shooting w/o ear protection
I shot my first deer this morning, and it was also the first time in 20 years of shooting I ever shot a firearm without any ear protection on.
Holy cow, my ears (especially my left) are still ringing. Everything seems loud, like my ears are over-sensitive. I know next time I'll try and pop in some easy-in plugs (like I wear at work) before I fire, hopefully without spooking my target.
In the mean time, is there any remedy besides time? It's been almost 12 hours now since I fired, and it's still bothering me.
Holy cow, my ears (especially my left) are still ringing. Everything seems loud, like my ears are over-sensitive. I know next time I'll try and pop in some easy-in plugs (like I wear at work) before I fire, hopefully without spooking my target.
In the mean time, is there any remedy besides time? It's been almost 12 hours now since I fired, and it's still bothering me.
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what were you shooting [?] 0 -
I've NEVER worn any in the field,Hunted for 35 years.I ALWAYS wear it at the range, indoors or out.I would advise you to do the same....
My hearing is still better than average,wish i could say that for my eye-sight....
Maybe loud noises screw-up your eyes.[;)]
Jeff0 -
With time the ringing may diminish, but the damage is permanent. Trauma to your hearing can cause tinnitis which is an unpleasant constant ringing that never goes away. I'm beginning to get this--which is weird because I've always used hearing protection.
I have a pair of Peltor earmuffs that have microphones on the outside. These are volume-gated so they go 'silent' within a millisecond after a noise that exceeds 80 dB. They're pretty nice for range work, but would kind of suck to use in the field. I believe there are in-the-ear versions of same available. I'm sure somebody else will pipe up with a clearer recommendation.0 -
tinnitus screams 24-7....i use little plugs with a spring baffle to cut sharp sounds coming in....works great...cheap at guess where...wal--- 0 -
I wear hearing protection at the range but not in the field. I have never even heard any of my shots at game.... No ringing ears...nothing. Too busy concentrating on the shot, I geuss. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tazzer
what were you shooting [?]
Remington 700 in .270 caliber. One shot.0 -
Hopefully it will get better. I guess it varies for different people. I've hunted for my lifetime, more or less fifty years, and until recently, I never even thought of ear protection. I have started the last few years since I got interested in handguns. Too late maybe, but as far as I can tell, my hearing is still normal. I do get some ringing in the left one sometimes, but it doesn't last long, a few minutes, then gone. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by spurgemastur
With time the ringing may diminish, but the damage is permanent. Trauma to your hearing can cause tinnitis which is an unpleasant constant ringing that never goes away. I'm beginning to get this--which is weird because I've always used hearing protection.
I already have tinnitus, actually.[:(]0 -
quote:Originally posted by guntech59
I wear hearing protection at the range but not in the field. I have never even heard any of my shots at game.... No ringing ears...nothing. Too busy concentrating on the shot, I geuss.
I was concentrating on my shot, as well. It just so happens that once the shot is taken, concentration is no longer required, but hearing is.[:D]0 -
I wear my ear muffs to keep the voices in. [:D] 0 -
Huh? What? 0 -
electronic ear muffs are the way to go, and start at around 30 bucks, also can give you the edge of super hearing while hunting
i had a guy shoot a .44 mag less than 6 feet away, {his fault not mine, cease fire was called}, it felt like running water in my ears, couldn't hear for 3 days, and the ringing {tinnitus} has never stopped that was 20 years ago0 -
MANY tinnitus suffers have NEVER fired a shot.Their are many people in refinery/body-shop,noisy jobs, in general,that suffer it. My wife has tinnitus, and has never worked in an overly noisy invironment.(sp)
When i'm in the woods, i want to hear EVERYTHING!!
Let's face it. hunting deer, you're gonna hear 1, maybe 2 shots. From BEHIND the muzzle. At the range, U may be subjected to 1000 an hour.I say, Do what you think you need, to protect your hearing AND EYES!I do ALWAYS WEAR EYE protection,and always have.My pop DRILLED that into me ,and my big bro. before me.
