Impact Sport Earmuffs by Howard Leight by Honeywell Review

By Andrea Haas

As an avid hunter, it didn't take me long to understand the importance of hearing protection. While hunting, I rely on my sense of sound just as much as I do my eyesight. Locating turkeys, for example, would be a lot more difficult if I wasn't able to hear what direction they were gobbling in the distance! Plus, sighting in my rifles and patterning my shotguns would be a big headache (literally) if I didn't protect my hearing. One of the most important pieces of gear a hunter and/or shooter should have is some form of hearing protection. 

The Impact Sport Color Earmuffs by Howard Leight are a great option, not only for hunters like myself, but for those involved in shooting sports as well. They are electronic earmuffs, so they are doing more than just putting a barrier between your ears and harmful noise. They protect a shooters' hearing by reducing harmful sounds, like gunfire, and actually amplify low-level sounds, like conversation, so you'll be able to communicate better in a shooting environment. 

I put these earmuffs to the test while patterning my shotgun for the upcoming turkey season and had a great experience with them. While shooting I did notice a great decrease in the sound of the shotgun, and I was able to carry on a conversation easily between shots, without having to yell or ask my husband to repeat what he said. They worked exactly as advertised!  

The earcups adjusted easily and had a good, comfortable fit. They can also be folded, making them more convenient for storage or travel.

Earmuffs are folded for more convenient storage and travel

Aside from the hearing protection abilities and the fit, one of my favorite features on the Impact Sport Earmuffs is the built-in AUX jack that allows you to connect it to your smartphone or MP3 player so you can listen to music between shooting! 

Here are some more of the great features on the Impact Sport Color Earmuffs:

-Noise Reduction Rating 22 db
-Battery life of up to 350 hours
-Automatic 4-hour shut-off that extends battery life
-Convenient folding design for easy storage
-Single knob control for on/off and volume
-Air Flow Control Technology
-Black leatherette headband
-2 AAA Bateries included
-Available in Teal (shown above), Purple and Pink!


I know from my own experience that women love to have options. We love for our hunting gear to be customized to suit our own personal tastes, without sacrificing quality. The Impact Sport Color Earmuffs allow us to have just that and definitely make hearing protection more fun! 

These retail for about $59.99 at Cabelas

Dove Hunting Gear & Apparel List for Women

By Andrea Haas

Dove season is one of my favorite hunting seasons. It marks the beginning of deer season here in Missouri, and around much of the U.S. It's a bit more relaxed than deer or turkey hunting, which I feel is much needed after months of being so serious in the woods. Not only that, hunting doves is one of the best ways to sharpen your shooting skills.

I put together a head to toe gear & apparel list with what I feel are great options for women dove hunters, as well as a list of some hunting equipment that may come in handy on your hunt.

Uninsulated Hunting Clothing

Prois Ultra Short Sleeve Shirt

• This shirt is lightweight & easy to move in. It's made of 100% polyester, which wicks moisture away to keep you dry. It does have an athletic cut, which makes it a tad shorter than most shirts, so I recommend going up a size or 2. Still, it fits great & is very comfortable! 
• Available for $39.60 at EvoOutdoors 

Prois Pro-Edition Pants

• Made of 100% Polyester Tricot, these pants have the "4 S's" - soft, sturdy, silent & snag resistant. 
• Knee pleats added for enhanced movement and comfort while sitting, squatting or stalking
• Available for $152.10 at EvoOutdoors

Hearing Protection

Howard Leight Women's Super Leight Earplugs

• I personally prefer earplugs over earmuffs due to the comfort. Plus dove season is usually warmer & earmuffs tend to make you sweat more.
• These earplugs by Howard Leight offer a better fit for women who are smaller framed, like me, & come in a pack of 14 for $4.49 at Cabelas

Hunting Boots

Women's Pursuit Stealth Boots by Muck Boot Company

• These boots have 5mm of Neoprene with a fleece lining that is actually very breathable in warmer temperatures and during active hunts
• Check out my full Product Review
• Available for $209 in women's sizes 5 to 11

Shooting Vest

Prois Competitor Shooter's Vest

Front

Back

• You may or may not want to wear the whole vest while dove hunting. If you do, it has bilateral shoulder padding, for both left and right handed shooters. This vest is also great for those who enjoy shooting sporting clays, skeet, trap, etc. 
• If you choose not to wear the whole vest, just unzip it at the waist and it converts into a shooting apron. It has a rear mesh pouch to hold spent shells and large front pockets that will each easily hold a box of shotgun shells.

• Available for $215.10 at EvoOutdoors

Stools/Chairs

Dove Shooter by AlpsOutdoorz

• You could easily tuck this chair into the edge of a woodline, in a blind, etc. 
• Includes an easy-carry shoulder strap, has a cooler underneath the seat, and 2 large front pockets to store your ammo or a few dove decoys!
• At AlpsOutdoorz for only $54.99

Concealment

2 Piece Shotgun Cover Kit by Beartooth Outdoors

• I don't have a camo shotgun so when dove hunting, I prefer to cover up my shiny shotgun with the 2 Piece Shotgun Cover Kit by Beartooth Outdoors
• It protects my shotgun from the elements and has a few slots to hold your shotgun shells
• Available for just $34.95 at www.beartooth-products.com   

 

Decoys

Lucky Duck Clip-On Dove Decoys, 4 Pack

• We purchased a couple packs of these decoys last year & they seemed to work well for bringing doves in closer. My husband made a "tree" out of re-bar and put it in the field where we dove hunt. We attached the doves to this "tree" using their steel clothes-pin style clips and they stayed attached to it well. 

