I am a very new hunter. So far I have shot in competitions. I am a big proponent of shooting suppressed because I really like my ears and reduces recoil. I would assume it would even make more sense shooting with a can when hunting, otherwise I will have to wear ear plugs all day. I realise that adding a can increases weight and length. But I guess that is cost/inconvenience of doing business.
I have been told by more experienced hunters that shooting supressed is unnecessary and even a bad idea. Unnecessary because I would be shooting outdoors and the adrenaline is going to protect my hearing. I have even been told that I would not even realise the gun going off because of the adrenaline. I have also been told that because hunting rifles have lighter barrels, a suppressor will cause unpredictable barrel harmonics and would not make consistent POI shifts.
I am looking to shoot 700 to 1000 yards and mostly deer/elk size animals. Do you have any experience about these points?
I don't own a supressor. I shoot muzzleloaders, a 7 lb 30-06 and a 13lb 30-06, and a .45 pistol. I keep getting ready for that Looong shot and am somewhat comfortable with shots to 550yds. The farthest I have taken (seen) a deer while hunting was about 250yds. Many of the places I plan to hunt and wait for the Looong shot are unsuitable once I get there because of wind, haze, hunter activity, weather change, etc., then I become a stalker and still hunter. That does not mean that I don't plan to keep trying. It does not matter which rifle I carry, the brush gun with a 1x3 scope or the 4x14 LR, I see, and kill, deer usually within 100yds. I get deer because I sneak in. I go days (months?) sometimes between shots because I'm sighted in and why should I waste hunting days at the range? I never wear ear protection when hunting. You have to be able to hear game that dosn't know it is supposed to be way out there and not 8 feet behind you (true story- I was getting ready to low crawl ten feet to a prone long range hide and a buck quietly huffed at me from behind. I stood and shot him and than laid down the rille As soon as I did another buck huffed me from the side. I picked up the rifle and shot him at 10 feet.)
Based on my experience:
I would reccommend that you not add anything to a rifle that will slow you down.
Always have a round chambered, even when you are moving. ( some will think this is wrong but my experience is that if you are carrying an unchambered rifle, it is just a stick.)
I would disreguard the good advice that you always have to have ear protection. Yes, you can harm your hearing but it would probably take more unprotected shots than you are ever likley to experience in a lifetime of hunting. Disclaimer: I am an old Artillery man and after two combat tours and fifty years, I have a slight loss of hearing.
You also have to hunt quiet.
You have to remember that deer hear a lot of noise in the woods and do not spook at loud noises as much as we think they do. Remember that second buck I mentioned above? He either stood still or moved closer as I stood, shot the first buck, and laid down the rifle. He also let me pick up the rifle and find him in the scope. I doubt that a shot at long range would ever spook most game. It might draw their attention though.
The last thing I would advise is that you not zero your rifle with ear muffs unless you plan to wear them in the woods. Use plugs. Your zero will change if you don't.