Jeff0 -
Yours in a common problem. Up north, where it's cold, wearing a ski hat while hunting allows me to have the hat covering my ears. This helps muffle any shots. Not as good as ear muffs, but it helps. 0 -
quote:i want to hear EVERYTHING!!
a good pair of electronic muffs, and you will hear better than you ever had, not wearing hearing protection because non shooters get tinnitus too is like saying smoking is ok because non smokers get cancer also, it only took one shot for me0 -
quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
Huh? What?
What did he say?0 -
I've purposely shot my 357, 1911, AK, and FAL without hearing protection, just a few rounds from each. I figure they are the ones I may end up *needing* to shoot without hearing protection, so if that happens I don't want it to be a complete shock...
If you need/want to do this, I recommend a nice open area - minimize noise reflection, etc. Overhang at a range, or cinder block walls, etc. bounce sound back and make it louder...0 -
I shot my Armalite .223 about 20 times without hearing protection. I was outdoors, nothing around, and while the .223 isn't super powerful the muzzle brake on that thing sent the noise directly back at me. It was painful, like getting slapped in the ear, in my left ear and very bad in my right.
My ears rang for about 24 hours afterwards. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I have since worn ear protection for everything, even using leaf blowers and weedwackers. Every now and then I'll feel like a sissy, but then the idea of a constant ringing for the rest of my life brings me back to sanity.
My buddy is a professional musician and he has the ringing all the time. He went to the best audiologist in the area and the man said there's nothing that can be done. The doctor said it may go away, but probably will not.
On the plus side for you is it was a one shot situation. You may have it for awhile. Cumulative effects of lots of loud noise is devastating.0 -
Wear hearing protection or you'll wind up deaf. If you have to shoot
to defend yourself, the sound of the gun won't distract you nearly as much as the threat does.0 -
I've always worn ear protection when shooting at the range or anywhere else but hunting. I've never worn ear protection when hunting and so far I haven't had any ringing for longer than maybe a couple hours, if that long.
I think it's really important, as others on here have said. One option would be to get those plugs on a string and have them handy and before you shoot stick one in each ear and shoot.0 -
It's too late for me. The family has been on my case for a while now. A recent hearing test told me I dont have selective hearing as I thought but serious hearing loss. The tinnitis is a constant low hiss that doesn't bother me. In fact the hearing loss doesn't bother me at all.
I will have to research the best hearing protection to save what's left or give up shooting.
I never like to be next to a shooter with a muzzle brake; rifle, pistol or shotgun. One came on an AR and was quickly removed and replaced with a spiral type flash hider.0 -
Being an aircraft maintenance officer in the Air Force, I've worn hearing protection for my job almost my entire adult life. I still work in a manufacturing environment, where ear, eye, and foot protection are mandatory. I'm so used to wearing PPE, I too wear it when mowing, hedge clipping, shooting, and anything else with even the slightest amount of noise.
I've even gone to Metallica and Black Sabbath concerts wearing ear plugs. It makes a concert much more enjoyable.
I'm ticked at myself for not wearing ear plugs on my hunt. From now on I will take with me the ones I wear at work, and put them on when I see a deer. They slip in with just a push (no rolling or ear-lifting to open the canal), and I think I can use the time to settle my nerves before firing my shot.
I just hope today's ringing/rushing water goes away soon. Note to self: guns are loud! Wear PPE!![:D]0 -
I have the Bells of St. Mary in my head. I shot everything from .22s to .44 Mags from the time I was 6 yrs. old until my late 20s. It was nothing for me to shoot 500 rds. of .22 or .357 or both any weekend for several years, without hearing protection.And throw in myriad rifles and shotguns along the way. Oh, sometimes I would stick cigarette filters in. Even after getting into law enforcement we seldom had muffs when qualifying. I finally got my own but it was several years before my dept. required them. I have hearing loss of course. It's a wonder I'm not totally deaf. I also have unending ringing that I have learned to ignore most of the time. But sometimes it seems to volume up and believe me it can be almost sickening. I hope anyone reading this will take my advice and ALWAYS use some hearing protection. There are many types to choose from today. I wish someone had told me 50 yrs. ago. But back then most everyone was in the same boat. I guess most of them didn't shoot as much as I did and not much was generally available anyhow. Take care of yourself. 0 -
With the job you have there is a good chance you will eventually have tinnitis eventually anyway, but the more you protect your hearing the better your chances. Here is a thread by nunn about tinnitis. There have been several threads on the subject, and I was surprised how many on this forum have it.
