Training and preparation prevent hunting injuries
Now that we’re in fall with cooler temperatures, many around The Natural State start thinking about hunting and spending precious time in the deer woods.
Unlike fishing, which is legal all 365 days of the year, hunting takes place in dedicated seasons. Participants place an incredible amount of energy, expectation and effort into a few short glorious days of activity.
Let’s make sure safety is at the forefront of your preparations for this year’s deer season.
Smart hunting
A vital step is to take advantage of the free Hunter’s Safety Course provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). This course is available all over the state, takes about 10 hours to complete, and is mandatory for anyone born after 1968. (Here’s a test to see how this applies to you: If you grew up listening to Van Halen, Conway Twitty or Earth, Wind & Fire, check your driver’s license because you are on the borderline. If you grew up listening to Nirvana, Garth Brooks or One Direction, go directly to agfc.org and sign up.)
AGFC also offers an online Hunter’s Safety Course. The $24.95 standard version features educators who double as actors to teach important concepts. The $49.95 Gamer version gives real-world simulations to test your knowledge.
Safe practices
Safety sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, and the results can be tragic. Each year in the U.S., about 1,000 hunters are injured, and 10% of those injuries are fatal. Deer stands remain a leading cause for hunting-related injuries and fatalities.
Most tree stand injuries result from climbing up to or getting off the stand. Make sure you wear a safety harness from the time you leave the ground to the time you return to the ground. Also, check your tree stand straps regularly for deterioration from extreme weather, rust or animals chewing on fibers. Stands left up year-round are especially vulnerable to deterioration.
Thankfully, due in part to Arkansas’ focus on safety, Arkansas is ahead of the curve when it comes to hunting-related injuries. A recent report showed that hunting-related injuries in Arkansas are 57% below the national average.
So, take that Hunter’s Safety Course whether you listened to James Taylor or Taylor Swift, Pink Floyd or just Pink! Safety enhances your ability to enjoy the outdoors for a lifetime.
Carlton and Leigh Wing host the “Arkansas’ Great Outdoors” weekly television series. Visit facebook.com/arkansasgreatoutdoors/.