Monday, October 5, 2009

So this is why it sounded like a war zone!

IT'S ALL IN THE  dB! The shots were being fired from a floating duck blind 1/4 mile away in front of an Eld Inlet home, yet the sound resembled a jack hammer being operated just outside our window. Most will agree by experience that sound is amplified over water. But this disruption was extreme....And here's why. . .

The amplitude of a sound source is measured in Decibels or dB

And according to the Shooter's Bible:

Frequencies The Human Ear Hears:

                 HEALTHY EARS   =    1 dB
                LEAF RUSTLING   =  10 dB
                         WHISPER   =  30 dB
                NORMAL VOICE
               CONVERSATION   =  60 dB or so
                   DISCOMFORT   = 120 dB or so
      PERMANENT HEARING
            DAMAGE OCCURS   = 140 dB

Moving on to the dB of firearms:

EVERY FIREARM EXCEEDS SAFE LEVELS.......
                  .22 rimfire rifle  = 134-144 dB
                .22 rimfire pistol  = 150-152 dB
              12-guage shotgun  = 154-156 dB

But most interesting is
the comparison of: 





VARIOUS RIFLES
= 160-172.5 dB 

VS



A JET PLANE = 160 dB




So, with this dB knowledge,  instead of  describing the gunfire blasts as that of a jack hammer being operated right outside our windows, we can now liken it to jet planes taking off in the back yard.

Please notify our County Commissioners with your thoughts on a "no shooting" zone, sign the online petition or email us for a paper petition to be sent to you.

"It doesn't get any closer to home than this"

1 comment:

  1. Amplify that noise by 3-5 hunters....

    The other issue that I have stumbled upon is the effect this has on our war veterans suffering PTSD, (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). There are many living on these shores who seek refuge in this beautiful part of Puget Sound that never dreamed they would be assaulted by this idiocy in an apparent tranquil setting all in the name of someone's "right" to hunt birds that will never even be eaten.

    The "hunters" will argue the point of leaf blowers, fireworks, lawn mowers, power tools, weed eaters, etc....but none have the same impact as gunfire to those who suffer PTSD. The noise level in decibels may be similar but the effect is definitely not.

    If there were not other options available for waterfowl hunting, I might be able to look at this in a different light (and I might not) but the locations to hunt in this state are numerous and are set aside for this particular practice.

    Hunting locally is lazy and convenient....not to mention inconsiderate, in poor taste, just plain cruel and unnecessary.

    ReplyDelete