Do you wear ear protection while hunting with a magnum caliber?

[mrefaat]

Just wondering, I am taking my 300 Win Mag moose hunting this season and was wondering if anyone uses ear protection in the woods especially with magnum calibers? if yes, what type?
Thanks,
Mo

 

[dumbdawg]

only wear them when sighting in never when hunting

 

[prosper]

Whenever possible, I use ear protection. That means I always have it with me, when shooting/hunting. It's not always possible to get it on in time for the shot though

 

[woodchopper]

Never use it for hunting. But then I'm only taking one or two shots at a time.

I always use hearing protection when I'm just shooting or sighting in.

 

[open-sights]

I have never had the time to put the plugs in, but always have them in my pocket.

 

[tiriaq]

Has anyone ever experimented with electronic muffs? One chap I know reported he could hear the sound of the wings of approaching ducks.

 

[1shot]

I always wear ear protection when hunting waterfowl but I'm such an awful shot with scattergun and go through sometimes a box per 2 birds!!

Big game riflehunting is so totally different, I barely notice the muzzle report and any REAL noise is made by me- if you get what I mean.. You'll be fine- just go do it!

 

[Musky Hunter]

i have heard the problem with e-muffs for hunting is sound direction...

 

[Noel]

Just wondering, I am taking my 300 Win Mag moose hunting this season and was wondering if anyone uses ear protection in the woods especially with magnum calibers? if yes, what type?
Thanks,
Mo

What? Speak up boy!
I always have them in my pocket but rarely get a chance to put them in.
The only Magnum I've packed was a 375 H&H , it was no problem, the loudest smoke poles I've packed were:
#1 Win 70 in 06 w/Boss system
#2 Rugger 77 carbine, 308 Win
#3 Browning BLR 81 in 243 Win

Could I be so bold as to say, it won't really be the calibre you shoot so much but more so the length of the barrel, unless you have a brake on the barrel.
Even with ear plugs, my ears rang for more than 24hrs after just a few shots
with that 06.

 

[chappy]

i always carry earplugs hunting and never had time or rememberd to use. range use or plinking i always wear muffs and for the boomers earplugs too.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

With the exception of hunting, I use them anytime I'm shooting, with all calibres.

 

[powder burner]

There's something special about your ears being fuzzy and ringing after you have taken down your deer, moose, elk, etc. maybe its just me... If you ever go shooting with yellowdog7.62x39 bring some for yourself. You will need it.

 

[MusicianShooter]

I dont wear them when hunting, but use plugs and muffs at the range.

Now think of this though... I know drummers (all that banging and crashing) often suffer from less hearing damage from other musicians, as they seem to often hum or make noises when they play.

Supposedly, this is because humming (or even singing) actually engages muscles in your jaw, which in turn can tighten the stirrup, hammer etc bones and related muscles in in your inner ear... protecting your ears slightly.

How can this help? Well when you're letting your breath out to take your shot, is there any great harm in humming for a second as you do this?

No this is not BS. Got it from a pamphlet given to me by an audiologist. I havent tried this in the field but intend to. Cant possibly hurt.

 

[Demonical]

There is a funny thing that happens when you shoot at big game, for some reason you never feel the recoil or hear the shot. I never experience ringing in my ears or anything. I have no idea why that is...

No I do not use it while hunting but I use plugs + muffs any time I am at the range.

 

[Gatehouse]

I nearly belw out my rigth eardrum last year when I was perchedi n a stone chimney and shooting at a ram...

That hurt alot. I wish I had time to slip in some ear plugs.

Yesterday, when shooting a bear, I didn'teven notice, but of course, I was out in the open with nothing to reflect the noise back to me.

 

[Demonical]

I nearly belw out my rigth eardrum last year when I was perchedi n a stone chimney and shooting at a ram...

That hurt alot. I wish I had time to slip in some ear plugs.

Yesterday, when shooting a bear, I didn'teven notice, but of course, I was out in the open with nothing to reflect the noise back to me.

Wait a minute. Where is the story and pics!?

 

[BIGREDD]

Yeah... I use the electronic ear muffs a lot of the time hunting now... my ears ring all the time... kind of comforting actually.
Give us the bear story Gatehouse!

 

[beretta boy]

Wear the custom molded types while shooting shotgun at the range, and the molded with muffs over top while rifle shooting at the bench. Same for indoor handgun.

Hunting... never ... but do take cheap disposable ear plugs with me to Deer Camp ... lots of them - put them in when there's sufficient BS flowing at the card table, and of course at night when the lights finally go out ... the snoring is ubbelievable !

 

[john-brennan]

ear protection

Never wear it while hunting just target shooting.

 

[ryanb]

I haven't worn earplugs while hunting. The other day I shot a bear with a .338 with a muzzle brake. After the first shot I had trouble hearing, and the follow up in thick alders was...interesting. Another 3 shots were taken, and by that point my hearing was very nearly gone for the next couple hours. From now on, I'll be removing the muzzle brake on that thing when I'm hunting. A magnum is fine without earplugs for those couple shots a year while hunting, however, avoid muzzle brakes/boss systems while hunting without hearing protection.