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Common safety tips when hunting with boats 9/22/2008 Many hunters use boats for duck hunting or as a vehicle to arrive at that “special” hunting spot, often in difficult conditions, such as wind, cold, and snow. Extra care must be exercised to ensure a safe trip. REMEMBER: Regardless of your primary activity, adding a boat to whatever you are doing makes you a boater who is responsible for obeying all boating laws and safety rules. Important Trip Preparation Requirements Leave family and friends a float plan, detailing where you’re going and when you plan to return. Make sure if you change your plans or plan to be out longer, to let loved ones know. Be sure the boat can carry you, your gear, (and yes, your dog), safely to and from your destination. When preparing to load your boat, make sure you put it low inside the boat and it is evenly distributed. As you place your gear in your boat, leave room for your dog on the center line of your boat. Your “good buddy” is more than likely just as excited as you and an excited dog may send all of you on an early morning bath. The boats most often used in hunting activities are flat-bottom boats. These boats tend to tip over quite easily, so keep that in mind while loading your boat or moving around in it. For your safety and the peace-of-mind of your loved ones, you must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejacket at all times. (Fido may need one, too. After all, the water is cold and dogs get cramps, too). According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Today’s Hunter, you should “transport firearms with the action open, unloaded, and cased whenever possible. Before boarding the boat, place the unloaded firearm in the boat, muzzle first. When hunting with others, one person settles into the boat first and then receives the firearms from another.” Cold-water immersion kills, often quickly. Even though it feels warm outside, Idaho waters are still prime for developing this silent killer, in even the most skilled hunters who are not prepared. Please dress appropriately. Water robs your body of its heat 25 times faster than air. For this reason, if you fall out of your boat, stay with it. Try to climb back into or on top of it. Getting as much of your body out of the water as possible is key to increasing survival. If you find yourself unable to get back into your boat, you can use decoys, oars, or anything else floating nearby, to help you stay afloat. If you would like further information on water and boating safety, please visit www.boatidaho.org. |
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