Dove, Dogs, and Shotguns

Do you wear earplugs while dove hunting or shooting a shotgun?

if you are like me, the answer is no. I’ve made every excuse in the book for not wearing them. From, it messes up my shot, to, they are not comfortable. I think after you read the following report, you might have a change of heart.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 30 million American adults are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day, and 22 million Americans ages 20 to 69 already have suffered irreversible damage from noise.

An extreme noise like the firing of a shotgun, experienced at close range, can permanently damage your hearing in an instant. This is known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL can result from one-time exposure to a loud sound like gunfire, and it can also be caused by repeated exposure to harmful sounds over an extended period of time. Just ask any hunter over 50 who has not worn hearing protection!

Everyone knows that sound is measured in decibels. A normal conversation between two people is at about 60 decibels. Any noise level above 85 decibels can cause NIHL. Shotguns discharge at around 140 decibels. That is almost double the safe zone. Seeing how you are 2-3 feet away from the loudest point, your eardrums are taking a beating everytime you fire.

The good news is for a very minimal investment, you can prevent NIHL and protect your ears.

Electronic earmuffs, which are very expensive do not protect your ears any better than cheap foam earplugs. So don’t rush out and spend a fortune, just wear some sort of earplug as something is better than nothing. Here are some of the higher rated earplugs for shooting.

Mighty Earplugs offer the highest noise reduction available. They are moldable plugs, that form to anyone’s ear for maximum protection. NRR rating of 34.

Mack’s shooting earplugs offer a NRR of 29. They are foam and come in a box  of thirty for about $25. Mack’s also makes a full line of silicone earplugs and many other quality earplugs.

So listen up, quit making excuses, wear earplugs.

This is another good lesson to teach your kids at an early age. Let’s make them smarter and safer than we were.

Time to RELOAD!

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