Although I consider myself a novice outdoorsman, I’d like to share a tip for stalking given to me by a hunting buddy who has taught me a lot.
When I walk to my stand, stalk or still hunt, I like to wear my Walker’s Game Ear headphones. Although originally developed as a hearing protection device, I’ve found the headphones also work great for enhanced stalking.
On a frosty autumn day, you can really tell how much noise you are making when walking through the woods. You hear what the deer hears.
With amplified headphones, the playing field is leveled a little because you can hear deer and other game moving in the distance, hopefully before they hear you.
Most hunters who own Walker’s Game Ears only wear them occasionally, while sitting in the stand or just before they shoot. If you use them while stalking, you’ll be surprised how much they help. That’s just one more tactic in your arsenal.
Editor’s Note: I wish amplified hearing protection had been available when I started hunting back in the 1970s. Perhaps I wouldn’t have constant ringing in my ears now, brought on by countless gunshots throughout the years. My idea of proper hearing protection back then, which I rarely used, was a couple of wads of toilet paper stuffed into my ears.
Today, I use Walker’s Game Ear headphones anytime I hunt, even for plinking cans with a .22 rifle or quail hunting.
The effects of gunshot damage are cumulative, meaning the ear breaks down over time, deteriorating after each blast. From now on, I’m saving what I have.
— Tim H. Martin/Buckmasters Tip Editor