Ears Under Attack: Hunting for Protection

Ears Under Attack: Hunting for Protection

Have you ever heard of NIHL? Noise-induced hearing loss starts with super loud sounds, and while you may think this condition is limited to construction workers or musicians, hunters actually deal with major hearing loss problems as well. Many hunters now use hearing aids because they didn't take precautions earlier to prevent damage to their eardrums.  In fact, the average shotgun creates 160 plus dB (decibels) of sound, while one with a silencer still produces about 144 dB. These are incredibly stressful for the human ear. My father is one of those hunters who neglected his hearing protection while hunting and is suffering the consequences later on in life.  Now, many hunters choose to wear earmuffs but there are other ways to prevent the hazards of hearing loss the next hunting season.

Where You Practice Matters

Indoor shooting ranges are a bad idea if you're trying to avoid hurting your eardrums. The noise just doesn't have anywhere to go and even with high quality earmuffs, you're still doing some damage to your eardrums. You can get a much safer practice session at an outdoor shooting range. This way, the noise travels, away from your ear and you can still protect your ear safely from local noise with earmuffs or other gadgets.

Benefits of Earplugs

Some hunters actually prefer earplugs to large earmuffs. These are usually the first way that beginner hunters think to protect their ears, but are they as good as earmuffs? Well, certain earplugs are made for hunters and do prevent much of the noise that can harm your ears while you hunt. However, you should take a look at a variety of different hunting ear safety gear and try out earplugs before using them. Hunters have noted that earplugs don't really protect as much as the earmuff and can be flimsy.

 Benefits of Earmuffs

This is every hunter's favorite way to protect their ears, particularly during colder months. Earmuffs offer all over protection for ears. Warm, all-encompassing, earmuffs resemble larger headphones and rest over your ears, capturing sound and blocking it from going through to your ear drum. If you rather wear something over your ear than inside of it, earmuffs are definitely the right choice for you. There are a few different types of earmuffs, so choose a brand that's known for quality and research reviews to make sure that you're getting the best earmuffs.

Benefits of Electronic Earmuffs

These are rather high-tech gadgets freshly released for the hunting scene. If you love having something new and different that also has some handy benefits, the electronic earmuffs allow in lower sounds, such as ambiance or local chatter, but will block out anything above 80 dB, such as your loud shotgun fire or the firearm next to you. The electronic part of the earmuff detects louder noises before they enter your ear and mutes the sound. This allows hunters to still have conversations about the weather or more importantly, warn one another before getting into harm's way.

Many hunters make decisions about their safety gear early on. However, you should always consider updating your ear protection if you have older earmuffs or just want something that can protect you better against hearing loss.

 

Hi my name is John O'Connor, I am a father, outdoorsman and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.  Over the past few years I have become more and more interested in hearing loss.  My father and grandfathers, who are and were all hunters, are affected by hearing loss.  I feel that there is a general lack of understanding around the issue and it is our job to spread awareness where we can.  Check out my new blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com!

 

 

