Hunting ear protection?

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It's not being melodramatic. It's called being smart. Most cops will never discharge their firearm in the line of duty. Same with most gun owners needing to shoot someone in self defence.
But if you can protect your hearing, do it at all costs. You may think you haven't had any hearing loss but chances are you have. It's just so gradual that over time you don't notice the loss.
I wonder if those advocating not wearing hearing protection also advocate not wearing seat belts or helmets when riding a motorcycle. I mean, your odds of getting in an accident are low right?
 
Hearing damage is cumulative. So when you factor in all the other things we're exposed to in life those two or three rifle shots a year fired in earnest when hunting really doesn't add up to much compared to say driving daily for hrs on end at hwy speeds with the window down.

In my industry we get our hearing tested yearly. At work and at the range I wear hearing protection religiously. But never when hunting. Over the past 15 years working and slightly more than that hunting my tests show NO measurable reduction in hearing factored against the average loss due to age.


My point is save and cherish your hearing so that on those few occasions you want to be exposed to something loud (such as shooting game) you can afford it without worry.


Tapatalk post via IPhone.
 
If you're worried about hearing loss/damage while "HUNTING", where at the most, you'll fire 2 shots, "Unless you really suck", then maybe you should find a new hobby/sport. I've already qualified the difference between consistent firing; e.g. at the range; and hunting. I've been hunting deer, antelope, elk, moose, goat, sheep, etc... for about 40 years. Plus, I spent 21 years in the military, with enough time in the sand box and central america. I'm not worried in the least about hearing loss because of that style of shooting. Then again, some people consider hunting, being driven out to a point where the guide says: "Shoot that one". I guess in that scenario, hearing protection might be practical. You have all the time in the world. But in real hunting, walking around with hearing protection anticipating the shot, which you don't know WHEN, all to protect yourself against 1 shot, or possibly a 2nd shot, is simply not necessary.
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Tell you what, I'll stop being melodramatic if you stop handing out damaging advice to others.

Last fall's white tail season in Northern Minnesota. My sister (non-hunter) was out with her husband (hunter). She, unfortunately, was standing in the wrong spot when her husband took at shot at a buck. Just one shot.....

And since it was only one shot.....and we all know that one shot can't damage your hearing because you said it can't. She now lives with a documented 60% loss of hearing in one ear and 20% in the other. So obviously my sister is just trying to get our sympathy or some other ridiculous thing. I'll let her know that you said it can't happen. I'll text it to her because she doesn't hear too well using her cell phone any more.

And if you wish to respond with a comment that bystanders aren't covered in your comment.....how about the guy in Africa (Gary O did post about that very scenario) who takes a shot at dangerous game.....something goes wrong.....the first shot doesn't stop the animal and for what ever reason, the guide is forced to shoot. Oh oh....perhaps that person is standing in the wrong spot (reference my sister's experience). I suppose their hearing won't be affected either? Hey, it was only two shots total, right? :rolleyes:
 
It's not our being melodramatic - it is YOU being so cavalier in handing out dangerously false information
Whether you want to call it hissing, ear crickets, brushes on snare drums, or similar - it is permanent hearing loss

AND IT IS NOT REVERSIBLE

Unless you want to learn sign language as you get older, protect your inner and outer ear
 
I can personally vouch for the fact that just a few shots while hunting can indeed permanently damage your hearing.

2 years ago fired 3 shots with a S&W 460 magnum revolver, compensated, with factory full house loads. No hearing protection. Immediately after shooting, it sounded like I had put a set of muffs on. Everything was quiet and muffled. My ears rang loudly for several days, gradually diminishing. I had physical discomfort in my ears, and I had an immediate loss of the ability to hear low level sounds. I now have tinnitus, which I did not have previously, and I have regained most of my ability to hear quiet sounds, it is definitely not the same as before.

I worked in the audio industry for over 20 years and have been quite protective of my hearing, it's part of my making my living. Screwed it all up in just a few seconds.

