I had a nice buck in front of me and I had him all lined up in my scope but I couldn't pull the trigger because I was afraid of the noise. Any tips on how to beat the noise? Please help.

[charlie elk]

Walkers Game Ear Elite Digital HD Power 4 Assisted Listening Device. Wish I would have had these years ago. The significantly enhance sounds of nature and edit out the bang of your gun.

[charlie elk]

Take up darts.

Bad taste? Perhaps, but when you come to the internet a thick skin and sense of humor are advisable without them, you'll surely get hurt feelings. Isaac seems to have a level head so I'm fairly sure he'll keep hunting. Heck, blowguns use darts, and they're quiet. Unless of course, you suck a dart instead of blowing it.

[bowhunter75richard]

If noise is that much of a problem, there is always a solution, take up bow
hunting. Not only is it quieter, is much easier on the shoulder and more
pleasing to the environment ! I only suggest that in gest you understand,
but it is a fine way to hunt, give it a try, you may find the quiet more pleasing !

[jhjimbo]

Wear hearing protection. That might sound overly simple, but take it from someone who used to suffer that same affliction - it's the only way to go.
I had a couple of bad experiences with loud firearms when I was a kid, so I was terrified of the noise when I started hunting. I wore good ear muffs at all times for the first year or two, both while practicing and while actually hunting. I was gradually able to overcome my phobia, and now generally only wear hearing protection while target shooting. The exception to that is when waterfowl hunting - I still wear earplugs then.

There are a lot of good options for ear muffs and plugs out there, including a number of models that do a good job of reducing the noise of gunshots while still allowing normal background noise - think deer walking, or your hunting partner talking - through. I'd get one of those.

Other than that, do a LOT of target shooting with a relatively quiet gun that doesn't recoil at all, like a .22LR. Start out wearing hearing protection, then try gradually weaning yourself off it after a while. You should always wear some kind of hearing protection while practicing with any caliber much bigger than a .22, however.

HFT, you should wear protection even with a .22. Every assault on your ear is cumulative damage, plus you naturally lose about 10db sensitivity per year after the age of about 55. Shooting, chainsaws, loud rock music, jet engines, etc. does it's damage, high frequency hearing is the first to go.

[Kody]

Isaac, your question got my attention. If you think the noise is loud when you fire at the range you will not find it any louder in the bush. It is however, far more 'startling' when that same rifle discharges in the bush. I am generally far too excited about the prospect of downing a buck to be much distracted by the bang. Nevertheless, after decades of hunting I am still surprised by the loud report that shatters the stillness of the forest, prairie or African bush. The forum members have given sound advice. Please don't take offence to Ontario Honkers comments, one must take the good with the bad and the wise must tolerate the idiots.
I hope you get the opportunity to point that rifle at such a big buck that the last thing on your mind will be the recoil or the sound of the rifle.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Take up darts.

Really? I thought the poster was the one who wasn't serious. I mean, someone with a scoped rifle must have at least sighted the thing in by now, right? And that noise didn't bother him/her then? Or perhaps he/she has never personally shot a hunting rifle before. If that's the case, the person should NOT be hunting. Taking up darts would not be bad advice. Or switch to bow hunting. Or troll another site.

[huntfishtrap]

Take up darts.

Maybe you should go back and read some of Isaac's comments. Apparently his grandpa doesn't let him wear earplugs while hunting, which implies that he does wear them while practicing. And for that matter, why couldn't the practicing itself be the cause of his fear? Why would you assume that he didn't practice, just because he says he's too scared of the noise to shoot at game? Maybe it's YOU that should troll another site.