How to scout and hunt turkeys when your half deaf.

[RedHills]

Hearing aides opened a different door to my turkey hunting years ago...they claim the newer technology In the multi mic "Walker style" helps with coursing?? I believe in what someone who is audibly challenged has learned about turkey hunting, but they're still at a disadvantage.

 

[Bubba_1122]

Lost much of the hearing in my left ear after a fall in early 2018. Really quite fortunate (fall was 2 1/2 months after surgery to fuse 3 vertebrae in my neck. Fell backwards while piddling around at the hunting club. Hit so hard my head bounced off the ground. Thought I was paralyzed when it happened (was out there by myself). Fortunately, all that ended up ok but noticed that evening couldn't hear in my left ear. After quite a while at local ear doctor and then Mayo clinic the ear doctors said the hearing's gone in left ear and ain't coming back. They never could really isolate what exactly caused it.

Fortunate that I am able to get some relief with a hearing aid, but it ain't really the same.

The directional part is a real challenge.

Troutlab, I don't have any magical tips to share, but my mindset in light of my hearing challenge is to just do the best I can with what I have left. I'm probably not quite as effective a turkey hunter as before, but regardless, I love being in the turkey woods, and I just focus on doing the best I can with what I have. I'm always thankful I can still enjoy being outdoors and doing what I can do (I much realize I dodged a bullet with that fall).

 

[TroutLab]

TroutLab I don't deal with hearing loss in your way, I deal with an incredible rediculous case of tinnitus. The ringing in my ears is the loudest thing I hear. Unless a dog is barking or a baby is crying, some real sharp penatrating noises will be louder. I can hear gobblers. Not from as far away as the people who I take with me. Also I think I can tell direction of them but everytime I'm with turkey huntin company they all point the opposite way that I am.
When my wife, son and daughter are with me for spring break I'll make one shock gobble at dawn and I'll point one way.... I turn around and they're all pointin the other way. Ongoing joke with everyone who knows me is when I hunt by myself I must just keep walking until I run into the next gobbler.
I don't know what to say other than what I've learned to do when I hunt by myself and that is I let nature make him shock gobble or I try to make him shock gobble multiple times at dawn before I make a set up. Making him shock gobble the dusk before gives me an extreme advantage.... if he'll respond that is. If I go towards him at dawn and he gets louder and more clear then I'm goin in the right direction.
But there's nuthin like huntin with other people. It's hard for me to think the bird is one way, and everyone disagrees and I want to argue and get going my way quickly but I've learned with time to just go where the other people point and they're always right.
Good luck TroutLab!

@sea trout, The same thing happens to me. If I'm with other people and a turkey shock gobbles, they are always pointing in an opposite direction than me. Lol. The old saying that "a blind pig finds an acorn every now and again" is very true in my case. I like you have had to mostly rely on multiple shock gobbles, if I'm lucky, to key into his position. I think we are going to have to rely on either good scouting and/or a hunting partner.

Thank you for your reply.

Good Luck to you as well, @sea trout!

 

[TroutLab]

Hearing aides opened a different door to my turkey hunting years ago...they claim the newer technology In the multi mic "Walker style" helps with coursing?? I believe in what someone who is audibly challenged has learned about turkey hunting, but they're still at a disadvantage.

@RedHills, I wish a hearing aid could help me. I would need a cochlear implant to restore any kind of hearing in my bad ear. Since I hear perfectly fine out of my other ear, I'm not sure that I would to go through all of that. It is also very expensive.

Oh I whole heartedly agree with that those who are audibly challenged are disadvantaged in the hunt. But that just makes it a little bit more fun, to chase them around in the woods.

Thank you.

 

[TroutLab]

Lost much of the hearing in my left ear after a fall in early 2018. Really quite fortunate (fall was 2 1/2 months after surgery to fuse 3 vertebrae in my neck. Fell backwards while piddling around at the hunting club. Hit so hard my head bounced off the ground. Thought I was paralyzed when it happened (was out there by myself). Fortunately, all that ended up ok but noticed that evening couldn't hear in my left ear. After quite a while at local ear doctor and then Mayo clinic the ear doctors said the hearing's gone in left ear and ain't coming back. They never could really isolate what exactly caused it.

Fortunate that I am able to get some relief with a hearing aid, but it ain't really the same.

The directional part is a real challenge.

Troutlab, I don't have any magical tips to share, but my mindset in light of my hearing challenge is to just do the best I can with what I have left. I'm probably not quite as effective a turkey hunter as before, but regardless, I love being in the turkey woods, and I just focus on doing the best I can with what I have. I'm always thankful I can still enjoy being outdoors and doing what I can do (I much realize I dodged a bullet with that fall).

@Bubba_1122, I'm certainly glad that you weren't hurt worse than you were. You were very lucky. I definitely understand your hearing loss. It is amazing that something we take for granted, especially one of our senses, can be taken away so easily. My grandmother lost a good bit of her hearing to a cold! She has to rely on hearing aids in order to hear now.

Yes, the directional part is the challenge but being in the Turkey woods is not!

Thank you for story!

 

[Timberjack86]

I still hear pretty good but if I'm hunting and the birds ain't gobbling I set up and blind call in areas with lots of sign. I have killed lots of birds that never gobbled. They just come in silent. This is hunting Mountains by the way.