Excellent resource a few posts up showing the dB level of various firearms. Anything over 140dB is capable of causing instant hearing damage. Each 10dB above that indicates a doubling of apparent volume and a 10 fold increase in acoustic energy. Competition car audio systems are now regularly hitting the 160dB + range, similar to a gunshot. To get that, you basically have to pack a sound system that a rock band would use to play to a couple thousand people into an automobile, then reinforce the structure of the car to keep that sound in without physically destroying the vehicle. Very serious deal.

I now wear Howard Leight Impact Sport electronic muffs for all handgun hunting. I recommend that anyone shooting big bore handguns do the same. No joke. It will mess up your hearing forever.
 
I don't know if some of the comments here are simply contradictory, or just plain ignorant. How many times are you all going to say things like hearing loss is gradual and cumulative, and then contradict yourself when it comes to hunting, self defense, etc... Do you go hunting every day and shoot numerous shots? No. Do you protect yourself by shooting multiple intruders every day? No. Do police officers shoot criminals numerous times a day? No. So again; stop being melodramatic. You're hunting. In an entire hunting season; for me that would be approximately 4-5 big game animals. I'll be lucky to get 5-7 shots off in a 4 month period. Definitely not consecutive or even in the same day.

At least stop being hypocritical. Either stick with the "1 shot is all it takes" mentality, or if you're going to use the gradual and cumulative argument; at least recognize that the amount of shooting during hunting season is insignificant. Just don't mix it both ways.

And for what it's worth, there's a lot of places where you don't have to wear motorcycle helmets. They "ALLOW" individuals to be responsible for themselves. And yes; sometimes I don't wear a helmet. And I never wear a helmet if riding a bicycle. Look; this is a forum. A fourth of the information provided in truth, a fourth is false, a false is simply opinions, and the other fourth is pure bull shiite. You all believe what you want. But for those with opinions, or full of bull shiite, at least be consistent.
 
I wonder how many here harping on both sides about hearing protection have even given a thought to wearing proper (ANSI approved wal mart shades don't count) eye protection anytime they're using a firearm?

You can be careless numerous times before measurable hearing damage might occur. BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONE EVENT to potentially destroy your ability to see!


Tapatalk post via IPhone.
 
FWIW, I never said it was accumulative and I did state it took a single shot. It is up to you if you wish to ignore what I wrote....since it doesn't support your theory about how folks cannot incur hearing loss in that fashion.

That being said....a person can suffer permanent hearing loss with one big bang....or they can get it by prolonged exposure to a lower level noise. Either way, the person ends up loosing. If you can't comprehend this, get an appointment with an audiologist.....maybe they can explain it to you. I've had an appointment with mine.....got a lot of high frequency loss in one hear. Been there, done that....can tell you which gun and which poorly performing hearing protection caused it too (less than 50 rounds at the range).
 
To loose that much hearing to one shot requires a much higher level of stupidity to be involved than merely not wearing protection.

Such as not being aware of the muzzle in relation to others or shooting from inside an enclosed space. Which IMO falls under the more basic rules of firearm safety


I note I'm the only person here claiming to have the tests and data to quantify hearing loss and hunting over the course if several YEARS. Which in my case indicate no loss.


Tapatalk post via IPhone.
 
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If you are referring to my sister, it was a magnum caliber with a muzzle break. You can be a couple of feet back of the muzzle and catch hell from it. I'm not sure her husband was aware of the blast radius or not. Or perhaps she moved a bit to get a better view while he was focused on shooting? Don't know, wasn't there to supervise.
 
I wonder how many here harping on both sides about hearing protection have even given a thought to wearing proper (ANSI approved wal mart shades don't count) eye protection anytime they're using a firearm?
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I have no less than three pair of ANSI approved eye protection (we get them at work) in my shooting bag. They are on before I get to the range and after I leave. Hell, my regular sun glasses are ANSI safety glasses.

