Alabama recently became the third state to legalize suppressors, and it appears that more states will follow suit. Shown in the picture above is a professional hunter in Namibia who purchased a suppresor from a company in the United States. “I became a professional hunter about five years ago and severely damaged my ear by shooting a heavy-caliber rifle without hearing protection,” he said. “The suppressor reduces recoil to about half and greatly reduces the percussion of a shot. I’m much more comfortable with the rifle now and really enjoy shooting it.” OutdoorHub posted this report of the Alabama decision, which is sure to have ramifications in other states. 
Last week Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed House Bill 186, which allows hunters to use suppressors when pursuing all game animals in the state. The law will take effect on August 1, making Louisiana the third state in 2014 to legalize suppressors for hunting. The governments of Georgia and Alabama have also approved similar legislation. “This is about mitigating the noise and preventing hearing loss,” Louisiana Representative Cameron Henry (R-Metairie) told Capitol News Bureau. Henry sponsored HB 186 to expand on a law that already allowed Louisiana hunters to take nuisance species with suppressors. Under the new law, hunters will be able to equip their rifles and shotguns with the devices to hunt all wild game. Supporters of HB 186 say that suppressors prevent hearing loss by mitigating the sound of gunshots. Other benefits include fostering better communication while in the field and causing less of a disturbance to land owners. More
