Of Guns, Altitude, Weather and Exertion – Stay Safe

By Holger Jensen
 
Contrary to what many non-hunters believe, hunting is one of the safest sports in the United States. According to statistics compiled by the National Safety Council, football is 500 times more dangerous than hunting in terms of injuries and deaths and golf, tennis, bowling, badminton and billiards all pose more hazards than going afield with bow or gun.

A survey of 100,000 football players found that 3,313 were injured or killed in 1994 compared to only 7 per 100,000 hunters. Even ping-pong, with 15 out of every 100,000 players hurt, accounted for twice as many injuries as those suffered by hunters.

That said, every hunting season brings a half million people armed with rifles, bows, muzzloaders, knives and pistols to the backcountry in search of big and small game. Many will be sleeping outdoors and exerting themselves at high altitudes in variable weather conditions or unfamiliar terrain.

These hunters should remember that the right gear, some simple safety precautions and a good dose of common sense can prevent an enjoyable outdoor experience from turning into disaster.

GUNS

During the 1960s, Colorado averaged 10 hunting fatalities and 24 non-fatal wounds by firearms every year. Mandatory hunter education classes for any hunter born after Jan. 1, 1949, the requirement that hunters wear blaze orange and laws against keeping a loaded firearm in a vehicle lowered that average to one fatal and 11 non-fatal incidents annually in the 1990s.

Most firearms accidents happen in or around motor vehicles where hunters' attentions are divided. Hunters should make sure their firearms are unloaded before they even get near a vehicle and keep the action open as a courtesy to other hunters to let them know the gun is safe. It is not only illegal to carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle but unnecessary, since it is also illegal to shoot from a vehicle or from or across a public road.

Hunters will, of course, have a round in the chamber when they're actually stalking game but common sense suggests that it be unloaded when crossing streams, fences and unstable, steep or rough terrain. A safety isn't good enough since it can be dislodged by clothing, brush or a fall. And those carrying pistols don't need a round in the chamber when it's holstered unless they want to shoot themselves in the leg.

Hunters should treat every firearm as if it is loaded, know where the muzzle is pointed and be sure of their target - what is in front of it and what is beyond it. Hunters should also keep the safety on and their finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, remembering always, that once a shot is fired, it can’t be taken back.


SURVIVAL

Every year many lost or stranded hunters and those requiring medical attention have to be rescued from the wilds of Colorado. In mild hunting seasons the number is under 100; in bad-weather years it climbs to over 200.

There's a saying in Colorado that; "If you don't like the weather, stick around, it'll change."

Weather conditions in the high country are extremely variable. Even in early September, a hunter above 10,000 feet can be in shorts and a T-shirt one day and a six-inch snowfall the next. Hunters should be prepared for all types of weather - including wet and cold - dress accordingly and have the right camping gear.

Chances of heavier snowfalls increase in October, November and December. High-country hunters, especially those who backpack into wilderness areas and have to get out on foot, need to watch the weather closely and pick their escape routes before they even choose a camp site. If it starts snowing heavily, around a foot an hour, it's time to flee.

A backpacker's camp, without a wall tent and woodburning stove, is no place to sit out a heavy snowstorm that may last days. And if it's snowing so hard the trail will become impassable in a few hours, don't even waste time breaking camp - leave it where it is and come back for it later.

Rule No. 1: Never go into a wilderness area by yourself. Unavoidable accidents do happen. Learn how to use a compass, take a map of the area and orient yourself before leaving camp. If you are hunting alone, tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. If you change your general area, tell someone of that change.

Always carry a survival kit and know how to use it. A survival kit in the hands of someone who does not know how to use it can kill. Such a kit should include a knife, waterproof matches, compass, reflective survival blanket, high-energy food, water purification tablets, first aid kit, whistle and unbreakable signal mirror.

If you get lost, sit down, regain your composure and think for a few minutes. Many times those who are lost can figure out where they went wrong and make it back to camp. If you truly don't know where you are, stay put. You will be found if you followed Rule No. 1.

The late Papa Bear Whitmore, a survival expert who taught Navy Seals, Green Berets and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - along with Colorado Hunter Education courses – always maintained that survival is 80 percent attitude, 10 percent equipment, and 10 percent skill and knowledge to use that equipment. His most important advice: "The best survival tool is your head. Use it."

Three keys to survival are shelter, fire and signal. If you can't find camp and have to overnight in the wild your first priority is shelter. Even if you have nothing else going for you - no fire or food - an adequate shelter that is warm and dry will keep you alive until rescuers find you. That means anything from an overhanging rock shelf to a cave, timbered leanto or snowcave. And don't count on early rescue. Always prepare for the worst and build a shelter that will last.

