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Hansam · July 28, 2012, 08:54 PM

I hunt without ear protection. I typically rarely take more than a couple of shots per animal with a rifle most of the time taking only one shot per animal I shoot and then its only one or two animals per day.

When I bird hunt I also don't hunt with hearing protection. I take more shots with the 12 gauge shotgun than I do with my rifle. Ducks - you can make many multiple shots in a day. The same goes for pheasant and grouse hunting.

At the time of hunting I don't notice any ringing or adverse conditions in my ears.

I DO however wear hearing protection whenever I shoot trap, skeet or am on the line practicing with rifles/handguns etc.

I made the mistake once of not wearing hearing protection (I wanted to know what the gun - my 1911 - sounded like without hearing protection) and put two rounds downrange without hearing protection. I won't ever do that again. Thanks to that I had ringing in my ears for nearly 48 hours straight and I felt as though I had water in my ears for a week. Luckily that apparently didn't injure my ears.

July 28, 2012, 08:54 PM	#56
Hansam Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 763	I hunt without ear protection. I typically rarely take more than a couple of shots per animal with a rifle most of the time taking only one shot per animal I shoot and then its only one or two animals per day. When I bird hunt I also don't hunt with hearing protection. I take more shots with the 12 gauge shotgun than I do with my rifle. Ducks - you can make many multiple shots in a day. The same goes for pheasant and grouse hunting. At the time of hunting I don't notice any ringing or adverse conditions in my ears. I DO however wear hearing protection whenever I shoot trap, skeet or am on the line practicing with rifles/handguns etc. I made the mistake once of not wearing hearing protection (I wanted to know what the gun - my 1911 - sounded like without hearing protection) and put two rounds downrange without hearing protection. I won't ever do that again. Thanks to that I had ringing in my ears for nearly 48 hours straight and I felt as though I had water in my ears for a week. Luckily that apparently didn't injure my ears. __________________ This is who we are, what we do.