The recent thread on brakes got me thinking. When hunting without a brake, just end of a rifle barrel terminating with no attachment, I never wear hearing protection...especially if I am in a blind with the barrel sticking out a window. It seems that the muzzle blast is mitigated enough that it does not bother me. When I am in a tree stand, just one or two shots does not seem to bother me either. So I ask, when hunting without a brake, and without a suppressor, do you use hearing protection?

Hearing Protection POll single choice
	I don't wear it. Not needed without a brake
	Yes, it needs to be worn
	I can't hear anyhow, so who cares
Votes accepted starting: 01/26/21 06:39 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I dont wear ear pro most of the time when I am hunting.

I have started wearing ear pro while dove hunting, and I try to put plugs in whenever i am running a chain saw, weed eater, lawn mower, tractor, or any other type of loud noise.

I use hearing protection, but I lost most of my hearing over 50 years ago. Now I am trying to save what I have left.

huh?

no hearing protection here unless required by the range ...

I don't wear hearing protection when hunting (with brake, without break, with suppressor, without suppressor, using a rifle, using a pistol, using a shotgun). The only one where I feel I need it is shotgun given the number of rounds fired

I use hearing protection most of the time, whether on the range or in the blind. Lost most of the hearing in my left year about 10 years ago due to an idiot used-to-be-friend in the duck blind firing a 12 gauge next to my ear. I’d like to keep what hearing I have left.

Self deception is what leads a lot of people to deafness.

I usually don't wear ear protection most of the time when I am hunting out in the wide open spaces, I want to be able to hear animals and what is going on around me. I should, but don't. If I am in a blind I use my ear plugs on the plastic neck holder. When shooting on a range, under a roof, or with partitions with my pistols or people on either side of me, I do. Even without a brake, my 300 RUM is LOUD!!

I voted no but wouldn't go so far as to say it's not necessary. However, I always use hearing protection when practicing with anything more than a 22. My style of hunting requires being able to listen closely and be ready to take a shot without fumbling with ear protection.

Went to an audiologist years ago and had a $99 special where they checked my hearing and then made a custom mold of my earholes.

Two weeks later I had custom earplugs with a filter that you can change out to be between 15-35dB of protection.

Money very well spent. Every time I shoot a rifle, unless it is a small caliber and suppressed, I use them.

I toured around for many years with my bands and played lots of LOUD shows. I need to protect all the hearing I can!

Would you speak up .

Hunting I use sound cancelling ear muffs that amplify sounds then cancel the rifle shot....

Shooting (and around equipment, chainsaws, etc) I use ear plugs under ear muff....double protecting what I have left

Those of you that ever shoot a center fire rifle, without suppressor, and without hearing protection, do you fail to wear safety glasses when cutting, grinding, sanding?

routinely.

Doctor's gotta make a living too.

People doing dumb stuff is what Firefighter/Paramedics call "job security". I would ber eye and ear docs say the same thing.

Unfortunately, unclebubba, most people don’t notice a problem until we’ll after the damage is done. When my ears started ringing, 35+ years ago, I hadn’t fired a gun in over 6 months....one night they just started and haven’t stopped...ever.

I've treated thousands of elderly folks (not calling you elderly Chris). Guess which ones are by far the most often very hard of hearing or near deaf?

The men...

^^^^^^This. I just spent 2K on hearing aids. Doesn't matter if you're hunting or at the range. Damage is done anytime you shoot.

Ditto. Longer jobs I wear good PPE, same with longer shooting duration. Short sanding, cutting, etc. I forego it 99% of the time

Most of the time when hunting, I use the noise canceling headsets. I like turning the volume up a bit and being able to her distant sounds clearly but reducing the sound of the shot. I rarely use eye pro when hunting but prolly should. When at the range, I use both 100% of the time.

Wear a pair of those neckband ear plugs around my neck all the time. Leaves my ears open to hear what's going on around me and 99% of the time I have plenty of time to stick them in my ears before shooting.

^^These when using my 7 Rem Mag and brake.

Every other rifle wears the suppressor.

Why don't you suppress the 7 mag? Barrel too long?

I shot for years and was just fine, until I wasn't one day. I fired a .38 S&W out the back of a Jeep, being lazy and sitting down. I had the barrel out of the cab, but it caught me just right to set off a loud ringing for about three days. My left ear felt 'thick' like I was listening underwater. It cleared up after a week or two and I ignored the warning. Years later at a Van Halen concert I sat with my left ear towards the stage. At some point the drums were so loud that something gave. Next morning I had the same symptoms except after the thickness cleared up, the tinnitus and damage was undeniable. I've had several audio tests in the last 15 years and I don't remember the particulars but I lost quite a bit of range in that ear. It mildly rings constantly and doing anything now without earpro results in 1-3 days of loud ringing. And by anything I mean something as simple as using a hammer or somebody nearby yelling loudly. Hell, I can set it off myself if I yell loud enough.

The amount of money I would pay to be able to go back and wear earpro every time I shot would be immense. It may be my biggest regret.

So I do wear ear pro while shooting at the range. I also wear ear pro when bird hunting due to the multitude of shots. However, I have never when hunting. Maybe I'll start.