Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005070212
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
From Craig County, Quarles is one of a growing number of hunters using high-tech hearing devices to better detect a turkey gobbling on a ridge top or slipping through the leaves in answer to a call.
"They are a good advantage to anybody," said Quarles, particularly to someone past the prime of youth. Quarles is 67.
But do they give hunters an unfair advantage?
Gerald Duncan of Newport doesn't believe so. He is the editor of Gobbler Tracks, a publication of the Virginia State Wild Turkey Federation. In the spring issue, Duncan debated the ethics of amplified earphones. He said members gave him no negative feedback on their use.
"Most people equate their use somewhat the same as to using a scope on a deer rifle," he said.
The typical earphone buyer has a hearing impairment, a common problem of older hunters and ex-servicemen who spent time on firing ranges prior to the practice of using ear protectors, said Don Studer, manager of Hassett's Gun Supply in Waynesboro.
Studer said most of the earphones not only improve a hunter's hearing, but they protect it. The same unit that will amplify in stereo a soft sound of a turkey stalking through the woods also has a safety circuit system that in a split second will muffle the sound of a gun going off.
"I use them when I shoot a .22 on an indoor range and the brass hitting the floor sounds louder than the gun going off," said Studer.
With this in mind, the hearing devices, which can be worn like earmuffs, are beginning to show up on shooting ranges. A shooter using them can hear what his buddies are saying without suffering from the loud report of guns.
Some hunters report they are excellent in the fast-growing game of Sporting Clays. They will amplify the sound of hidden traps, giving advanced notice on what direction the clay target will be flying and whether multiple targets are being released.
The devices also have application for bird watchers who want to increase their hearing in order to pinpoint a species they desire to see; however, their use has not caught on locally, said Peggy Spiegel, who operates For the Birds on the City Market.
"I think we still like the challenge of the old way," she said.
The earphones are sold by shooting supply shops under several brand names, including ActionEar and Wolf Ears. They range in price from $100 to $150.
Quarles, who owns a pair of ActionEars, said older models could drive you crazy on a windy day by creating microphone noise. Newer models overcome this problem; in fact, the manufacturer of ActionEar recalled Quarles' unit and installed a wind abatement feature.
For hunters who don't want to put $100 or so into electronic earplugs, on the market are simple plastic cups that fit over your ears. They cost about $15.
Quarles also uses these and believes they increase his hearing up to 50 percent.
"It is a lot like cupping your ears with your hands," he said. "They look silly, but they double your hearing," he said.
One thing you must remember with the electronic earphones, you may hear a turkey gobbling that sounds like he is nearby when in reality he is miles away, said Quarles. The biggest advantage, he believes, is the ability to hear a tom close up, walking in on you.
"I have missed three shots this year already by not wearing them and having a turkey come in behind me."
While these binoculars for the ears appear ideal for turkey hunters, most customers at Hassett's Gun Supply are interested in them for deer hunting, said Studer.
"Basically, what it helps you do is to locate the animal."
by CNB