Marissa Oaks Hunting Story

Marissa Oaks
Bear Hunt

Successful! I had just read the email from the Utah DNR which stated that I was successful for the 2011 premium archery bear tag for South Slope Diamond Mountain, Banaza area. Looking out the window at the mounds of snow still on every ridge top, I didn't think the spring hunt was going to happen. I had many thoughts roll through my head about how to hunt with this tag. If the weather permitted my options were to hunt off of bait in the spring, water holes in Aug. and the opportunity to go with my cousin Josh Horrocks, a very accomplished hounds man. With my premium tag, I had plenty of time to do all of the above so I decided to devote my entire spring to hunting off of a registered bait.  I pin pointed my bait site and with coordinates mapped and paper work done I was ready for the work to begin. My husband Beau'de and I decided on meat scrapes, maple syrup, oats, and vanilla spray as our concoction. With the four wheeler loaded to capacity, Beau and I headed out to build the bait site. A couple of hours of hard work, the crib, trail camera, and tree stands hung, my excitement was over whelming. We could not wait to come back in a few days to start my hunt. The next day the big decision of what to wear! Yep, I know your thinking that's a womanly thing to say but when the spring can't make it's mind up and decide rather it was going to show sun, rain, or snow clothing options are critical. Always better to be safe then sorry so with woollies in the truck, rain gear in my pack, and layers of everything else we headed out to sit for the first night. The bait had been hit. I was completely shaking with excitement while scanning through the trail cam pictures at a beautiful bright red bear which had started hitting the bait 30 minutes after we built the the site. We sat the next four long afternoons with absolutely no action except the daily pictures on this un patterned bear. Day five was looking the same.  Silently scanning hoping to catch any time of movement  we caught a glimpse of the bright red bear slipping through a small opening of the timber above us. He was on his way. I stayed steady but as the minutes of no sound passed, my body started to shake. "Just come in" I thought. It's amazing how fast dark comes when you just need a few more minutes. No further sign of him. Leaving out of there I had a new found hope and there was a kick in my step. My only fear was coming to face how nocturnal these bear are. We put our heads together trying to think of everything we could do to out smart this bear. Beau'de decided we needed to get on the ground and hunt out of a blind. I sweet talked my Uncle Brad into shuttling us up to the tree line with the hopes of the sound of the rhino would wake him up. With the blind 15 yards from the bait the site, the hunt was on. Five hours into the sit, breaking branches broke the silence. Being surrounded by timber and on the ground all we could do was listen. In the dark timber to the side of us, things heated up with what sounded like a fight. Another bear had came in to check out what we where cooking. Wishing we could see the action,  our eyes were peeled. Minutes went by with no sound until Beau whispered "Bear, big bear! Don't move he's 30 yards and looking right threw us!" As I inched my head around to see it took my breath away seeing him coming in. He was definitely a new bear. A new bigger bear. Trying to hold the sun up with my breath I knew I had three to four minutes of light to see my pins. He was coming, this was it! With the site of  his back coming onto the trail just behind the crib.  I calmed my breathing to get ready to draw on him. Just then the famous "Jackson Draw wind" swirled like it does so well, he caught our scent. He woofed and blew snot just out of sight. The sound of him not being so happy seemed to really throw off my calm breathing. Dark had set in. We assumed he backed out as the sound of the rhino came to give us a ride out.  Thinking there was a kick in my step before now, it was a full out shuffle skip step!

Now with true worry of driving him even more nocturnal had set in. The next day with the same game plan we double teamed the vanilla spray and skirted the trail where we seen him checking things out. Finding his track put the smiles on our face. Over spraying the sweet scent on the out skirts we left the bait and the trail camera alone and jumped right into the blind. The hunt was on! Hours of silence filled the air. About fifteen minutes before total darkness I seen him and whispered "there he is and he is coming in fast." He came around the back of the crib, this time showing himself.  He showing how smart he was he tried to lean over the crib to avoid coming out into the open. Slowly he comes around the side and stops facing us. I'm ready to draw. He is very cautious and backs out to spin and run up the trail. Mumbling under my breath thinking that was it for the night, I spot him around the tree working the wind. He woofs and makes some noise. I believe he was trying to be intimidating to get something to move. He heads back in. By now not just my fingers were crossed but my toes also hoping he gives me a shot within the last minutes of light. He comes in from the other side of the crib and I draw. I knew he would not come to the front of the bait so the first open shot I have is the only one I would have. He stops and stands facing us at a slight turn. All I have is shoulder. UGHHHH! "Turn, Turn!" I thought. I believe it was around two and a half minutes that I was holding full draw. Arms starting to shake,  he takes one step and I let that arrow fly. He crashed threw the tree's. We could hear him crashing around then silence. It was total darkness by now. We decided not to push him and allow him to sit for the night. Feeling good about the shot I could help feeling worried about that shoulder. Asking to look at the video of the shot, we realized how important it is to find a good video camera.  It showed nothing coming from inside that dark blind.  That was the longest, sleepless night of the week. Waking the next morning in the cabin the beautiful spring mountains where covered with six inches of snow. We decided to call up the family for some help in finding him. After an hour of stomping the area my hopes of finding him were sinking. My cousin D.R. had headed up re tracking some of our footsteps. He yelled out "Blood! Wait does someone have a bloody nose? " My mind automatically thought wounded bear, he has slipped by us. Beau'de found the trail "Here's more blood and some hair." Holding my breath from the other side of the hill I hear him yell "Here he is!" The smile which crossed my face would make anyones cheeks hurt.  Rolled up under a tree was my trophy! As we looked things over we discovered that after walking over the snow a few time the blood had finally made its way up threw the foot prints. He was found about 80 yards from where I placed my shot. Everyone was just as excited as I was. High fives all around.  My amazing tracking and dragging crew seem to disappear when it came time to skin out, as the smell of my bear was fantastic. Beau and I measured him out to be 6' 9" and waiting to see what his head will score. Thanks to my amazing husband and family, this truley was an unbelievable hunt to say the least!  So thankful for the privilege to fully enjoy this sport called hunting!

