Erik Barber FeaturedHow To October 11, 2018
Hunting takes us to remote locations where we’re responsible for our own well-being and satisfaction.
You’ll enjoy the experience more if you’re confident you can care for yourself and those with you if bad things happen. Whether you’re hunting the back 40 for whitetails or rugged mountains for elk, always pack a first-aid kit.
Let’s discuss which items to pack into a portable kit to give you the peace of mind that frees you to hunt harder because you’re ready for anything.
Fire Starter, Lighters and Matches
Make sure you have the basics to start a fire with you at all times. Photo Credit: Helko North America
Nobody plans to get lost, but it can happen to the best of us. If you get turned around, stop to build a fire. You can then stay warm, dry your clothes, and mentally regroup so you can devise a plan to get home. All that requires a reliable fire-starter.
Always carry at least two ways to ignite a flame. Matches and lighters are the top tools for this job. Some lighters cost less than $1, and they’re the size of a pack of gum. Matches provide good backups if your lighters run out of fluid or extreme cold makes them difficult to light.
Still, don’t forget your fire-starter! In wet conditions, all the matches and lighters in your pack might not finish the job. Fire-starters help ignite the first flame for drying kindling, moss and other flammable fuels to warm you all night.
Emergency Bivvy
An emergency bivvy packs into a pouch smaller than a set of gutting gloves, and can keep you warm if you must spend unexpected time in the woods. A bivvy retains head-to-toe heat, and can prevent hypothermia.
Clotting Sponge and Compression Wrap
Compression wraps are lightweight and can be used to stop bleeding. Photo Credit: Unsplash
Hunters can cut themselves in many ways every time they enter the woods. It’s vital that you stop bleeding quickly whenever dealing with severe wounds. Clotting sponges help blood clot to slow bleeding, while a belt, shoelaces or compression wrap can make a tourniquet.
Water Purification Tablets
Staying hydrated is arguably the most important key to survival. Nearly all water sources must be purified before drinking from them, so purification tablets are smart additions to first-aid kits. They weigh mere ounces and take up little space, but can be the difference between drinking safely from ponds and streams or getting so sick you’ll worsen already bad situations.
Aspirin
Aspirin is an all purpose medicine that will help with any pain that you may incur. Photo Credit: Unsplash
Aspirin relieves pain when you need it most. Even if the situation isn’t dire, relieving a headache does wonders for your attitude and mental well-being. To save space, empty aspirin tablets from their container and put them in a small, sealable bag. Stuff this bag inside your compression wrap so you don’t lose them and always know where to find them.
Multi-Tool
A pliers and knife are great additions to any kit. Multi-tools make every task easier, so find a model with many attachments that fold into a compact size. It’s worth its space in your pack.
Satellite Communication device
Having a satellite device is key to making sure you are connected to the outside world in the woods. Photo Credit: thegadgetflow
A device like the Garmin InReach keeps you in touch with loved ones while serving as a GPS unit for navigating remote areas. The InReach also has a SOS feature for emergencies requiring immediate help.
These tools provide much more than simple utility. They could save your life. Yes, the odds of getting into dire predicaments are slim, but being prepared with the right tools for every task gives hunters the reassurance to push deeper into remote areas for longer hunts while getting the most from their time afield.
Some of the most common and dangerous risks to riders result from exposure to extreme weather.
Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing your core body temperature to fall. Hypothermia is often induced by cold, wet conditions, such as rain, snow, sleet, or immersion in water.
Contributing Factors
- Extreme cold
- Use of alcohol or drugs
- Slower metabolic rates, as in older people
- Other medical conditions
Preventing Hypothermia
- Hypothermia can be prevented by dressing properly, avoiding potentially dangerous weather conditions, and drying out as quickly as possible when you get wet.
