I bit the bullet last duck season, and purchased what is now my most expensive single piece of hunting equipment (including my gun)...
Wish I had done it a lot sooner! Used some other less expensive devices, but Tetra is the real deal. I have tinnitus, and some mild hearing loss worse in my left ear... They are customized to my hearing loss for each ear.
My first time hunting with them, I could not believe the sounds I had been missing. Although it did take some time to get used to hearing waterfowl too far away to see, and feeling like they should almost be in shooting range.
Calling (ducks/geese) with Tetra's in was my biggest issue, and I am finding I am going to have to practice for turkey as well (especially the diaphragm)... The right sound, no longer sounds "right."
Very much looking forward to my first turkey season wearing them, and wondering what the thoughts were of anyone else on the board who is wearing them for turkey hunting?
I've been wearing the customs for 3 seasons. Turkey. Deer and Ducks. Definitely makes a difference in what I hear in the woods and how I hear my calling. I'm not a great caller, but I can sound like a turkey mostly. I found it worthwhile to practice with the Tetra's. I'm missing the high-frequency stuff more in my left than right, which is a pretty common problem, I think. Hearing the full range again from live birds made me realize my calling was even less realistic than it had been when I was younger and heard better.
Ranging Gobbling turkeys will be a learning curve like ducks.
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I do and now I don't have to listen to my grandson asking me if I heard that one.
Bought some last year. Very pleased with them. I'm hearing gobbles from distances I hadn't in years. Expensive but worth it.
For those who have used them. I read that ranging would be a learning curve. How difficult is it to coarse or get a direction when you hear a gobble?
Quote from: Gobbler-one on March 17, 2024, 07:37:42 AM
For those who have used them. I read that ranging would be a learning curve. How difficult is it to coarse or get a direction when you hear a gobble?
It took me a couple of weeks the first season to get used to the sounds and distance. It was almost overwhelming when I first got in the woods, so much had been missing from what i could hear. I set up way long a few times and blew a couple off the limb next. I also scared a couple out of the county up in the day. For me, they were about twice as far as I thought they were with Tetra's. It's probably different for everyone. Before Tetra's, I had to be less than 500yds. to hear em anyway, under 300yds. to pinpoint them.
I can hear em further than I wanna walk now.
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Quote from: Gobbler-one on March 17, 2024, 07:37:42 AM
For those who have used them. I read that ranging would be a learning curve. How difficult is it to coarse or get a direction when you hear a gobble?
Having used them for duck, dove, and upland... Directionality is great.
Judging how far they are takes some getting used to. I found myself constantly looking for birds I could hear, but were far more distant than I thought.
My biggest concern turkey hunting is losing the little ear buds.
Also going after birds three miles away.
And I am wondering about:
*Any new sounds (chirping and subtle clucks, etc.)
*How well does drumming come across with Tetra's in?
*Do squirrels running in the grass sound like a bigfoot coming up on you?
*How far away can you hear turkeys walking in silently (actually hearing the footsteps)?
Interested in the Tetras also. Which model are you all using?
https://tetrahearing.com/collections/all-hearing-gear/products/multi-pursuit-customshield
This is what I've been using.
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*Any new sounds (chirping and subtle clucks, etc.) Yep, had some close hens and jakes last year, unreal all the subtle stuff happening as they fed by me.
*How well does drumming come across with Tetra's in? I can hear it. It's still more of a feeling in my chest after the spit. 60-80 yards out, I guess, unnerves me every time.
*Do squirrels running in the grass sound like a bigfoot coming up on you? At first, maybe, but now they sound like squirrels and deer like deer.
*How far away can you hear turkeys walking in silently (actually hearing the footsteps)? Terrain depending, i.e. crunch leaves vs. Pine straw...50-60 yds. In leaves.
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Quote from: Nathan_Wiles on March 17, 2024, 07:52:37 PM
*Any new sounds (chirping and subtle clucks, etc.) Yep, had some close hens and jakes last year, unreal all the subtle stuff happening as they fed by me.
*How well does drumming come across with Tetra's in? I can hear it. It's still more of a feeling in my chest after the spit. 60-80 yards out, I guess, unnerves me every time.
*Do squirrels running in the grass sound like a bigfoot coming up on you? At first, maybe, but now they sound like squirrels and deer like deer.
*How far away can you hear turkeys walking in silently (actually hearing the footsteps)? Terrain depending, i.e. crunch leaves vs. Pine straw...50-60 yds. In leaves.