• Available for $14.99 at Cabelas

Hunter's Edge Dove Feeding Frenzy

• We also purchased this rotating decoy system last year and it seemed to work good as well for bringing the doves in
• It rotates the doves around in a realistic motion and seems to catch their eye better than the non-moving decoys.
• It's also available at Cabelas, for $79.99

Sporting Clays: How To Get Started

By Andrea Haas, Huntress View Founder
Originally Posted on TheHuntersFeed Blog by EvoOutdoors

I shoulder my shotgun and yell “pull”! 

Shooting at the last station in the competition
Prois Competitor Shooters Vest

I take my aim and miss the first two clays. I’m at my very first sporting clay competition and to say that I’m nervous is an understatement. I hear encouraging words from the other competitors behind me as I shoulder my gun again and prepare for the next two clays. Again, I yell “pull”, but this time I bust both clays! The other competitors in my group start cheering for me and giving me high fives, easing my nerves as we walk to the second station.

I recently shot at the 16^th Annual Women’s Charity Shotgun Event hosted by the Ozark Shooters Sports Complex in Branson, MO. The proceeds from this shoot went to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, a hospital that provides high quality care to children in need, regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

Before now my only experience in this area was shooting trap in my backyard a few times, as well as hunting doves, pheasants and crows. One thing that I truly believe is that you learn the most by forcing yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Going into this sporting clay competition by myself, not knowing what to expect was definitely a little uncomfortable for me, but I am so glad that I did it! 

The women competing in this event were not only very friendly and encouraging, they were excellent shooters and I was happy that they were willing to give me some pointers. One tip was to lift my right elbow up just a little higher & keep it parallel to the ground. This creates a “pocket” in your shoulder that the shotgun fits into better which helps with recoil, especially after shooting 50 shells. I learned that other shooters really want to help you and want to see you succeed. Sure, it’s a competition, but it’s all in good fun and for a great cause.

For those like me that are new to sporting clay shooting, here’s a basic run down on what to expect:

How It Works

Out of all shotgun sports, sporting clays is the closest thing to actual field hunting. With skeet and trap you have clays thrown at generalized distances and angles each time. Sporting clays are designed to simulate actual wing shooting of ducks, pheasants and other upland birds. The clays can be thrown from any direction, at any speed and any angle. Some clays even vary in size, giving you the next best thing to real world hunting conditions.

Sporting clays are usually shot in squads of 2-6 people and is played over a course of about 10 different shooting stations throughout fields and the natural features of the land. Being from the Ozark Mountains, our stations overlooked some beautiful scenery and was naturally, very hilly. Each person in a squad shoots a determined number of clays, usually around 4-6, before moving on to the next station.

Safety

Like all shooting sports, safety comes first in sporting clays. As soon as you remove your gun from the vehicle, make sure the breech is open and the gun is not loaded. If you shoot an over/under shotgun, make sure you break it open and the barrel is pointed down or up towards the sky. Even if you know the shotgun is not loaded, always treat it as if it is.

Ear and eye protection are also a must any time you are on a sporting clay course.

Shooting a Round

Once each squad is at their designated first station, hand the score cards to the referee. Before anyone shoots, the referee will show you the targets so you can see how they are being thrown.

Step up to the station when it’s your turn to shoot and load your shotgun. Point it safely towards the firing area and yell “pull” once you are ready. The target is considered a “dead bird” if any part of it is broken. When you are done shooting, make sure the breech is open and exit the station. Remain behind the station until everyone in your squad has finished shooting and is ready to move on.

Shooting sporting clays is a great way to sharpen your shooting skills and “extend” your hunting season. If you feel sporting clays is something you would like to get involved in, here are a few ways to get started!

Join a Local Club. Check out the National Sporting Clay Association (NSCA) website to search for clubs in your area: http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/nsca-sporting-clays-shooting/clubs-associations/club-search/

Once a member, you can use your clubs facility on a regular basis and meet other shooters. Like I mentioned above, my experience with meeting other shooters was a positive one. They were very helpful, encouraging, and these ladies could shoot very well!

Join the NSCA. The NSCA is the ultimate resource for all things sporting clays. They are dedicated to getting more people involved in shotgun sports, no matter what level they are at, and promoting healthy competition within its membership.

Shoot In a Competition. I think one of the best ways to improve your shooting skills is to actually shoot in a competition, like I did. You can watch other great shooters and learn from them. Don’t worry about “not being good enough”. You only compete within your own class, so you’re only competing against others that are at the same level as you.

Keep Practicing! Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more! Experience really is the best teacher. Also, if any upland seasons are open, get yourself a tag. I ended up getting 1^st place in my class and I feel that my experience with hunting live birds prepared me the most for sporting clays.

Andrea Haas

Huntress View Founder