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Don't Be Fooled: Why Hunters Use Ear Protection

By Guest BloggerPosted December 21, 2012

 

Shared by Guest blogger John O'Connor, as Guest Blogger.

Guest blogger outdoorsman John O. shares the real reason hunters should wear ear protection.

A deer hunter off on an adventure during a controlled wildife management hunt. Courtesy of John Gresham

A deer hunter at a Virginia State Park during a controlled wildlife management hunt

Some obvious dangers come with being a hunter; especially if you're clumsy fingered friend has trouble with his rifle. While firearm accidents are a big concern, what about the other dangers, such as hearing loss? If you're using a shotgun, did you know that it can create 160 plus decibels? That's much louder than everyday speech or even your car's stereo, probably even a newborn's bottle cry. When you're hunting long-term, this can seriously start to wear on your ears. Some hunters, like my father, now use hearing aids because they didn't always wear protective ear gear. Neglecting your protective hearing gear while out in the field or practicing at the range can take a major toll on your eardrums and cause hearing loss gradually over time if not prevented.  

Protection is one way that you can prevent noise-induced hearing loss while hunting. The last thing you want is your favorite hobby getting in the way of other things. These are a few ways that fellow hunters love ear drums. 

Earplugs

It's probably the easiest way to protect your eardrums from a buckshot. This is the first way that many hunters start protecting their ears when using firearms. Many earplugs exist so you should inspect its strength and read over reviews to make sure that it's the best fit for your ear. There are also other ear protection gadgets that you can use if you don't like earplugs.
 
Earmuffs
 
Some hunters find earplugs to be uncomfortable or just really not as protective as earmuffs. These are clam-like protective headphones that go over your ear, allowing for better comfort and all over noise protection. There are a variety of different earmuffs, just like earplugs, and some of the higher quality earmuffs have special features and protect against louder firearms better than others. However, earmuffs also have drawbacks, particularly that you can't hear other people in your hunting group, a major danger if someone spots that buck behind you. 

Electronic Earmuffs

This is the latest trend among hunters, and if you love staying on top of the trends, electronic earmuffs may be just the gear you've been waiting for. These are noise-cancelling types of ear protection that detect normal speech and amplify it through each headphone on the earmuff. However, when something is louder, than say 80 dB, all incoming sound is muted. Not only are these earmuffs a more convenient way to go hunting alone or with a group, you can still protect your ears. 
 
Other Things to Think About
 
You definitely don't want to fire off a round in an enclosed environment. This is the worst thing that you could do besides shoving a q-tip too far in your eardrum. For off-season indoor practice, make sure that you are always are protected. Hearing loss is higher for those individuals who do not wear any sort of protection. If possible, try to find an outdoor shooting range that will allow sound to be freer, thus not allowing it to echo and grow louder from an enclosed space. 
 
Hunters who already have hearing loss can tell you, if you haven't been wearing ear protection, your ears are going to suffer. You don't have to wait for the shock of not being able to hear your wife's laughter or son's ball game--if you use these modern hearing protection gadgets, you'll be in great hands for the next hunting season. 

Thank you John O. for your special insight 

John O'Connor, is a father, outdoorsman and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.  Over the past few years he has become more and more interested in hearing loss. His father and grandfathers, who are and were all hunters, are affected by hearing loss. He feels that there is a general lack of understanding around the issue and it is our job to spread awareness where we can. Check out John O's blog here. 

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If you have read the article and have a question, please email nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov.

COMMENT

Tanya Green (June 11, 2015 02:05:54 AM): This is a very important post everyone, so please share it.

My father lost 90% of his hearing early in life and we believe it was largely due to his refusal to wear hearing protection while shooting.

He wears a hearing aid now (when he's behaving) but his hearing is no where near what it was.

Ironically, I now work for a safety products supplier so have heard even more stories of people failing to wear proper hearing protection (or failing to fit it properly) whilst shooting or using loud machinery - all of which diminishes sensitivity of hearing.

Thanks again for the post.

Tanya Green
http://www.workplacesafetywarehouse.com/ppe-equipment-list-products/m06-javelin-ear-muffs.htm
Please use appropriate protection when exposed to loud noise.

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