Link0 -
I've shot .22's and 12 gauges without ears (open field) that bothered me enough... but when I've been at the range, thru the hearing protection, comparing an AK or AR to some of the full power hunting rifles going off, there's no way I'd shoot off one of those things without ears. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
There have been several threads on the subject, and I was surprised how many on this forum have it.yup, same here. I sure don't want to get that when I get older.0 -
quote:Originally posted by buschmaster
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
There have been several threads on the subject, and I was surprised how many on this forum have it.yup, same here. I sure don't want to get that when I get older.
Yep. I really don't want that at all.0 -
I am another who does not wear ear protection while hunting.
I also never used to wear any while at any outdoor range includeing while I was in the Army. Ear plugs just allways made me too uncomfortable.
As a kid we went to an outdoor range with my uncle and grandfather and nobody ever wore ear protection.
In the Army durring Basic our Seargents would jump my ass for not wearing my ear plugs so to make them happy I would put them in to the point where all I had to do was shake my head and they would fall out because I felt that they bugged me to the point of throwing my shots off.
I have never experienced any ringing in my ears from shooting.
I do have some very slight hearing loss but it is very minimal.
Now days I do wear hearing protection at the range, but will admit it is more of a show for my children! I want them to wear thiers so I wear mine to lead with an example!0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
I am another who does not wear ear protection while hunting.
I also never used to wear any while at any outdoor range includeing while I was in the Army. Ear plugs just allways made me too uncomfortable.
As a kid we went to an outdoor range with my uncle and grandfather and nobody ever wore ear protection.
In the Army durring Basic our Seargents would jump my ass for not wearing my ear plugs so to make them happy I would put them in to the point where all I had to do was shake my head and they would fall out because I felt that they bugged me to the point of throwing my shots off.
I have never experienced any ringing in my ears from shooting.
I do have some very slight hearing loss but it is very minimal.
Now days I do wear hearing protection at the range, but will admit it is more of a show for my children! I want them to wear thiers so I wear mine to lead with an example!
there was a time seat belts where not available in automobiles, but now we know better{at least some do}, there where allot of things people used to do that we know was not a good practice at all, grandma used to put butter on burns too, now we know better0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
I am another who does not wear ear protection while hunting.
I also never used to wear any while at any outdoor range includeing while I was in the Army. Ear plugs just allways made me too uncomfortable.
As a kid we went to an outdoor range with my uncle and grandfather and nobody ever wore ear protection.
In the Army durring Basic our Seargents would jump my ass for not wearing my ear plugs so to make them happy I would put them in to the point where all I had to do was shake my head and they would fall out because I felt that they bugged me to the point of throwing my shots off.
I have never experienced any ringing in my ears from shooting.
I do have some very slight hearing loss but it is very minimal.
Now days I do wear hearing protection at the range, but will admit it is more of a show for my children! I want them to wear thiers so I wear mine to lead with an example!
there was a time seat belts where not available in automobiles, but now we know better{at least some do}, there where allot of things people used to do that we know was not a good practice at all, grandma used to put butter on burns too, now we know better
I agree!
But I also admit that I tend to do more from habit that from common sence!
My habit has allways been to not wear my hearing protection![:(]
Like I said though, I am getting better about it because I am trying to teach my kids the right way and not the way I was brought up.
I also never wore eye protection when I was a kid! Now that I wear glasses I allways wear my eye protection because I cannot see without it![;)]0
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