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Photo by J. Wanye Fears
Electronics are ideal for many types of hunting. They protect the ears from repeated shooting while enhancing hearing. |
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Caldwell E-Max |
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Hyskore 30031 |
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Pro Ears Predator Gold |
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Remington Youth |
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Silencio Falcon |
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Browning Midas |
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Champion 40974 |
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Peltor Tactical 6 |
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Radians Pro-Amp |
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Silencio Falcon |
Use electronics to save your hearing
“Wow, that hurt!” Carl exclaimed, just after he fired a shot on my pattern board range. He was checking the pattern impact and uniformity of his Winchester turkey model 12-gauge on which he had mounted a new scope.
When he said that, I thought he was referring to the recoil from the heavy turkey load, instead it was the sharp pain in his ears from the report. I could not believe it. Carl, a new friend with whom I had never shot before, was shooting without hearing protection. When he stepped up to shoot, I thought he had foam earplugs in, but he didn’t.
I pulled him aside and asked what he was thinking; did he want to be deaf? He almost proudly told me that he never wore hearing protection, as he shot very little either on the range or hunting, so it wasn’t necessary.
“Here,” I told him. “Try these on your next few shots.” I handed him the pair of the Pro Ears Predator Gold electronic earmuffs I was wearing. Reluctantly, he put them on, and at once he noticed how much better he could hear the conversations of other shooters and the range commands. When it came time for him to shoot again, he smiled when he shot. There was no pain, and Carl, without realizing it, was saving what hearing he had left. As he left the shooting position he said, “These things really work, don’t they? Where can I buy a set?”
All firearm reports damage hearing
What Carl didn’t know was that the report from his 18-inch barreled turkey gun was hitting his ear with 161.5 decibels of noise. A decibel is the measurement used to determine how loud a sound is.
At each shot, the shotgun report sent a damaging wave of concussive energy into the unprotected ear that rattles the eardrum, the tiny bones of the inner ear and the cochlea, a fluid-filled organ with thousands of little hair-like structures called hair cells, which convert sounds to electrical impulses the brain can understand. At each shot some permanent damage is done, and it is cumulative. Once hair cells are damaged, they cannot grow back. It is called NIHL, noise-induced hearing loss.
It has been determined that NIHL occurs with sounds at 75 decibels and greater. The more decibels, the greater the damage. Even the little .22 LR measures at 134 decibels.
Electronic protection
There are many ways of protecting the ears from sounds greater than 75 decibels when shooting. I like electronic muffs for use on the shooting range, as they protect the ear from loud noises of your own shooting, as well as shots fired by others, while allowing the shooter to easily hear range instructions and conversations.
Electronic earmuffs have other advantages, both on the range and while hunting. Those that enhance hearing of low range sounds can be a great benefit in the woods — to hear a gobbler at a distance, squirrels feeding, doves approaching from behind, a distant elk bugle, deer walking in leaves and the whispers of fellow hunters or guides. Earmuffs with two or more speakers give the wearer a stereo effect, making it easier to tell the direction from which noises occur, which is ideal for turkey hunting.
Understanding NRR
Electronic muffs have what is known as an NRR, Noise Reduction Rating, on the packaging, so the shopper will know the noise reduction capabilities of the unit. NRR is the measurement, in decibels, of how well a hearing protector reduces noise as specified by the Environmental Protection Agency. The higher the NRR number, the greater the noise reduction. Most muff protectors on the market have a NRR rating from 22 to 33 decibels.
Proper fit
For electronic hearing protection to do its job most effectively, the muffs must be correctly fitted to the head. Anything that prevents each earmuff from having a tight seal allows noise to enter the ear. Eye glasses, long hair, long ear rings, caps, facemasks, etc., can stop the muff from making a seal with the side of the head, and the result can be loss of hearing.
Make sure the pair of electronic hearing protectors you purchase has an adjustable headband that will fit over the cap, face mask, etc., you will be wearing when you use it.
Other tips
Always carry an extra set of batteries. During the excitement of the hunt or range session, it is easy to forget to turn off the muffs. And they are dead the next time you pull them from your range bag or hunting vest. For this reason, I like muffs with an automatic turn off and a low battery indicator.
Be sure to remove batteries during long periods when the muffs are not in use.
If there is greater loss of hearing in one of your ears than the other, consider a set of electronic hearing protectors that has a volume control on each muff to adjust for the disparity.
Where there is a lot of shooting, such as a dove shoot, or shooting trap, skeet, sporting clays, I like to wear foam earplugs with my electronic muffs. I want to save what little hearing I have remaining. The dual hearing protectors, when combined, give five to 10 decibels of added protection. — J. Wayne Fears