Clothing is a more personal shelter that maintains body heat or keeps it cool. Layers are best. You put on a layer before you become chilled and take off a layer before, not after, you become perspiration damp. No matter how you get wet, from outside climatic conditions or your own perspiration, when you're wet you're in trouble. Good headgear is essential. You lose up to 45 percent of your heat around your head, neck and shoulders.

Winter headgear should conserve heat, breathe and be water repellent. Summer headgear should ventilate and provide shade. The body radiates heat readily from the head and extremities. The old saying, "If your feet are cold put your hat on" is good advice. Good headgear, footwear and gloves or mittens are absolute necessities to help conserve body heat. Keep clothing clean and dry.

Fire is the second priority. Know how to build a fire even in wet or snow conditions. That means carrying lighter, metal match or wooden matches in waterproof containers and a fire starter such as steel wool, cotton balls or sawdust saturated with paint thinner. Experiment with various materials before going into the field. A fire will warm your body, dry your clothes, cook your food, signal for help and keep your head on straight - the best attitude adjustment for someone who is lost and verging on panic.

The third priority is signaling. This can be done with fire, flames at night, smoke from green branches in daytime; with a signal mirror in bright sunshine; and sound, hence the whistle.

Food is not important in short term survival situations. You can live up to three or four weeks without food. You will, however, be more efficient and alert, and have more confidence if you are able to satisfy your hunger, hence the reason for some high-energy food in your survival kit. Don't get hung up on wild green edibles as they contain cellulose and you cannot digest cellulose. But if you've killed something by all means eat the meat, even if it's a coyote or a muskrat. You'll be surprised what you can eat when you're hungry enough.

Water is more important to survival than food. Your body needs about three quarts of water a day to metabolize its energy reserves and carry away waste. Your body will not necessarily demand that much so you must measure your daily intake to get the required three quarts. These days most lakes, ponds, streams, springs or snow banks must be suspected of harboring a waterborne intestinal parasite called giardia. It produces a disease that makes life very uncomfortable - hence the need for boiling water or using purification tablets.

Another thing to remember; warm up water when in a cold environment. Drinking three quarts of ice cold water can lower your body's core temperature and put you in hypothermia.

In cold, damp or snowy weather your first problem may be frostbite. To prevent frostbite keep your hands, feet and exposed areas warm, dry and protected from wind. Check frequently for numbness or a change in skin color to gray or yellow-white spots. Warm affected areas by placing next to your abdominal region or other areas of the body. If you get wet (perspiration or immersion), find a way to dry yourself and your clothes immediately.

Hypothermia is far more serious. Basically it amounts to a lowering of the inner core temperature of the body. It begins with uncontrolled shivering and, as hypothermia progresses, there is increasing lack of coordination followed by loss of judgment and a fairly rapid descent into unconsciousness and death. An unprepared person may become a victim at temperatures as high as 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

In cases affecting hunters or hikers a combination of four factors is usually present - cold; wetness caused by rain, snow, immersion or condensed perspiration; wind chill, and exhaustion. Good clothing, adequate knowledge, emergency shelter and high-energy rations prevent most fatalities. That is why hypothermia is called "Killer of the Unprepared."

Altitude sickness is another danger that afflicts not only hunters from lower elevation states unused to Colorado's high mountains but residents who believe they are acclimatized. Hunters who are fatigued, cold or exhausted are all vulnerable. At the very least, altitude sickness can ruin a hunting trip; at the worst it can prove fatal to those with heart problems.

A hunter from coastal Washington state who flew from zero feet above sea level to mile-high Denver, then drove to Trapper's Lake on the Western Slope and backpacked to an altitude of 12,500 feet in the Flattops Wilderness Area - all within the space of 18 hours - spent all five days of his hunt on his back in considerable agony.

Symptoms of altitude sickness include shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, headache and loss of appetite. Hunters can help alleviate these symptoms by resting for a day, getting themselves in shape before and limiting alcohol consumption during their hunting trip. Keeping hydrated is also key to reducing the chances of altitude sickness.

Altitude, exertion from hiking through the mountains and the excitement of a hunt can be a deadly combination for some hunters. To prevent heart problems, hunters with that potential should consult their doctors before going to the high country. They should also keep any prescribed medication with them at all times and hunt in the company of another person. Spending some time at high elevation before their trip and allowing their body to acclimate to the altitude is also a good idea. Even mild dehydration puts extra strain on the heart and other organs.

Holders of hunting and fishing licenses should know that 25 cents of their license fees finance the Search and Rescue Fund. That means any search and rescue costs incurred on their behalf are paid by the state. But they do not cover the cost of persons engaged in illegal activity. That means poachers, persons hunting in the wrong big game unit or other violators of wildlife laws are not covered and could be liable for their own search and rescue costs if they get into trouble.

It is entirely up to the discretion of the county sheriff. And some S&Rs can cost $10,000 or more. 
 
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