Life jacket, boat safety key survival skills for successful waterfowl hunt
MADISON – Life jackets and safe boating skills are as necessary for success in the upcoming 2008 Waterfowl Season as proper equipment and wildlife knowledge, according to Department of Natural Resources safety specialists.
Waterfowl hunters too often consider their boats only as the means to get to duck blinds or set up decoys. That’s a dangerous calculation, DNR Hunter Education Administrator Tim Lawhern and Boating Law Administrator Roy Zellmer, both conservation wardens, say, especially in the cooler fall months.
“Cooler water temperatures, sudden weather changes, and the added gear hunters often carry in their boats, can all increase the chance they’ll end up in the water and in trouble,” Lawhern said. “Always wear a life jacket or float coat – no matter the season.”
Hypothermia, low body temperature due to exposure to cold, occurs 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air and may occur in any water cooler than 70 degrees. Effects of being in cold water include loss of consciousness and possible drowning, and sudden increases in heart rate and blood pressure leading to cardiac arrest.
“Wearing a life jacket significantly increases your likelihood of surviving these circumstances,” Zellmer said. “A life jacket allows you to float without expending energy and provides insulation as well.”
Equally important to donning a life jacket or float coat is making sure the boat is not overloaded with equipment to avoid capsizing, and maintaining the three points of contact between your body and your boat when moving between bow and stern.
“This means two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand,” Lawhern says of the three points of contact. “To avoid swamping or capsizing, do not overload the boat with decoys, dogs, shells and waders. And, make sure you have enough fuel.”
The outdoor safety specialists urge boaters to check the weather forecast before – and during – the hunt. Tell someone where you are going and your anticipated return time. Dress for the weather and in layers for the changing weather. Watch for water debris. If you end up in the water, stay with the boat and climb onto the boat where the air temperature will be warmer than the water.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Lawhern, DNR Hunter Education Administrator – (608) 266-1317