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Tinnitus has slowly overtaken me also and I have been looking hard at Tetras. Biggest questions I had were answered here except are there any tips? I saw the molded ones vs the standard OSFM type. Any thoughts on these? Also, I plan to strictly use them for turkey hunting and maybe duck, but is there a huge difference in those frequencies or does the turkey setup work just fine for both?
I have the dreaded tinnitus as well...constant sounds seems to help mine, complete silence isn't good, but some sound to listen too seems to help quiet mine down.
I went with the custom fit version for the gunshot protection and the programming option. There is definitely a difference in what i hear on each program. I would say turkey would work across the board. But having different programs for deer, waterfowl, elk, turkey, range, and normal that is specifically tuned to help me hear what my ears can't is pretty cool.
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I have tinnitus as well as hearing loss. I've been using Tetras for about 3 - 4 years and would just as soon leave my gun at home as go in the woods without them. I've tried Axil's but got more white noise with them. I think the key is the hearing test you do which helps pinpoint your particular needs as to enhancements. They are expensive but like we always say, look how much we spend on guns, shells, clothes and other gadgets, your first point of contact with a bird is your ears. If you can't hear him how are you going to hunt him? Just my personal opinion.
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Quote from: Spurs on March 20, 2024, 03:50:54 PM
Tinnitus has slowly overtaken me also and I have been looking hard at Tetras. Biggest questions I had were answered here except are there any tips? I saw the molded ones vs the standard OSFM type. Any thoughts on these? Also, I plan to strictly use them for turkey hunting and maybe duck, but is there a huge difference in those frequencies or does the turkey setup work just fine for both?
I also have tinnitus. Tetra's make a huge difference for dove, duck, and pheasant hunting so far....
I purchased the Alpha Shields customized... Were I to do it over, I would get the molded.
My main concern is losing them if they fall out. Moldeds are less likely to fall out, and easier to find if they do. I also understand they are a bit more comfortable... I would actually like to have them linked to my phone which can also be done with the molded.
Will they block the sound from hand held mouth calls such as crow, trumpet and wingbone as they do for gunshots or make the sound louder.
They lower the unsafe sound to a safe range that won't cause hearing damage. You will still hear all the sounds. I wear them duck hunting. Have the alpha shields.
I had my FREE hearing test Friday before last at Sam's Club and talked to Amy at Tetra about which model I wanted. We chose the Turkey AmpPod 90 series and she gave me a 10% discount too. They have a 30 day 100% money back or you also return and apply the full $ spent on an upgraded model, so you can't go wrong. For up to a year, you can also return for upgrade at 75% of your cost. She also said the Turkey program is their most sensitive and works very well for deer hunting too.
Mine arrived an hour ago and I am amazed at how well they work. I am hearing things that I would miss normally, and they sound very natural, 1000% better than the Walker's I have. A side benefit is my tinnitus vanishes with them in and even for a bit after I take them out. Will be using them through the season (starts on the 13th here) and report back. Right now, I'm kicking myself for not getting these years ago!
I've been looking hard at getting these as well. I've heard great things from everyone on Tetra.
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I've had a pair of the AmpPods for going on 3 years now and I love them. I don't have any problems determining which direction the sound comes from either. I had mine of "turkey" mode this morning and thought I heard a faint gobble. I turned them up to "turkey boost" and could tell for sure it was a gobble. I turned them up to "turkey magnum" and could hear him loud and clear. I dropped a pin on him and started that way. I caught up with him in a clearcut with some hens right after he flew down. I checked it using HuntStand and he was just under 3/4 of a mile from me. Granted it was across mostly clearcut but it was still a LONG ways away and I know for a fact that I would not have heard him without them. They are well worth the cost!!!!
I used them several hunts last year and a good bit this year. Hunting alone I can't say on judging distance yet but I feel like I'm pretty close in my guesstimating.
Coursing the gobble? Thought I was doing great but a couple this spring make me wonder if I'm getting it right all the time. I hunt alone but will test that when I take my grandson later in April.
Worth the sizeable cost at many rate tho. I use the turkey amp pods 90's.
Going to move this back up. Hoping to hear more. (No pun intended) Differences between Amp pods and the Alpha shields? Turkey or Multi-pursuit?
Quote from: TBoo on April 07, 2024, 07:56:36 AM
Going to move this back up. Hoping to hear more. (No pun intended) Differences between Amp pods and the Alpha shields? Turkey or Multi-pursuit?
The main difference in the shields or custom shields and the ampppds is the the former block all shot sounds completely. The amppods only block some of it due to the fit. The sound programs of the 90 amppods and the others are the same. After talking with them about the models, I went with the amppods since I will not be using them on the range or in situations like duck hunting where many shots are fired and these are still better than no protection and drastically improve my hearing for birds.
