Hunting is a hazardous sport either done on the water or land. More advanced boats allow hunting on a lake or sea, nevertheless with an extreme precaution and security than on dry land. Therefore we come up with
Self-safety is the top-most factor that comes on the way to hunting. If you are trying the activity for the first time, you need to be well aware of the firearm laws. You also need to check the hunting laws in the water area you have deciding to hunt in.
In this article, we are going to mention what Safety Precautions You Should Take When Hunting From A Boat and some safety steps that must be considered before going into the water with a gun.
Table of Contents
Safety Precautions
As you know, the safety precautions that you should take while hunting on a boat are very important. You can be successful by following the precautions given below:
Check The Hunting Hay Weather
The first and foremost step is to examine the weather before planning a water hunting trip. The water environment is unpredictable, a sudden entrance of windy weather could become difficult for a person on the water to land on the shore safely.
Keep checking the hunting day whether through weather forecasting news if there is a minute downfall, it would be advisable to cancel the water journey.
Moreover, remain near to the land side avoid moving towards deep water to quickly get out of the water in case of heavy clouds. It also becomes nearly impossible or challenging for lifesavers to approach victims at dense water bodies.
Carry Safety Equipment
When hunting from a boat, it is crucial to prioritize safety by carrying proper equipment. Due to the inherent risks involved in this activity, taking appropriate precautions is necessary. Here are some important safety measures to consider:
– Make sure that all passengers wear life jackets.
– Carry a first aid kit on board.
– Have a means of communication such as a radio or cell phone available.
– Stay informed about weather conditions and be prepared for any changes.
Additionally, it is recommended to have additional safety items like a fire extinguisher, flares, and a whistle on board. These measures will help minimize the risks associated with hunting from a boat and ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Avoid Overloading
When hunting from a boat, it’s crucial to exercise caution and prevent overloading. Overloaded boats can capsize, leading to severe injuries or even fatalities.
To avoid these risks, it’s important to follow the weight capacity of the boat and distribute weight evenly. Wearing personal flotation devices is highly recommended for all passengers onboard.
Additionally, maintaining a safe speed and avoiding sudden movements that can destabilize the boat is essential. By adhering to these safety precautions, hunters can ensure a safe and enjoyable hunting experience on the water.
Maintain Proper Balance
When hunting from a boat, it is crucial to maintain a proper balance and prioritize safety. To ensure the well-being of everyone involved, there are several important precautions to follow.
Firstly, always wear a personal flotation device while onboard. Secondly, make sure the boat is equipped with necessary safety equipment such as flares, a fire extinguisher, and a first aid kit.
Thirdly, the boat operator should have sufficient skills and experience to navigate waterways safely. Additionally, avoid overloading the boat and distribute weight evenly for stability.
By diligently adhering to these safety measures, hunters can enjoy a secure and successful hunting experience on the water.
Are You Wearing A PFD?
Whatever the watersport you are going to do, Personal Floatation Devices or PFDs always come first. PFDs keep the person afloat in case of capsizing at least and the shoulders and head are out of the water.
However, due to improper guide of choosing a perfect floatation device, some cheap quality and imperfect size PFD’s get fail to provide the required buoyancy to the hunters. It is essential to buy a PFD that perfectly fits your body.
Take a test before buying, wear a jacket tight with all the straps and make sure the size is perfect.
Look at the description section if the PFD is approved by US Coast Guard. They offer five varieties in a selection designed for specific use. Normally, Type 2 and Type 3 USCG PFDs have satisfied most of the users.
Most of the PFDs are specially designed to keep the person cool on a hot summer day. If you are hunting in hot weather, choose a floatation device having ventilation points to permit the fresh into the body.
To keep the small hunting gears near to the reach, a PFD with numerous small storage spaces could be the perfect choice for hunters.
Select A Right Boat For Hunting
Selecting the right hunting boat is the most daunting task to do. Countless new features are introduced to the hunting boats that need to be well aware of them. What should I look for in a hunting boat? keep reading to get the most out of your hunting trip.
Firstly decide on a water body for hunting. The hull shape of a boat mainly depends on the type of water you are going to hunt in. Hunting in harsh and rough waters like whitewater demands to have a boat with a V-shape or half-V hull design.
It allows more powerful and speedy movement in rough water and also limits the water from entering the cockpit.
For hunting in calm and smooth water, you don’t need to look for a fancy hull shape, a boat with a flat bottom works best in rivers and lakes.
Additionally, measure the weight of your gears and make a list of the number of persons going to sit in a boat. It will assist you to decide the size of the boat.
Secondly, aluminum boats are widely used for duck hunting. They are extremely portable and sturdy than other boat materials. With that said, a lightweight hunting boat moves efficiently and quickly. If you are new to boat hunting aluminum boats are an admirable choice for you.
Are you short on budget? No worries aluminum boat is going to cost you high. Easy maintenance is another big advantage of aluminum material.
Moreover, stability and comfort are the prime concerns for most boat hunters, if you are one of them you have a choice to look for fiberglass boats. A smooth trip having no piercing noise is also an admirable feature of fiberglass boats.
Take Swimming Classes
Never think of going into the water if you don’t know how to swim. No matter how high-quality PFD you are wearing or whatever the safe precaution you are doing to keep the afloat, all these cannot be the alternative to swimming.
A sudden heavy wind or harsh water waves can throw you out of the boat, at the time swimming would be your lifesaver.
Mostly novice hunters ignore the importance of swimming which leads them to a devasting condition in case of capsizing. Therefore, it is advisable to take a proper swimming course and learn each swimming trick to make yourself above the water as long as can be.
