hunting with a muzzlebread without ear protection

I'm thinking everyone's hearing sensitivity is different. In the past I never wore hearing protection as a kid and on my own even running power saws I never wore protection. My hearing although it has been impacted I still hear better than most people. I do wear hearing protection when shooting as per range rules and to set an example for my son. But when out cutting trees I still don't. So I think everyone s hearing is affected differently

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by greatwhite

My hearing although it has been impacted I still hear better than most people.

---

Only testing will tell you how well your hearing is...you might be surprised how much damage has been done but you don't notice becasue it's been done over a long period of time.

While it's not medical quality, you can get an idea how your hearing is with a modern smart phone and headphones. Just look for a hearing test app!

For years I've been complaining to my doctors about ringing and having trouble hearing and got nowhere. They'd say it was wax or just ignore me. It wasn't until I used a test app that I could see just how bad it was.

When I finally got to a audiologist the loss graph from my phone closely matched what they did with their proper test equipment.

As of a week ago I've been wearing hearing aids and it's amazing what I was missing!

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob Stewart

They'd say it was wax or just ignore me. It wasn't until I used a test app that I could see just how bad it was.

---

My hearing failed during the release medical...sent to the audiologist. He cleaned out a huge wad of wax , probably what saved my hearing that I had no idea was in there. Passed the second test with flying colours :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MikePal

Only testing will tell you how well your hearing is...you might be surprised how much damage has been done but you don't notice becasue it's been done over a long period of time.

---

Very true, you never really know.

I had this ringing and it did not go away in 24 hours. I took a sick day and went to the doctor, the concern was the ear drum. They sent me for testing and I never had any idea that my hearing was that far gone.

At least I actually have an excuse for not "hearing" my wife :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob Stewart

While it's not medical quality, you can get an idea how your hearing is with a modern smart phone and headphones. Just look for a hearing test app!

For years I've been complaining to my doctors about ringing and having trouble hearing and got nowhere. They'd say it was wax or just ignore me. It wasn't until I used a test app that I could see just how bad it was.

When I finally got to a audiologist the loss graph from my phone closely matched what they did with their proper test equipment.

As of a week ago I've been wearing hearing aids and it's amazing what I was missing!

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

---

I notice that the radio when on an AM station drives me nuts, my bad ear tends to ring with things like baseball games and CBC radio. I don't know if it is just the talking rather than music but I hear it and nobody else does, annoying as heck.

The doc also told me that ear plugs do not do all that much. She said that muffs are much better because they cover up the outer ear, the vibration in the bone below the ear can also do damage. She told me that guys running heavy equipment, even with hearing protection, tend to lose their hearing as the constant shaking from things like jack hammers cause hearing loss through the bones. It was very interesting to talk about, explains more and more about the hearing loss in our family.

I was out ringing gongs a few years ago with my 5.56 and newly installed muzzle brake,wearing muffs,shooting off the front rack of my quad as a rest.
Took a smoke break and reload a few mags,then just about to shoot first round I realized I didn’t have my muffs on and thought”oh well wtf,I won’t be wearing muffs hunting coyotes with this....how loud can it be?”
Not sure if the shock wave deflecting off the front of my quad made it worse or not,but only fired one shot and I thought I blew my effin ear drum,it hurt like hell and rang for 3hrs,hearing was messed up all night and still discomfort the following day.
That was my first,last,and only experience shooting a braked rifle,F that,I threw that POS in the trash,no more MBs for this guy....and that was just a 5.56,I can’t imagine what my big game guns would do!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by toddy

When I shoot game I dont hear the shot. I dont feel I am suffering at all when shooting at game, weather it be ducks or big game with any caliber of gun.

I am curious when shooting game with a rifle equipped with a muzzle break if you hear it and if its ear piercing like it is when target practicing.

---

I always hunt with plugs and electronic ear pro. You cannot get your hearing back once it's gone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by walkinandsittin

I always hunt with plugs and electronic ear pro. You cannot get your hearing back once it's gone.

---

What???? :D

W

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

You do not feel like you are suffering but you are.

I had a bout of tinnitus, I thought it was from the concerts I went to in the past but the hearing test proved that it was from shooting. My left ear is on the verge of needing a hearing aid and my right is fine, the stock blocks your right ear if you are a right handed shooter. The proof is in the testing, I always used hearing protection at the range and never hunting, this is what happened. I asked the tech about it, we are a hunting community, she said it is typical hearing loss for a hunter.

Wear your ears.

---

Wear the electronics at ALL times when shooting!
I’m on my 4th set of hearing aids because I wore ear plugs trap shooting, but nothing when hunting for 50 years!! Now I’m paying for it!! I’ve put over $12,000 in my ears so far, and I continually bemoan the fact that I could have bought a lot of guns for that money if I’d worn ear protection when hunting all those years!