Just one shot from a firearm is loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage. Yet many hunters avoid hearing protection because of concerns about not being able to hear other sounds.
With today’s hearing protection devices, however, you can protect your hearing and have a successful hunt. Henry Ford Health audiologist Ashley Deeb, Au.D., explains how.
How Gunfire Damages Hearing While Hunting
Shooting a firearm when hunting creates more than just a loud noise—it also creates intense pressure waves. These pressure waves can travel to your ears not only through the air, but also through the bones in your head.
“When firearms produce pressure waves, they send vibrations through our skull and soft tissue,” says Dr. Deeb. “The vibrations can reach the delicate structures in your inner ear by way of bone conduction and result in hearing damage. You may not know that the damage occurred, because noise-induced hearing loss can take years to become noticeable.”
Are Foam Earplugs Enough for Hunting?
Standard foam earplugs are generally suitable for everyday noise exposure, such as mowing the lawn or working in a noisy environment. But they often don’t provide proper hearing protection during hunting.
“Foam earplugs help to block damaging sound that enters through the ear canal, but they do not block the high-intensity vibrations that travel via bone conduction to the inner ear,” says Dr. Deeb. “If you are using foam earplugs, add over-the-ear hearing protection like protective earmuffs to reduce sound exposure and bone conduction vibrations. This layering strategy protects you from hunting gunfire sounds much better than foam earplugs alone.”
Hear Soft Sounds While Protecting Your Hearing
Worried that the double protection will block out the sounds you need to hear, like approaching game? That doesn’t have to be the case.
“You can purchase electronic hearing protection devices that adapt to loud and soft noises,” says Dr. Deeb. “These devices use a microphone that amplifies softer sounds and shuts off when louder ones occur. Many hunters report that they can hear better with these devices than without. They notice twigs snapping or even wind in the trees that they couldn’t hear before.”
Hunting With Hearing Aids
If you have a hearing problem and use hearing aids, don’t assume you can skip hearing protection. Everyone needs to protect the hearing they have.
“Hearing aids amplify sounds based on your degree of hearing loss, but they do not protect against damaging noise,” Dr. Deeb emphasizes. “While hearing aids have limits to prevent over-amplification, they aren’t designed to be protective.”
Dr. Deeb advises hunters with hearing loss to use over-the-ear electronic earmuffs designed for hunting. “These earmuffs combine hearing enhancement, like that provided by regular hearing aids,” she says. “They also have built-in sound suppression to protect hearing from damaging noise generated by hunting gunfire.”
Protect Young Hunters From Hearing Loss
If you have young ones with you on the hunt, kid-sized hearing protection is a must. Children’s ears are vulnerable to damage from loud noises.
“Even if the child is several feet away, they’re just as much at risk of hearing damage as the person firing the shot on a hunt,” says Dr. Deeb. “Ideally, children should wear over-the-ear style hearing protection specifically designed for hunting and firearm use,” says Dr. Deeb. “These devices offer a snug fit without being too tight, and higher levels of noise reduction compared to standard earmuffs.”
Start good hearing habits with your child early if possible. “Treat hearing protection as a non-negotiable from the first hunt,” says Dr. Deeb. “If they view it as a standard practice, like wearing an orange vest, they’re more likely to embrace it and take hearing protection seriously into the future.”
Your Hearing Is Worth the Cost
Electronic hearing devices range from under $50 to several hundred dollars or more, depending on the type you choose. But a lifetime of healthy hearing is well worth the investment.
“Just like you need your gun and ammo when you hunt, you need your hearing protection,” says Dr. Deeb. “Think of it as a necessary piece of equipment, not an optional add-on.”
Reviewed by Dr. Ashley Deeb, an audiologist who sees patients at Henry Ford Hospital.
