Health and Safety Information

Article 1:

Aim for a safe, healthy hunting season

Whether it’s the challenge of stalking big game, carrying on a family tradition or just enjoying one last outing in the great outdoors before winter, aim for a safe, healthy hunting season. No one wants their time in the woods or fields spoiled by an accident.

While gunshot wounds would appear to be the biggest risk, the most common hunting accidents involve broken bones, or head or other injuries caused by falls from tree stands.

Studies show:

One-third of all hunters will fall from a tree stand.
Bowhunters have higher rates of falls than firearm hunters.
About 3,000 tree stand-related accidents in 2018 resulted in injuries, according to the Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundation.
A recent review of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics’ trauma database revealed that over a 14-year period, 55% of injuries related to tree stands involved one or more spinal injuries.

What makes tree stands so treacherous?

Hunters climb into stands anywhere from up to 30 feet above the ground, often wearing wet, muddy, slippery boots — typically at dawn or dusk. That’s a prescription for accidents happening.

To reduce the chance of a fall:

Before the season, hunters should check their tree stands for deterioration, paying special attention to straps and steps.
Wear a safety harness and keep it attached to the tree the entire time the hunter is in the tree stand. Practice tree stand safety techniques.
Avoid alcohol.
Carry a cellphone or two-way radio at all times.
Before the hunting season, work on better balance by standing on one foot for 30 to 60 seconds without support. Closing the eyes and moving the head from side to side makes this exercise more difficult.

Getting your body ready

While it’s important to be sure your tree stand is in shape, it’s also time to make sure your body is ready for the hunt.

Heart attacks also rank high among hunting perils. Hunting isn’t a casual stroll through the woods or fields and can be one of the most strenuous activities a hunter experiences all year.

In addition, hunters wear gear, which often weighs 25 pounds or more. To prepare, gear up and climb up and down the stairs. Difficulty breathing or lightheadedness might be a sign to check with a primary care provider or cardiologist — or rev up the cardio conditioning.

Walking over rough terrain or dragging an animal carcass can increase heart rate significantly, which sometimes can cause changes in heart rhythm. These changes can make it hard for the heart to pump enough blood throughout the body and brain, leading to a life-threatening situation.

To avoid muscle and joint injuries, warm up your muscles by stretching in your full hunting gear before hiking to the tree stand or blind. Work on your overall flexibility, especially upper back, chest and shoulders.

Practice hunting safety

Hunting draws on so many skill sets from correctly using a firearm or bow to properly field dressing an animal to safely driving an all-terrain vehicle. This season, put those skills into practice to ensure the hunt is successful and everyone comes home safely.

Article 2:

11 tips for keeping safe during hunting season

Being outdoors in the autumn can be a great way to get fresh air and exercise. For many, fall also means hunting season which can pose dangers, sending hunters to the hospital or worse. Heart attacks, injured backs and broken bones are among the most common medical emergencies in hunting.

I am a hunter and always need to remind myself to lead by example when I’m in the woods. Hunting can be a sport for all to enjoy. But we need to make sure that time outdoors isn’t spoiled by some unfortunate accident.

Hunters should make sure they are properly educated about their surroundings and remember these tips:

Watch for heart attack warning signs.
One study of middle-aged male deer hunters found that the activities inherent to hunting — walking over rough terrain, shooting an animal and dragging its carcass, for example — significantly increased their heart rates. Although opinion varies, many health care providers caution that exercising at more than 85% of a person’s maximum heart rate increases the risk of heart attack. Hunters unaccustomed to the strenuous hikes involved should take several breaks to rests.

Know that falls tend to be the most common cause of injuries.
Falls often happen when a hunter is up a tree and startled by animals there. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.

Always check equipment and stands, and use safety belts to prevent falls.
Avoid permanent tree stands, as they are more likely to deteriorate. The average fall from a tree stand is about 15 feet. Injuries suffered from those heights can cause broken bones, paralysis or death.

Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Hunters are more susceptible to injuries, including frostbite and hypothermia, if they’ve been drinking.

Let family members know where you’ll be hunting, and take two-way radios or loud whistles along in case help is needed.
A surprisingly large number of hunting accidents involve family members and friends who have gone out together, but they do not remember or know where their party has gone.

Learn some basic first aid before heading into the woods.
Basic first aid that you should know includes how to administer hands-only CPR, which consists of chest compressions, should a hunting partner have a heart attack.

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
Never assume a firearm is unloaded. Place your finger on the trigger only when you’re ready to shoot.

Always control the muzzle.
Keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and remember that wherever the muzzle points is in the crosshairs. Don’t overlook the possibility of a ricochet.

Be sure of your target.
You’re responsible for knowing what’s in front of your target, near your target and beyond your target. If you aren’t certain about any of the three, don’t take the shot.

Wear protective gear.
Hunters’ eyes and ears are vulnerable to a number of potential hazards while hunting, so it’s important to protect them. Firearms create a high-decibel sound that can damage hearing. The firearm also discharges small particles of the projectile, burning gas and other residue that can damage your eyes. Always wear safety glasses and ear protection.

Don’t forget the blaze orange.
Blaze orange has made hunting safer. Spotting a hunter wearing camouflage is hard, but wearing blaze orange makes you visible to others hunting in the area.

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