I use a clear pair when I reload.

I use them when I work on my Jeep.

I have a blind friend and have zero desire to join his ranks.
 
Arizona; you want me to respect your posts, yet you read into mine. I never once said I was replying to you. I never once directly quoted you. Matter of fact, I implied specifically that I was referring to multiple posts/posters. But even though there were two posters AFTER YOURS before I replied, I'm sure you must have thought that every word I wrote was directed towards you. "Don't flatter yourself". Sorry you can't read or understand in the 3rd person.

There are others who have said it's cumulative. "It is". But R.W. hit the nail on the head. This is simply a topic that some people want for their bandwagon. Probably many of them who don't use proper eye protection; probably 50+ lbs overweight with a 200+ cholesterol. Smoking like a chimney. And/or many other bad habits.

Not one person here has said that you SHOULDN'T wear hearing protection when you're hunting. Simply that the shots taken when actually hunting, are so few, that if you were to hunt with a rifle, without hearing protection, your odds are almost nil on hearing damage. But if you feel more comfortable walking around hunting with headphones on; have a nut. I don't care either way.

Personally, I'm more confused by the original post. I would think that a person who has the means to go on African hunting trips, probably started off hunting game in the United States. In other words, they'd have been hunting deer, boar, antelope, coyote, etc... by now. I would think it unreal to have my first hunting trip be one in Africa. But whatever. But if he did hunt in the states previously, are we to assume that he always wore hearing protection? That he simply forgot this first time? Or is this his first hunting trip? Basically; I'm confused by the original post. If you hunted enough in the past, you'd know what you can and can't get away with when it comes to hearing, guns, and hunting. If you've never hunted before, then I could understand most of the emotional laden posts.
 
I don't know if some of the comments here are simply contradictory, or just plain ignorant. How many times are you all going to say things like hearing loss is gradual and cumulative, and then contradict yourself when it comes to hunting, self defense, etc... Do you go hunting every day and shoot numerous shots? No. Do you protect yourself by shooting multiple intruders every day? No. Do police officers shoot criminals numerous times a day? No. So again; stop being melodramatic. You're hunting. In an entire hunting season; for me that would be approximately 4-5 big game animals. I'll be lucky to get 5-7 shots off in a 4 month period. Definitely not consecutive or even in the same day.
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So you are just damaging your hearing slowly, but damaging it none the less. Maybe you can still pass a hearing test. That doesn't mean you will be able to clearly understand your grandchild's words, a problem my father has. He was an infrequent shooter without hearing protection. High register hearing is the first to go usually. It is often not missed initially.

The average gun fires at the 110-130db range.
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LOL, with most suppressors giving 20-30 db of noise suppression, the 110-130 db range is the range of most suppressed centerfire standard loads and not what the average gun would be doing.
 
Listen to oneounceload and texag and all the others who warn against shooting without maximum protection possible. If you have tinnitus, you already know what they are warning against. If you don't, and don't protect your hearing, you will and there is no turning back from the sleepless nights and the inability to hear normal conversation, especially in noisy environments such as a restaurant. Seems there are some immature folks here. A responsible shooter considers all aspects of the shooting sports.
 
Gary O said:
Getting to be sorry I asked. Happens a lot at this site lately...
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Why be sorry you asked? This is what discussions are about. Whether it's a lengthy discussion that takes a turn away from the original post or whether it turns into an arguement......so what? It's all about the discussion, after all. :)D)

Gary, I bring those blue plastic circlip hearing protectors with the soft plugs at each end. Usually, I'll wear them around my neck, planning to put them on just before the shot if I can do it without spooking the prey. But invariably, I forget about them, OR, I'm in a spot where i don;t want to make the added movement and scare the animal.

I believe the guys are right about the decibel level causing hearing loss. It's temporary, usually lasting only a few minutes, but then it's cumulative too. At 53, and after shooting and hunting since I was 12, there've been many times I've shot without hearing protection. I suppose a few years down the road, I may develop some tinitus or something...maybe....but right now everything's fine. Anytime I'm shooting at the range, with any weapon, I double up - wearing soft plugs under larger cup-type protectors. Usually Peltors.
 
