Trail Guns and Hearing Protection

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I've been reading about a lot of folks who indicate that they have a handgun they carry around as a trail gun or farm gun, using it to dispatch snakes or pests as the need arises. My curiosity has gotten the better of me and I'd like to know what you folks do for hearing protection?

I guess I'm envisioning that you're just going about your business doing whatever in a casual fashion, carrying "just in case", but when something unexpected needs shooting, do you stop and put in plugs or just grit your teeth and bear it?
 
I've killed tons of rattlesnakes here around the home place, mostly with .22 shot, without hearing protection. That's why I don't carry a .357! :eek:
 
I guess I'm envisioning that you're just going about your business doing whatever in a casual fashion, carrying "just in case", but when something unexpected needs shooting, do you stop and put in plugs or just grit your teeth and bear it?
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The smart ones who aren't in immediate danger will put in their plugs or put on their muffs before dispatching the animal. Generally speaking, I see no reason in harming my hearing by not wearing protection when shooting things that I don't have to be shooting right now.
 
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I carry three of the foam plugs in my pocket watch pocket 24/7.
Three-in case I lose one.
Use for anything that makes noise, espescially the wife! (just kidding)
 
You brought up one of the main reasons my handguns don't see the field much. I like to carry and use handguns because they are handy. Easy to carry, out of the way, etc. Needing to install hearing protection on the other hand is not handy. The second off sets the benefits of the third so while I still may carry a handgun while farting around in the woods it's only for "in case of emergency" and it's not getting shot unless I have to. If impromptu can or varmint killin is on the menu I take a rifle.

When I do carry in the woods it's either a .22lr or my .32H&R shooting fairly light loads. I can touch off a round or two from either without any big concerns but anything larger will leave my ears ringin with one shot. In my world bigger guns are range toys and for SD (big emphasis on range toys).

LK
 
on my ranch i carry around a cheap .22 hrr. its a cheap gun that i dont have to worry to much about getting it scratch up and stuff. it has alwas shot well for me with no problems. but any 22 handgun will work just fine
 
I am a bit careless in that matter. On the trail or hunting I never use hearing protection. I want to hear what is around me. When I had my ranch I carried a .22 most of the time but often my .44 mag. I did use plugs before shooting the .44.
 
For snakes you can carry CCI shotshells in 38 or 44 special. They have nowhere near the blast as a normal round. I'd think they could kill most snakes if you are within 7 or 8 feet.

I carry magnum hardcast loads when camping or hiking. Its a just in case thing.
 
No, I don't mess around with ear plugs if something needs shot right now. Military service 40 years ago combined with 50 years on farm equipment have cost me 60% hearing loss. While running a trapline, I may fire 1/2 box of 22 per day thru my pistol(I do use low noise ammo there). On the range, I use hearing protection but not while hunting or disposing of varmints. I'm not advocating this for everyone nor do I downplay the importance of hearing protection, I just don't feel the need in my situation.
 
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I have foam plugs on a cord I wrap around my neck when I am carrying in the woods. I always put at least the right one in before shooting. I try to concntrate my hearing damage on my left ear b/c it already has significant damage.

I wouldn't assume shooting rifles and shotguns is safe without hearing protection. Most of the time it is not.
 
I don't carry hearing protection on the trail unless I'm specifically going to plink. If I need to shoot a varmint, I will cover one ear with my left hand and shoot with my right hand. This looks really weird but there is usually noone looking and it does help. Sometimes I will have a paper napkin or gloves in my pocket and I will stuff those in my ears. Whatever you need to do to save your hearing.
 
I am a bit careless in that matter. On the trail or hunting I never use hearing protection. I want to hear what is around me.
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Man, this argument is over a decade out of date. With electronic hearing protection, you can hear everything going on around you. In fact with some of the better hearing protection, you can hear it better than with your bare ears. My only problem with it is that I heard animals approaching and I prepare for their arrival in case they are my prey, or if I know they are my prey. The problem is, because I can hear them so well with the protection, they aren't half as close as I think they are....so the waiting continues and the anticipation builds anew, LOL.
 
I shoot my .17hmr rifle all the time without protection...and a .38 standard pressure is fine on my ears.....but a full power .357 you will never hear go off......just BINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
have hearing loss and wear hearing aid, the thing cut out all the extreme levels and I will hear the shot but not very loud, at the shooting range I wear hearing protection over hearing aid,can`t hear a thing.Most of the time I`m shooting sig 229 40 or 357. Often wonder why LE don`t wear them on the job,never knowing when they may need to fire their weapons,it will save their hearing.
 
I just keep some plugs in my pocket and they are there if I feel the need to shoot. I do the same thing deer hunting although I also have electronic ear muffs I suse in the field.

There are few things that "need shooting" that I don't have time to slip in my ear plugs. I often keep a pair on a shoe string around my neck.
 
I wear hearing protection when I'm on my John Deere, anyway. That sucker can be loud. That's to protect what's left of my hearing which I damaged years ago both flying airplanes and shooting without any protection.

:(

On the up side, I figure that most of what I don't hear (in conversation, anyway) isn't something I'd feel bad about missing, anyway :D.

w
 
The quietest handgun I have fired other than a suppressed Ruger is a 3" J frame in .32S&WL. I still use hearing protection when I have a chance to prepare but the .32 isn't as bad as a .22lr out of a handgun.
 
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