The more stable the boat will be, the fewer chances of capsizing will arise. Choose the boat that is well-suited for boat hunting. The boat must have a flat tough floor and a rigid body to support the risky hunting trip.
Moreover, avoid moving far from the shore if you are not a professional hunter, it will take you to swim to the land as soon as possible.
Make Sure Your Boat Is Stable While Preparing For A Shoot
Whether you are on a canoe, kayak, or a boat your perfect shot depends on its stability. All you need to do before releasing a bullet is to balance or stabilize the boat and sit on the seat properly to focus on the shot, now you are allowed to grab your hunt.
If your boat keeps while shooting, you will be more likely to capsize or lose your hunt due to lack of focus. Additionally, different hunting places have their specific laws, make sure to check before if hunting on a moving boat is legal?
Hunting on a kayak may become a bit tricky, however, some advance rigid kayaks having tough flour also offer water hunting, still again it is considered safe to remain on the seat while preparing a gun for a fire.
Water Hunting With A Friend
Are you new to hunting? Another safe decision would be to take a friend with you who is also familiar with water hunting. Indeed, nothing better than having a favorite partner on the water trip, it not only makes the hunting extra secure but also accompanies the person to have a cheerful time.
A trained water hunter can teach you the essential and tricky hunting tips .since there is a lot more to learn about boat hunting, a trained water hunter can also teach you the essential and tricky hunting ways. Besides learning from a buddy’s experience, there is always a joyous and cheerful trip ahead if are not alone on the water.
Two persons remain more open to doing security precautions quickly than a single one. Still, if you are intended to go out alone or you don’t have any experienced boat hunters nearby then it is recommended to at least take a boat operator with you so you can hunt comfortably without diverting your focus to the boat.
At the same time boat hunting with another person demands to have special care before shooting:
- Ask your friend to move away from your shooting point
- The person should not activate the firearm to shoot when his friend is next to him
- It could be even more hazardous if both hunters are shooting in the same direction together.
- Keep the ardent spirits away from the reach while on a boat
Pack Essential Accessories
Normally, hunting trips are not limited to a few hours, it may take a day or more than one day at the hunting sites. No doubt, boat hunting is far more demanding than hunting on land. With that being said, you need to pack extra gears and accessories since you are on the water which is less likely to feel secure.
Boats allow enough capacity to store the essential items including your firearm, bullets, and packed meal. One thing you need to keep in mind is the maximum weight capacity of a boat or a kayak. It is the limited capacity of a weight boat that can hold and stay afloat.
You will be at a higher risk of capsizing or you may become immobile if you are weighty items with you on the water. It is recommended to only pack essential items that you are going to need more during hunting.
Measure the weight of your luggage and compare it to the weight capacity, make sure the luggage weight is 20-25% less than the boat weight capacity. If the weight is exceeding the limit then you need to drop some of the unnecessary items out of the boat.
Moreover, it would be a plus to keep extra items if one gets lost to utilize the second like one extra PFD. A boat repairing kit can also provide you with hassle-free hunting.
Carefully Load Firearm On The Boat
Remember, you are bringing the most dangerous item to the trip. There will always be a danger hanging on your head to keep the firearm safe. If you are on the water with a family, children can be the most difficult ones to hide the firearm from.
Advice the younger ones to stay away from your shooting area. When you intend to shoot notice the movement of family members.
Additionally, it is also advised to secure the gun from moisture. A few water drops can affect its working. Make sure to bring the weapon license before loading a gun into the boat
Bring a water-resistant gun bag with you. Place the firearm unloaded in the bag when not in use. You are also required to unload the firearm when you are having a fun time with your family after shooting.
Prepare A Plan ‘B’
As stated before, a water environment is more likely to change within a few minutes than a dry land environment. If the things seem to be unsupportive as you had thought, then you and your friend must have to stay active for the plan ‘B’.
All you need to do is to note down the necessary acts you have to perform when heading towards the extreme danger. Involve your partner in the plan, it would be even safer for you if you also let your family about the danger strategies.
It is the most essential precaution the boat hunting to stay prepared for the worst condition regardless of how active a swimmer you are.
However, you also need to stick to your hunting schedule and let your family and hunting authorities know about your leaving time from the water. Make sure to inform the family when you land on the shore safely.
Train Your Pet Dog Before Taking To The Trip
without a doubt, a hunting trip can become even more cheerful when bringing a pup. If you are also a pet-lover and intended to keep your dog with you on a boat then you must have to apply a few safety measures to make the trip safe.
Pets provide a fun time, still, the decision can prove risky if your dog is not familiar with the water environment. To avoid such cases, include a short training session while applying other precautionary steps of boat hunting.
Make sure your pet dog understands basic commands like sit and stop. It would be better if you refresh these commands on dry land.
To make your pup used to the water environment, bring him to the pools. Place your dog into the water until he becomes calm. It can also be done at home in a water tub.
You will also need a short slim PFD for your dog so that he stays afloat if dropped into the water.
Lastly, before pushing a boat into the water, introduce it to your dog. Let him know about the entrance and exit areas and train him to stay away from firearms and your shooting area.
Final Words:
Boat hunting is a fun, yet hazardous activity. However, we have explained above all the necessary precautions that need to be adopted by every boat hunter.
Make sure to purchase a hunting compatible boat, to provide buoyancy to your body wear a life jacket or PFD all the time, and complete a swimming course before going into the water. For novice hunters, keep your hunting limited to the flat water bodies to gain initial experience.
Summers are up now, if you are planning for boat hunting keep recalling the above mentioned precautionary measures.