I don't know if some of the comments here are simply contradictory, or just plain ignorant. How many times are you all going to say things like hearing loss is gradual and cumulative, and then contradict yourself when it comes to hunting, self defense, etc...
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Hearing loss can be caused either by cumulative exposure to lower levels of decibels or to a single high decibel exposure. It's pretty clear you don't really know much about the issue.

You really need to stop giving out advice on the matter because what you are saying is flat out wrong, and dangerous.

A single shot at 150db can cause permanent hearing loss.
 
Simply that the shots taken when actually hunting, are so few, that if you were to hunt with a rifle, without hearing protection, your odds are almost nil on hearing damage.
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Just flat out INCORRECT - you obviously have NO training in the hearing loss field. Loud noises of ANY type can and will cause permanent hearing damage - it can be instantaneous or cumulative, or both - depends on your surroundings.

My hearing loss is a combination of loud rock music with headphones and a little from shooting. High pressures from shooting can make your ears bleed.
This is not some laughing matter, and your mis-information is worse than no information
 
No one has said you can't wear earmuffs while hunting. But if you're wanting to be safe, be consistent.

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I wear hearing protection using chain saws and weed eaters.

The problem is that there is NO defense of going without. If a consistent approach is needed, here it is - WEARING HEARING PROTECTION SHOULD BE THE FIRST RULE OF FIREARMS SAFETY.

We all skirt that, deliberately, or inadvertently, but the point has been made and substantiated clearly enough. Not using hearing protection will eventually catch up. The problem is many will likely contribute to the gene pool before their bad choices mark them as not improving it in the area of Learning From Other's Mistakes.

It may not get you the first shot, or the second, you could go 50 years and still have "acceptable" hearing for a deployment, and one day in training make all the difference in hearing that annoying high pitched whine and NOT hearing people talking at you less than two feet away - right at your face.

A set of $3000 hearing aids and constantly buying batteries out of pocket is no compensation. I'm quickly coming to that at work, nobody will help with the cost. That's a lot of guns and ammo I'd rather be forced to buy. I'd give that for a Glock polymer 1911, just to have SN 00001.

Nope, I get an annoying thing to clamp on my ear to remind me I should have. Now I have to wear it LIKE IT OR NOT, just to work and keep from being clueless when things are bearing down on me - like Hybrid cars. Be advised, state laws require them to actually broadcast engine noise over a loudspeaker to protect pedestrians.

I'm constantly amazed that people attempt to justify their negligence in hearing loss, when if the same problem existed for their eyes, they would never deliberately choose to be legally blind by age 50.

Time to realize when a concept is wrong - there is no good excuse for not wearing hearing protection, and taking that position isn't defensible. Make a new decision and move on. Learn From Other's Mistakes, even animals do, the crocodile that ate your daddy doesn't need to eat you, too.
 
Listen to some of you guys! Your personal anecdotes read like someone who was an alcoholic for 50 years preaching to the the social drinker that it "only takes one drink" when in fact it took YEARS worth of bad decisions to put you in the state your in now.

Take my father for example who is quickly becoming deaf as a post. Did he loose a large part of his hearing to his on off hunting hobby.....no most likely most of it went away due to the 30 years spend in field artillery with 8" and 155mm howitzers helped by driving an unairconditioned dump truck for a couple decades too.

150db is loud no doubt about it and prolonged exposure will cause hearing loss. But here's the thing a single gunshot or two once a year isnt prolonged exposure and is NOTHING compared to being around a machine or music cranking out those noise levels CONTINUOUSLY.

Again I'm the only one here with the FACTS (read yearly hearing tests) to back up that sensible unprotected firearm use hunting for medium/big game is not going to be a measurable contributing factor to long term hearing loss given everything else in life we're exposed to.

