I have shot elk with just about every boom stick you can think of Muzzle loader 50 cal, 270, 4570,7mmSTW,7mm mag but the loudest and hurts the most is my LR 308 I once shot a elk in some fog and that shot almost laid me out it hurt so bad .I got a can after that one and have used it hunting ever since I am at about 50 % lose in both ears the right being a bit more 58% Tinnitus is 24 /7 7 days a week, now that I am a old fart I am very careful about using ear protection when I was young, I sacrificed my ears to Rock and Roll and I still play my music loud as Fuk. If you are in a band or job that has loud stuff all the time you have to use protection playing drums in front of 3 Marshall stacks is what did my ears in... not guns....