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Post by parson on Nov 7, 2008 7:23:36 GMT -5
Hey all,
I'm curious as to how many use hearing protection while hunting? If so, what do you use?
I took a deer about 4 years ago with a S&W 629 and my left ear has been ringing ever since. parson
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Post by dbd870 on Nov 7, 2008 7:44:55 GMT -5
I don't
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Post by huxbux on Nov 7, 2008 8:21:03 GMT -5
I don't like anything covering my ears when i hunt.
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Post by trapperdave on Nov 7, 2008 8:23:48 GMT -5
I dont, never have... and now I pay the price. moderate-severe hearing loss in my left ear,,,and I'm still a week shy of 40
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Post by hountzmj on Nov 7, 2008 10:37:03 GMT -5
I haven't always but I do now.
I have a custom fit pair of Westone Sonic filter ear plugs.
I LOVE them. I can hear normal sounds right up to the point where I pull the trigger. The plugs only mute the gunshots.
I got them from an audiologist. Ran me about $130
--hountzmj
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Nov 7, 2008 10:50:23 GMT -5
I try to .. but not always. If time allows I will put they on .. if not I won't lose the shot to put in ear plugs. But I know I should and since my Son is hunter now I better set the example.
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Post by Decatur on Nov 7, 2008 12:17:49 GMT -5
You probably do more damage to your ears driving in traffic than a single shot while deer hunting. I ALWAYS wear hearing protection at the range, but never when hunting. Probably the only hunting I would consider it would be waterfowl or dove hunting.
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Post by featherduster on Nov 7, 2008 12:48:42 GMT -5
About 10 years ago I was sharing deer stand with my son and was talking to him when he motioned for me to be quite.I was silent for a few mins. and I then I started to speak again my son gave me a dirty look and told me to SHUT UP.A few mins. later he shot a deer. after the kill he asked me didn't I hear that deer walking in the water which was approx. 40 yards away and I said no. The next week I had my hearing tested and now I wear hearing aids that have built in noise reduction to loud sounds such as gun shots. The next time I went deer hunting I was amazed at all the sounds I had not been hearing. built in hearing protection with hearing aids THE WAY TO GO.
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Post by bomonster on Nov 7, 2008 16:33:07 GMT -5
I try to use the little yellow roll up kind, good enough to hear a little and helpful enough to quite the gun noise while I'm out pheasant hunting. Hearing is a great thing to have so why not protect it. I also have a pair of the electronic kind i like to use while shooting trap. Where I work they have been pushing hearing safety for the last 20 years and I guess it caught on, I'd probably be deaf if it wasn't for the Co. I work for..
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Post by Old Ironsights on Nov 7, 2008 18:24:28 GMT -5
You probably do more damage to your ears driving in traffic than a single shot while deer hunting. I ALWAYS wear hearing protection at the range, but never when hunting. Probably the only hunting I would consider it would be waterfowl or dove hunting. + a lot... though if I were shooting a ported 3" 12ga, .454, .460, .480 or .500 S&W pistol I'd consider it. My .357 Rifle makes very little noise when fired in the open.
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Post by drgreyhound on Nov 7, 2008 18:28:08 GMT -5
This thread reminds me of the first HI get-together, when a bunch of us went to the shooting range at Atterbury after shooting clays. I don't recall ever having that much sound blown back at me under that cement hood in my life. I was wearing hearing protection and still thought I was going to lose my hearing for good that day! One of the few times in my life I can truly say the sound was palpable--I literally felt "pushed back" by it. Some others who were watching me shoot things that were way too large and powerful for my tastes will see this and feel compelled to make sarcastic comments--
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Post by Old Ironsights on Nov 7, 2008 20:36:42 GMT -5
Those cement baffles at the DNR ranges are almost as bad, if not worse than firing indoors.
They are EVIL sonic reflectors.
The difference between my .357 at Kingsbury Range and in the FWA is somthing akin to 9 and 99 on a Boom Car Volume Control...
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Post by dbd870 on Nov 7, 2008 20:38:04 GMT -5
Yeah - you did leave that wide open! You're right under those concrete shooting barriers the sound really bounces around. Ehh, just be like my daughter - "ouch................give me another one" (round)
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Post by drgreyhound on Nov 7, 2008 21:42:53 GMT -5
Serial "sonic booms" for sure! I don't think anyone should be under those concrete hoods without single, and preferably DOUBLE hearing protection. I'm with your daughter on that, dbd..."Aiee!! Okay, let's try it again..." And I think I can happily live the rest of my life saying I shot something that emitted a rather hot giant flaming fireball and a sonic boom simultaneously only once (thanks singleshooter... ). Fire+BOOM+gun flying back in hand = adrenaline and fear, lol. Thank all that is good and holy that there are no pictures floating around the internet of me (or my pants) while I shot that thing...
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Post by bsutravis on Nov 8, 2008 9:51:12 GMT -5
I totally agree doc! I've NEVER been in a shooting environment that was louder than that Atterbury range! Why they deflect all that sound right back at the shooter is beyond me. A million dollar facility that is basically on the location of a military firing range and they were worried about the sound escaping and causing noise??? I'd never go back without double protection!
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Post by drgreyhound on Nov 8, 2008 12:37:52 GMT -5
I should probably mention that I always use at least a single layer of hearing protection when I shoot anything--but I also have pretty sensitive hearing and don't really care for loud, sudden noises and the hearing protection helps.
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 8, 2008 13:15:47 GMT -5
Take it from someone who has hearing loss.
Like the old song says - "You don't know what you've got till it's gone" applies to your hearing.
I had lots of ear infections when I was a kid and back then there was no anti-biotics for treatment. An ear, nose and throat doctor told my mom when I was 16 that I'd probably be deaf by the time I was 30. That didn't happen....thank the good Lord.
I wasn't smart enough to wear hearing protection when I shot a lot of trap. Back then (35 years ago) very few people did. Not the manly thing to do.
Now if I want to hear anything at all I need to wear a pair of $3,500 hearing aids. Even with them in I still have a hard time understanding some people sometimes.. It is real difficult at times in a crowd or a noisy resturaunt.
Protect your hearing while you still have it.
The ones that get me is the kids in these cars that have the BOOMING radio/CD player in them. You know the ones taht rattles windows three blcoks away. They WILL be deaf by the time they are 30...
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 8, 2008 13:17:04 GMT -5
Oh, BTW - It doesn't just take repeated exposure to noise to damage your hearing. One shot gun blast can do it.
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Post by drgreyhound on Nov 8, 2008 13:20:00 GMT -5
Woody raises great points. It's funny--even though I have sensitive hearing, I have a very hard time hearing someone if they are speaking quietly in a crowded, loud area. However, I am bothered to no end by the neighbors blaring music, cars with the way-too-loud subwoofers, or any loud and sudden noise.
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Post by parson on Nov 8, 2008 13:29:34 GMT -5
You're certainly right Woody. My constant ringing began the day that I took a deer with a S&W 629 Power Port. My hearing still seems to be pretty good, but the ringing never stops.
On the range I always wear foam inserts along with earmuffs. I've also gotten away from the ported 44 mag.
As for my original post, I was curious as to whether or not the ear plugs that are advertised to close at a certain level actually work, and if others had come up with a solution that will still allow you to hear the sounds of the forest. parson
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