Again hearing is like money, you're gonna spend it and you can't take it with you. So rather blowing it all on lawnmowers, loud rap music in cars, open headers and unprotected range trips save it so you can afford to spend a tiny little bit on one of the more enjoyable things in life. Shooting lunch.


Tapatalk post via IPhone.
 
Very well said R.W. I wonder how many people cut their grass for a couple hours without ear protection. Even though it averages 90-100db? Other than popping an eardrum or similar concussion blast, I wonder how some rationalize their passion for a 0.5 second blast of 130+/- db of a hunting round REQUIRING ear protection..... Yet, they have no problem with an hour or two sustained of 70-80db vacuum cleaner of 100db from a lawn mower.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that I cut the grass with ear protection on. I don't. And my wife doesn't vacuum the house with headphones on. But it just seems hypocritical to hear people so passionate about every person they know in the world who lost their hearing, all because of 1 gun shot. Yet, as stated so eloquently, they don't seem to have as much concern about their eyes, and they don't mention all the noise hazards that are more likely to cause hearing damage because of the sustained operation and proximity to. Not saying that anyone is B.S.ing about their husband's, brother's, friend's, teacher's, barber's son who suffered instant hearing damage because of 1 or 2 fired rifle rounds. Just that there's a lot of police, military, self defense home owners, etc... who have needed to fire an occasional round at someone, and you don't hear people petitioning to have police and military putting in ear plugs prior to breaking into a drug house or going on patrol. And there's a lot of lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners being operated for hours at a time without hearing protection. Where are the groups petitioning for them?
 
No one has said you can't wear earmuffs while hunting. But if you're wanting to be safe, be consistent.
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So since you aren't going to be safe, then you too should be consistent and I expect you will be hunting naked, stark naked.

R. W. Dale, I believe your facts are wrong. Hearing loss is not like alcoholism and a single gunshot most definitely can cause immediate hearing loss.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/noise-induced-hearing-loss/
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Noise/
http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_gunfirenoise.shtml
http://www.oshax.org/info/articles/decibel-levels - according to OSHA, if a loud noise produces ringing causes damage (assuming you notice the ringing)
 
Double Naught Spy said:
So since you aren't going to be safe, then you too should be consistent and I expect you will be hunting naked, stark naked.

R. W. Dale, I believe your facts are wrong. Hearing loss is not like alcoholism and a single gunshot most definitely can cause immediate hearing loss.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/noise-induced-hearing-loss/
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Noise/
http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_gunfirenoise.shtml
http://www.oshax.org/info/articles/decibel-levels - according to OSHA, if a loud noise produces ringing causes damage (assuming you notice the ringing)
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That's about one of the stupidest responses I've heard on the forum, let alone this topic. My "consistency" remark was in response to those who harp on wearing hearing protection when hunting, but aren't as concerned about their eyes and other safety issues.

You believe I'm being unsafe because I go hunting and possibly fire 2-3 shots in an entire day, and I don't use ear protection. I guess then that the overwhelming majority of our police and military are unsafe. Do you sleep at night with ear plugs in, in case you need to shoot at an intruder? Do you wear steel toe shoes, goggles, and ear muffs when you cut the grass with your lawnmower? Have you ever tried to beat a yellow traffic light? Have you always worn a life preserver, even on a small fishing pond in a row boat? If you're the 100% consistent person who lives by all safety, osha, laws, etc... then my comments weren't directed towards you.

Again; not saying that a person can't or shouldn't wear ear protection when they go hunting. If that's what they want to do; have a nut. But don't get on people who live life in a more realistic environment, where they weigh the pros and cons and make decisions accordingly.
 
And I do wear hearing protection when using ANY 2-cycle engine device.

Sorry RW, I too have had yearly tests and those audiologists and the ENT all have said the same thing - one sharp enough noise, let alone over time, can and DOES cause hearing loss, and it's permanent
 
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