wouldn’t think about doing that stupid stuff again - having my own Kids made me “smarter” AND more careful.