Our season opens next Saturday and will post more as I learn in the woods.
Ok. Is it worth the extra $ to get the Multi pursuit, or is getting the Turkey Amp pods just fine for a turkey/deer hunter? Thanks everyone for all the help.
Quote from: TBoo on April 08, 2024, 10:14:35 AM
Ok. Is it worth the extra $ to get the Multi pursuit, or is getting the Turkey Amp pods just fine for a turkey/deer hunter? Thanks everyone for all the help.
In my discussions with them, they did indicate the turkey program is the most sensitive and will also work well for other pursuits. I chose to go with it over the MP for that reason. I will spend to get what I need on anything hunting related, but it seemed like a waste of my $ in this case.
Quote from: TBoo on April 08, 2024, 10:14:35 AM
Ok. Is it worth the extra $ to get the Multi pursuit, or is getting the Turkey Amp pods just fine for a turkey/deer hunter? Thanks everyone for all the help.
I hunt waterfowl and upland as well...
I have now used all the programs with them... Waterfowl, dove, pheasant, turkey. With some hearing loss, I also use the "conversation" mode for personal use (now I can turn the TV down and hear it without waking the kids).
For me, it is difficult to tell what the difference is between each program, but I have not really experimented with it too much... I do know that I can hear watefowl at distances I could not previously hear, and I can hear sounds from birds on the water that I did not even know they make. Heard pheasants running in cover, and heard distant flushes I was immediately able to locate....
Thus far turkey hunting, I can hear them gobble at much further distances... I have heard foot-steps of two birds on moist ground that went through some leaves. I have heard spitting, but not drumming. I am also hearing all kinds of birds, frogs, & bugs that I never heard before...
Were I hunting only deer and turkey, I do not think I would get the upgrade... If you hunt a variety of game, I would think it is worth while.
I will say, that in, they improve my tinnitus... But after wearing them all day, my tinnitus is worse upon removal.
I bought my multi-species amppods a year ago right before turkey started. Hoping to finally be able to hear what all my buddies were hearing, I headed to South Dakota for my first state of 4. After 2 days of hunting I realized I wasn't hearing anything that I wouldn't have heard without them. I had the same results through 3 other states and was extremely frustrated. I headed to New Mexico for elk season in October. My wife could hear the elk bugling but I could not. I contacted Tetra when I got home and sent the amppods, along with my hearing test result from my audiologist, in to be checked out. I received them a few weeks ago. The jury is still out. I haven't been able to use them much yet and Illinois turkey population is so low right now that gobbles are few and far between. I'm hoping that everything is as advertised and talked about on this thread for me now. My only recommendation to you is to go to an audiologist and get your own real hearing test done. I don't think the online test are nearly as accurate.. :z-twocents:
Good point on the hearing test. Even though they offer an online test, she highly recommended getting a professional test done. Sam's Club and Costco offer free tests and she said their quality is very good. I got mine at Sam's and have been happy with the stuff I'm hearing now that I would not be able to otherwise.
Quote from: crow on March 20, 2024, 08:12:20 PM
Will they block the sound from hand held mouth calls such as crow, trumpet and wingbone as they do for gunshots or make the sound louder.
It makes them louder. Box call is quite loud.
On a related topic, I started to wear them at work to help my daily hearing... We often have to put eyedrops in children, and many cry and "scream." The Tetra's actually make the screaming MORE uncomfortably loud, as I suppose the decibel level is below the threshold for shut-off...
But when blowing my specklebelly goose call, it does reduce the volume to a more comfortable level (as the decibel level of this call likely surpassess the threshold).
Quote from: Marc on April 11, 2024, 11:42:21 AM
Quote from: crow on March 20, 2024, 08:12:20 PM
Will they block the sound from hand held mouth calls such as crow, trumpet and wingbone as they do for gunshots or make the sound louder.
It makes them louder. Box call is quite loud.
On a related topic, I started to wear them at work to help my daily hearing... We often have to put eyedrops in children, and many cry and "scream." The Tetra's actually make the screaming MORE uncomfortably loud, as I suppose the decibel level is below the threshold for shut-off...
But when blowing my specklebelly goose call, it does reduce the volume to a more comfortable level (as the decibel level of this call likely surpassess the threshold).
Well that's not good news
I have a pair of electronic shooting muffs that block gunshots but amplify sound allowing you to have a conversation. Tried them for predator and crow hunting to block gunfire, but they didn't block handheld calls and magnified the noise to an uncomfortable level.
