Hearing Loss

[RaiderRich]

Like several on here I suffer from hearing loss as well. The term the audiologist used was tone deafness. I hear lower frequency sounds better than the average person but can't hear higher frequency sounds. I hear vowel sounds well but can't hear consonants so words like near, deer, steer, beer, leer, jeer, fear, etc. all might sound the same to me so my brain will do it's best interpretation of what it thinks it heard so if I am in deer camp in the evening and thinking about that big buck that I could not get a shot at and someone asks, "Do you want a beer?" I may hear, "Do you want a deer?" and reply, "Yeah and in the morning I will go and get it."

The downside of the hearing low frequency sounds as well as I do when I can't hear higher ones, is when the car with the huge sub-woofer pulls up next to me. That experience is like some sick form of torture.

I too use hearing aids and have tried various hunting hearing devices as well, but when it comes down to it I use my eyes more extensively than my ears in the field.

 

[dacausey]

'heard' that

 

[fmnjr]

Learned to late in life the definition of hearing loss, ie, unprotected hearing at 85 decibels for 15 minutes.

15 minutes. Of the following sounds: Heavy traffic, window air conditioner, noisy restaurant, power lawn mower.

Wear your ear pro!

 

[Huntnut60]

Please excuse the link to another forum but it directly references BigFin. I suffer from tinnitus due to years of operating chainsaws and shooting without ear protection. I wonder if my inability to find elk is directly related to hearing loss. I haven't had a hearing test done in ages however I know it's gotten worse. I suspect by my 40th I'll have hearing aids.

Hearing Bugles Until Your Last Hunt

Hearing Bugles Until Your Last Hunt, an article about hearing loss and how to prevent it by Audiologist Weston Adkins. Hearing, Hearing Loss

www.rokslide.com

Just like a lot of others, too much shooting all my life without protection. Gasoline yard equipment and tractors did not help much either. High pitched noises are almost impossible for me to hear. Most other noises OK. Positive for COVID this week and can’t even hear the digital thermometer in my mouth when it signals time is up. Protect it while you have it.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've got my primary hunting rifle headed out the door this week for barrel chop/threading and plan to hunt it suppressed within a year or two as the budget allows. I'm equally interested in lower felt recoil/muzzle jump and decibel reduction. It's a moderate financial investment, but I have a hard time imagining regretting it. My primary gripe is the bulkiness of the can out there, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

I don't dedicate a lot of time to worrying about noise, but when I had one of my kids spotting through binos while I shot the other day and he couldn't shake the ring for the rest of the day it was a strong reminder.

I'm not going to say what suppressor I'm buying though, don't need any runs on my top pick

 

[rjthehunter]

Shot a deer last season with my 338 out of a box stand. Muzzle brake threw all the sound into the box stand and I lost high range hearing in my left ear. Threw my balance off for 3 weeks to where I was stuck in bed because I was so dizzy. I wear ear protection every time I have a gun now. I wouldn't wish that dizziness on my worst enemy.

 

[jcbusaf]

Like turbobrick stated earlier, silencer shop is a great place to look and help walk thou through the process.
look at brands and then search dealers, good chance there is a dealer closer then you think. Some will be even set up a little range demo. Well prior to not being able to buy ammo freely. Additionally Thunderbeast and GSL make awsome cans

 

[JoltnJoe]

Woke up to the ringing for the first time a few months ago and it hasn’t stopped since. 39 y.o. construction worker and a lifelong hunter. Have been surprised to hear about how many folks live with this ailment. Hearing test all good except for one frequency in my left ear generally associated with firearms use. Hopefully it stays that way. By the way, if anyone has any creative coping mechanisms or success with treatments I’m all ears (pun not intended).

 

[WyoDoug]

I have significant hearing loss and would fail the physical to go back into the military if I tried again. My tinnitus is bad. My hearing was initially damaged from the several years I spent in the field artillery in the 11th Marines before they enforced hearing protection. Then on the rifle range we often used cigarette buts when ear plugs were in short supply and them ear plugs did little as you notice in the ongoing lawsuits over them.

If your hearing is good, protect it with everything you got. Once you lose it, there is nothing you can do to get it back. Hearing aids are on the expensive side. The cheap ones I see posted are useless with my tinnitus going on.

I can't hear elk bugling or chirping myself.

 

[dcopas78]

Both my mother and father have hearing aids, as well as grandparents when they were still with us. Hearing loss is the one family tradition I was hoping would skip me, but I'm starting to notice changes. It also doesn't help that I'm around large compressors, motors, pumps, heavy equipment etc., all the time.

 

[SRW]

Interesting article and thread. Personally, I’d love to see hearing protection worn and emphasized more frequently in hunting programming/videos/content. Perhaps it’s just me, but I think that would do wonders to send the right message to young or new hunters and shooters that plugs or muffs aren’t for wimps.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

"weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" -My ears

 

[Wildabeest]

CAN YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPS? I CAN’T HEAR YOU!

 

[antelopedundee]

Woke up to the ringing for the first time a few months ago and it hasn’t stopped since. 39 y.o. construction worker and a lifelong hunter. Have been surprised to hear about how many folks live with this ailment. Hearing test all good except for one frequency in my left ear generally associated with firearms use. Hopefully it stays that way. By the way, if anyone has any creative coping mechanisms or success with treatments I’m all ears (pun not intended).

That's what H Ross Perot said during IIRC a debate; go ahead, I'm all ears.

 

[antelopedundee]

Hearing loss sucks. Mine is bad over a number of years probably starting when I was younger and shot loud rifles without hearing protection. Now I use earplugs AND muffs at the range. Something similar when hunting if I can make it work. Shopping for new hearing aids at the moment. Lost one a few weeks ago. It fell out and I didn't know it was missing until I got back into my car. I retraced my steps as best I could but to no avail. I expect that the guy running one of those motorized floor sweepers probably got it. I was considering replacing them anyway.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Since several of you mentioned tinnitus, you might like this article about a possible new treatment. It's only in the research phase at this time, but looks promising. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/electric-shocks-tongue-can-quiet-chronic-ringing-ears

 

[JoltnJoe]

Since several of you mentioned tinnitus, you might like this article about a possible new treatment. It's only in the research phase at this time, but looks promising. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/electric-shocks-tongue-can-quiet-chronic-ringing-ears

Interesting read, nice to know there is a possibility of a treatment someday. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Cornell2012]

My Christmas list this year included electronic ear muffs. I've used them several times already and am incredibly happy. The ability to hear things going on around you while not needing to wrangle ear protection when something appears has been a game-changer.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Got my rifle back from the smith, cut from 24" to 20". He did a real nice job on the cap and crown, couldn't see the seam if you didn’t know it was there. Shaen Rifles did the work, and will get my next re-barrel. Good attention to detail, good communication, quick turnaround.
It came down to the GAP Jaeger and TBAC Ultra for cans; the price on the Jaeger was enticing but ended up going with the TBAC. Won’t have it until this time or so next year, will hunt it as is. Progress...

 

[1_pointer]

That is impressive work!!! I too very much want to get a centerfire suppressor...