Why firearm hearing protection is crucial for hunters

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- As firearm deer season in Central Virginia is about to kick off, the excitement of the hunt should never come at the cost of your hearing. Local ear doctors stressed that ear safety needs to be top of mind for anyone heading out to the woods or the shooting range.

For those who enjoy hunting or target practice, it only takes one loud crack of a rifle to cause permanent damage to your hearing.

Dr. Michael Freeman, an ear surgeon with Virginia Ear Nose and Throat, warned of the danger.

"Hunting rifles and firearms in general present a really dangerous level of noise exposure to the ears, in terms of direct acoustic force," Dr. Freeman said.

That's why wearing ear protection is just as important as practicing your aim. Fortunately, preventing this damage is both simple and accessible.

"Hearing protection comes in a variety of levels and budgets, ranging from anything to foam earplugs on a band that you can wear around your neck and slide in before shooting," Dr. Freeman said.

At the higher end of the budget, Dr. Freeman said hunters can find specialized devices, such as custom-molded earplugs and newer developments that intelligently combine sound suppression with built-in amplification.

One of the body’s responses to being exposed to a very loud sound is to produce a ringing sound -- known as tinnitus.

Dr. Benjamin Lovin, a UVA Head and Neck Surgeon, said if you experience this, you need to act fast.

"Get care in a timely fashion to see the audiologist, to be able to get a good hearing test and ultimately see your neighborhood ENT to see if there's any potential treatments for any hearing loss," Dr. Lovin said.

Exposure can happen even if you aren't the one pulling the trigger. Exposure can happen if someone next to you shoots before you've had a chance to get your protection in place.

Dr. Lovin emphasized that communication is key to preventing these accidents:

"Being able to make sure everybody's on the same page, everybody has hearing protection, and before the trigger is pulled, is extremely important," Dr. Lovin said.

The best treatment for hearing loss later in life is prevention in the first place. If you have been exposed to loud noise and experience ringing, discomfort or hearing loss, it is crucial to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor to get checked.

Specific hunting dates and regulations vary depending on the type of game you’re hunting and where you live in the state. For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ website.