Was hoping tetras would muffle wingbone or trumpet noise
Did your tinnitus go back to normal the next day or stay worse than normal
Quote from: crow on April 12, 2024, 09:27:45 PM
Well that's not good news
I have a pair of electronic shooting muffs that block gunshots but amplify sound allowing you to have a conversation. Tried them for predator and crow hunting to block gunfire, but they didn't block handheld calls and magnified the noise to an uncomfortable level.
Was hoping tetras would muffle wingbone or trumpet noise
Did your tinnitus go back to normal the next day or stay worse than normal
If the sound is under the decibel cutoff, it amplifies it, if it is over the decibel level it blocks it. Does a great job of supressing gunfire, and as I stated some of my goose calls...
You might be able to program supression of your trumpet and wingbone, but it will also likely surpress live hen calls???
It takes a minute to get used to calling with any mouth blown call with (any) ear plugs in... Had to relearn to call waterfowl, but the turkey diaphragm was an easier adjustment for me.
I called Tetra, and they state "that since your tinnitus is supressed while wearing them, it seems much louder again when you take them out and hear the tinnitus again; you get used to not hearing it which makes it seem louder when you do."
My tinnitus seems to vary under different conditions as well... Ringing like he!! right now likely due to the storm front coming in. I also learned that NSAIDs (such as Naproxen) can make it worse, which seems to be true in my case.
I would still purchase them... It has made my hunting experience much better. Hearing all kinds of critters as well as the game I am hunting.
:icon_thumright:
Hunting gunshots are taking a toll, going to have to do something for it.
bwhana. Now that you have had them for a couple of weeks. What are your thoughts? I was close to pulling the trigger and then read a couple negatives. Thanks again
I really love them. I have heard gobblers at distances I never could before while listening in the previous mornings, with a couple of them being across a river (twice due to a huge oxbow) and a large pasture.
Our season opened this morning and nothing gobbled on the roost, but I did hear a few faint tree yelps at a long range that were 100% out of my normal hearing range. I ended bringing home a nice tom. His last gobble sounded like he was on my shoulder, but was around 125 yds. I wish I would have heard drumming, but he never strutted. There was no issue pinpointing where sounds were coming from at all. I was also able to hear his hens purring much further than I ever have too. It was very windy today and I did not hear any additional wind noise, unlike the walker headset I've been using.
I have the Amp Pods, which do not block the sound of the shot completely, but they made a huge difference and still provide some protection.
I will not be hunting without these from now on, $ well spent!
I will add that I thought maximum boost would be the better of the 3 turkey levels, but found out quickly that the magnum mode was not needed and turkey boost was the sweet spot for me. Base turkey mode seems to just make me hear like I could if I had perfectly normal hearing. This may be different person to person and would love for others to chime in on their experience with these settings.
Congrats on your bird and thank you for the update! May give them a call this week.
I ordered some Turkey Amppods 90s last week and they arrived over the weekend, so I used them for the first time today. It was a bit breezy, and I didn't find them to be overly sensitive the the wind. I will say, that I definitely heard turkeys further off than Saturday (opening day) and last season. I also heard spitting and drumming for the first time in I don't know how long. After a slow morning, I struck a call up at 9:20 and he gobbled and scared the crap out of me it was so loud, then heard the spitting and drumming and here he comes over the hill, right to the end of the barrel. My personal best Eastern to boot! 9/10 recommend so far after my first use. We'll see if we can get to 10/10. 9 is due to them being a little difficult for me to repeat the program change successfully consistently and easily.
I got the first chance to hear drumming yesterday and although it was not loud, I definitely was able to hear it with the Tetras. Also noticed that when he gobbled at 60 yds out, it was loud enough the ears cut it off at 85 decibels, so it was not as loud as without them. Good problem to have! So far, I have been able to pinpoint the location of gobbles and other turkey sounds without any issues. These are a must have in my book.
Do the AmpPods have volume controls separate for each ear? Or are they like the Axil and have one control for both ears? Hearing is good in one ear , however, the other is not good. Thanks.
Quote from: TBoo on April 20, 2024, 07:47:44 AM
Do the AmpPods have volume controls separate for each ear? Or are they like the Axil and have one control for both ears? Hearing is good in one ear , however, the other is not good. Thanks.
My turkey amppods have four settings. Each ear can be set individually.
Clear Comm for regular speech.
Turkey
Turkey Boost
Turkey Magnum
Could someone with experience with the Tetras discuss why they chose the Amppod over the Alphashield or vice versa?
I did their on line hearing test. Use good headphones for that per their recommendation.
Based on my test and desire for turkey only, they recommended Amppods. I took their recommendation and have been quite pleased.