 

[Timberjack86]

I still hear pretty good but if I'm hunting and the birds ain't gobbling I set up and blind call in areas with lots of sign. I have killed lots of birds that never gobbled. They just come in silent. This is hunting Mountains by the way.

I also meant to add if I woke up deaf tomorrow this is how I would hunt turkeys.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

TroutLab I don't deal with hearing loss in your way, I deal with an incredible rediculous case of tinnitus. The ringing in my ears is the loudest thing I hear. Unless a dog is barking or a baby is crying, some real sharp penatrating noises will be louder. I can hear gobblers. Not from as far away as the people who I take with me. Also I think I can tell direction of them but everytime I'm with turkey huntin company they all point the opposite way that I am.
When my wife, son and daughter are with me for spring break I'll make one shock gobble at dawn and I'll point one way.... I turn around and they're all pointin the other way. Ongoing joke with everyone who knows me is when I hunt by myself I must just keep walking until I run into the next gobbler.
I don't know what to say other than what I've learned to do when I hunt by myself and that is I let nature make him shock gobble or I try to make him shock gobble multiple times at dawn before I make a set up. Making him shock gobble the dusk before gives me an extreme advantage.... if he'll respond that is. If I go towards him at dawn and he gets louder and more clear then I'm goin in the right direction.
But there's nuthin like huntin with other people. It's hard for me to think the bird is one way, and everyone disagrees and I want to argue and get going my way quickly but I've learned with time to just go where the other people point and they're always right.
Good luck TroutLab!

I have that same annoying ringing. Seems to bother me most when it's quiet around me. Quieter it is the louder the buzzing/ ringing thing. Sounds like a million crickets at a pep rally

 

[WaltL1]

Almost completely deaf in one ear. Typically can hear them gobble but like some others cant tell which direction accurately.
Not the best solution but now I pretty much figure if I can hear them, they can hear me calling so I end up pretty much setting up where I am instead of going in the wrong direction trying to get closer.
Obviously if you can scout enough to know where they "should" be roosting, thats a big help.

 

[TroutLab]

I also meant to add if I woke up deaf tomorrow this is how I would hunt turkeys.

@Timberjack86, This is pretty much how I hunt as well. I never really scouted much. I'm going to try improving my scouting skills to see if that will help improve my odds.

Thank you,

 

[TroutLab]

I have that same annoying ringing. Seems to bother me most when it's quiet around me. Quieter it is the louder the buzzing/ ringing thing. Sounds like a million crickets at a pep rally

@Wayne D Davis, you might want to try either electronic earmuffs or ear plugs. The increased volume of the muffs/plugs may help drown out the buzzing/ringing; especially in the quiet of the woods.

Thank you,

 

[TroutLab]

Almost completely deaf in one ear. Typically can hear them gobble but like some others cant tell which direction accurately.
Not the best solution but now I pretty much figure if I can hear them, they can hear me calling so I end up pretty much setting up where I am instead of going in the wrong direction trying to get closer.
Obviously if you can scout enough to know where they "should" be roosting, thats a big help.

@WaltL1, That is what I have always done in the past. Once I've heard turkey, I would pick a spot close by and start to "blind" call. Sometimes it worked. I have never really thought about it the way you stated. You make a very good point as to why you shouldn't risk either moving away or accidentally bumping the turkey that you heard.

Thank you,

 

[Wayne D Davis]

@Wayne D Davis, you might want to try either electronic earmuffs or ear plugs. The increased volume of the muffs/plugs may help drown out the buzzing/ringing; especially in the quiet of the woods.

Thank you,

Never heard of electronic ear muffs.... may have to look into that. Thanks

 

[Arrow Flinger]

I have hearing loss and tinnitus. I use walker game ears and wouldn’t hunt without them. Turkey and deer. If you buy the quad pair with 4 mics, they have much better directional hearing

 

[TroutLab]

Never heard of electronic ear muffs.... may have to look into that. Thanks[/QUOTE

@Wayne D Davis, Oh yes, there are quite a few manufacturers. They also make earplug versions as well. I have been using Walker's Game Ear. I have also been looking at Soundgear electronic earplugs. They are very pricey. But, I'm researching them to see if they are truly worth the price. There are alot of companies out there so do your research to protect your hearing.

 

[TroutLab]

I have hearing loss and tinnitus. I use walker game ears and wouldn’t hunt without them. Turkey and deer. If you buy the quad pair with 4 mics, they have much better directional hearing

@Arrow Flinger, I don't bother even putting batteries on my right side. It is nice to have the other side to rely on in case one side fails, though.

 

[ssramage]

I don't know anything about this product but ran across this video from the NWTF Convention last weekend.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Has anyone had experience with the Pro Ear stealth 28?

 

[ffowler]

Fortunately for me, hearing aids "corrected" my hearing issues. Been nearly deaf in my right ear since my youth due to multiple infections and too many Grateful Dead concerts (lol).

I do pick up sounds better, but I still usually pick up clucks/goobles a little closer than my son when we are together. But alone, I learned to be much more patient, and the most important thing I learned was to not look for what I am hunting, but to look for what's different. So, when I'm in the woods and notice that there was a sutle change in something in the landscape/area changed or maybe a movement that is contrary to my surroundings, I pay attention and focus on that for a bit.

 

[longbowdave1]

I don't know anything about this product but ran across this video from the NWTF Convention last weekend.

Very cool, but not 699$ cool.