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Don’t become complacent about safety when on the hunt

Regardless their reason for heading afield, be it camping, fishing, hiking, hunting or a combination of activities, an outdoor enthusiast’s ultimate goal is to return home safe with a collection of new memories and all body parts intact. No one wants to give the local medical facilities a test drive. Nor the coroner’s office.

Some folks may think that statement to be a bit overdramatic, but Mother Nature has a way of periodically reminding us of just how dangerous an outdoor adventure can be. Sometimes those reminders come from a close call that could soon be forgotten, Other times those reminders have a more permanent impact.

When he walked into the Oregon woods on Sunday, this 66-year-old bowhunterwas not looking to become one of those reminders. He was simply searching for the five-point bull elk he had arrowed late in the afternoon the day before but had been unable to locate before it was too dark to see. Joining him was the person who owned the private land where he had been hunting.

According to a report from the Oregon State Police, the pair found the bull about 9:15 a.m. However, the bull had not yet succumbed to its wounds. The report states that when the hunter attempted to finish what he had started, “the elk charged and gored him in the neck with its antlers. The landowner attempted to help him, but he sustained fatal injuries and died.”

The elk was put down and the meat was donated to the local county jail.

In October 2019, an Arkansas hunter suffered multiple puncture wounds when he was gored by the whitetail buck he had shot with his muzzleloader. According to reports, the 66-year-old, an experienced hunter, was alone at the time but managed to call his family who notified emergency responders. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. However, since no autopsy was performed, it is unknown whether his death was the result of the injuries he suffered or the result of another health issue.

Though incidents such as these are rare, they do happen. And though we do not know exactly how things unfolded in either of these circumstances, they should serve as reminders that we should never let down our guard or become complacent in the field. Doing so can cause us to lose focus and forget simple safety protocols that can prevent injury, or worse.

The problem is the longer we do something, the more comfortable we become and the easier it is for us to become complacent. When that happens, sooner or later we will get a reminder of our own.

Mine came some years ago after shooting a raghorn elk in the Wasatch Mountains east of Provo, Utah. As my friend and I approached the downed animal, it appeared that it was dead. So, without thinking I stepped up to the bull and prepared to begin the field dressing process. As I leaned over, the bull took me by surprise when he suddenly kicked at me with his rear leg. His hoof caught my shirt and ripped each of the buttons off, just missing my chest.

As you might imagine, I jumped back to create space between me and that hoof. Had I been an inch or two closer to that bull, he would have done some real damage to my rib cage and probably to some of the crucial organs they protect. Either way the outcome would not have been good.

Since that day, every time I approach a game animal, thoughts of that close call remind me to approach with extreme caution.

When approaching a game animal that appears to be dead, take a few minutes to observe it from a distance before moving close. Look for the rise and fall of the chest cavity. Also, look at the eyes. If they are closed, stay where you are. If an animal is dead, the eyes are usually open. A reliable test is to touch the eye with a long stick. If the eye closes, the animal is still alive. If that is the case, you have an ethical obligation to finish it straightway.

Regardless of what our choice of outdoor activities might be, the need to remain focused and safety conscious applies to all we do. A split-second lapse can forever alter our lives.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. Find him on Facebook at @dougwritesoutdoors. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com

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