Jessica Young is the winner of the MC2 Snowfall Duffle. Congratulations Jessica! Good luck on your next hunt!

Arizona Javelina

JESSICA YOUNG

Santa Rita Mountains

Tucson, Arizona

My February javelina hunt was definitely an exciting one. The previous year we went out and hadn't seen any pigs, so this time I was determined to find something. There were a few other hunters who creeped up on us pretty early and got a few shots off a herd we were stalking, scattering all the pigs. My brother Mike and I topped over a ridge while my dad tool the long way around the side of the canyon, trying to hesitant since the wind was not in our favor. Not ten minutes after settling in we glassed one pig headed sideways on the ridge in front of us. We got sticks set up but for some reason couldn't get it right and I couldn't get him in my scope. The pig ended up topping the ridge and I was pretty upset that I let my chance go. But he came back! My brother yelled to just forget the sticks since the pig was only about 120 yard away so I threw the gun up and shot. First shot I hit him in the jaw and ticked him off prety good but I was able to drop him with a head shot. This is my first kill so it was a very special hunt to me!

CHRISTY RAMSAY - TEXAS DOLL SHEEP

Standing in the middle of a field in Texas and eighty yards away form the biggest Texas Doll Sheep I had ever seen. As I set there debating on what to do I knew I had to get closer, and there was only one way to do that. So I got down on my hands and knees and crawled as fast and as queitly as I dared to. Finally I reached the bush I had ranged  at 30 yards in front of me. As I sat behind the bush  I pulled my glasses up to see the sheep.There was three sheep and the one I wanted was at 47 yards away. I got a hold of my bow, clipped my release, got on my knees, took a deep breath, drew my bow "center your level, 50 yard pin a little low, and squeeze." THWACK! Then as the sheep started to move I looked at my boyfriend Bronc who had his bow drawn back and I watched as he to released and shot another Doll Sheep. Two down and now the only question is what to hunt next!



CHRISTY RAMSAY
Top Shooter in Womens League
TNT Archery, St George, UT

KRISTA STAHELI - ELK 2010

We hunted for 7 days, before I got my bull and each day was different. One day all we saw was cows, hundreds of them! Other days it was a complete blizzard (about 9 degrees). Scary at moments when we couldn't see the road, just knowing that there was a huge cliff on either side of us. My brother was with me the whole time, being my guide. The first 2 days there was 9 guys hunting with me, including a camera crew...I had no idea they would be there, it made me nervous. The day I shot my elk, we hiked a few miles to try and sneek up on him. He jumped up about 50 yards in front of us, an ran like crazy. He stopped right in an opening inbetween some pines about 350 yards away & I took my first shot. I hit him in the hind leg and he slowed down alot. We couldn't see him for a minute, but we could hear himtrying to make his way up the mountain through the pines. Then he stopped at the only opening and looked back at me.I shot one last time at 500 yards, and dropped him. The hill that we had to walk up and down was so steep. I just sat down & slid down the mountain. I was quite a hike, we were all spent but it was very exciting and such a rush! The was my first kill and my heart was racing the whole time. I get excited when I think about that hunt -Krysta Staheli

Women On The Hunt