only time i wear ear protection hunting is when im shooting high volume crows, prairie dogs, and ground hogs. dont shoot enough in the goose blind when i hunt.

Thanks for that helpful input, Bubba.

I hunt field hedgerows for geese and I don't wear any hearing protection but I think that is going to change this year! I am finally starting to notice the beating my hearing takes at the end of a day in the field. I think I'm kinda stuck with no protection when pheasant hunting, which is unfortunate because the barrel of that gun is two inches shorter (but it's not a 3" mag either). This coming year I'm going to use plugs when hunting geese. And not the foam ones either. They hurt my ears, are a PAIN to get rolled up when they are cold, and don't work nearly as well as the alternative - plastic shopping bags. Yep, you heard me! Tear off a piece of bag about as big as your palm, roll it up, and stuff in the ear, preferably with a piece hanging out. Works great! I discovered that trick a long time ago when sighting in my rifle. Found I forgot my earplugs at home so I had to make due with what I could find in the truck.

Anyway, redfish, because we hunt with dogs over decoys I think using hearing protection can still be effective. Rely on the dog's ears. Just watch them. My dogs almost always hear the honkers long before I do even back in the days when my hearing was pretty good.

HUh? What did you say? Oh, none unfortunately.Not sure where my hearing damage came from but I certainly have some. Any background noise I dont hear very well.