Autumn means cooler temps, colored leaves, football games, and hunting season. Approximately 20 million Americans are recreational hunters.

Key to becoming a skilled hunter is good vision and hearing. You must be able to spot game as well as detect sounds of approaching hunters and vehicles. However, the noise produced when shooting a firearm can damage your hearing for life, unless proper hearing protection is worn.

Can I really damage my hearing while hunting?
Several studies have measured the peak sound pressure level (SPL) of firearm noise and found levels ranging from approximately 140 dB to more than 170 dB, loud enough to damage your hearing instantly. (Stewart, Ball and Simpson, 1998)

Who is at risk?
According to the 1997 survey by Stewart, Ball and Simpson, 18-30-year-olds may be at greater risk than any other age group of incurring noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) because of the increased number of shots fired without wearing ear protection. In addition, blue-collar workers appear to be at greater risk for NIHL than white-collar workers because of noise exposure both at work and while hunting. Males also fired twice the number of shots as females.

What can I do?
The solution is hearing protection. Many hearing protectors have a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 20-30 dB. That means that if a sound is 140 dB and youčre wearing an earplug with an NRR of 29, your ears actually hear the sound at 111 dB.

How can I hear my game if I have something stuffed in my ears?
Hearing protectors come in various shapes, sizes, types and colors. For hunting, the best protection is an electronic hearing protection device (EHPD). These "smart" devices amplify high frequency sounds, such as leaves crackling under an approaching deer, but close off sounds louder than 110 dB, such as gunfire.

When worn correctly, hearing protection can reduce your risk of serious injury and lifelong complications to your hearing. In addition, when hearing protection is worn while shooting, your concentration level increases, enabling you to shoot more accurately.

Check out an example of an electronic hearing protector: www.walkersgameear.com