- High-calorie foods, such as chocolate, peanuts, or raisins, provide quick energy that helps your body produce heat.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Hypothermia
- Uncontrolled shivering—usually the first obvious symptom, but ceases as hypothermia progresses
- Slow, slurred speech
- Memory loss
- Irrational behavior, such as removing clothing
- Lack of body movement
- Sleepiness
- Unconsciousness, which could lead to death
Treating Hypothermia
- Find shelter for the hypothermia victim.
- Avoid unnecessary movement. If you need to move the victim, do so slowly and gently. Do not allow the person to walk unless absolutely necessary.
- Remove wet clothing, and replace with dry clothing and other protective covering. If there is no dry clothing, use a fire to dry one layer at a time.
- Give warm liquids to re-hydrate and re-warm, but never give the victim alcohol to drink. Quick-energy foods also produce inner body heat.
- For mild cases, use fire, blankets, or another person's body heat to warm up the victim slowly.
- In more advanced stages, re-warm the victim slowly by placing one or more persons in body contact with the victim. Place canteens of hot water insulated with socks or towels on the groin, armpits, and sides of the neck of the victim.
- If the victim is semiconscious, try to keep him or her awake. Do not immerse the victim in a warm bath or expose the individual to a large fire, which can lead to traumatic shock.
- Evacuate the victim to a hospital immediately.
Victims of hypothermia should be warmed up slowly to avoid shock.
Page 2
Frostbite occurs when tissue freezes. The best prevention is to avoid severe weather. If you're caught in extremely cold weather, pay attention to your head and extremities, such as fingers, toes, ears, and nose. Wear a face cover if the temperature is below 0°F (-18°C). If you experience any symptom of frostbite, treat it immediately.
Contributing Factors
- Extreme cold
- Wet clothing, or lack of protective clothing and gear
- Wind chill
- Poor circulation
Preventing Frostbite
- Wear clothing to protect vulnerable areas, especially appendages.
- Avoid fabrics that retain moisture.
- Before exposure, avoid alcohol and smoking, and get plenty of food and rest.
- In prolonged exposure, find shelter and stay active.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Frostbite
- Skin turns off-white.
- Prickly or tingling feeling occurs as ice crystals form.
- Pain may be present initially, then disappears as frostbite progresses.
- In severe cases, victim experiences a loss of feeling in the affected area.
Treating Frostbite
- Warm the affected area with body heat but avoid rubbing the area—it can damage tissue.
- Don't use hot water or other external heat sources, which could cause burns.
- Wrap with warm, dry clothing.
- Get to a warm shelter.
- Drink hot liquids.
- Get medical attention.
Wind chill is given in the body of this table.
Page 3
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body produces heat faster than it can dissipate, increasing the core body temperature.
|
|
|
Page 4
Heat stroke is the result of advanced heat exhaustion. This is a dire condition that can result in death and must be avoided.
|
|
|
Page 5
According to New Hampshire law, an off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) is any mechanically propelled vehicle that:
- Is used off a public way for pleasure or recreational purposes and…
- Runs on rubber tires, tracks, or a cushion of air and…
- Depends on the ground or other surface for travel and…
- Has an operator who sits in or on the vehicle.
All legally registered motorized vehicles when used for off-highway recreational purposes are OHRVs.
OHRVs include ATVs, trail bikes, and UTVs.
ATV: According to New Hampshire law, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is any motor-driven vehicle that:
- Is designed or adapted for travel off maintained roads and…
- Has one or more low-pressure tires (10 pounds per square inch or less) and…
- Is 50 inches in width or less and…
- Has a net weight that does not exceed 1,000 pounds and…
- Is capable of carrying passengers or other payloads.
Trail Bike: According to New Hampshire law, a trail bike is motor-driven vehicle that:
- Is designed or adapted for travel off maintained roads and…
- Has wheels and…
- Has a saddle or seat for the operator and/or passenger.
UTV: According to New Hampshire law, utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) include side-by-sides, recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), gators, buggies, and off-highway vehicles (OHVs). A UTV is any motor-driven vehicle that:
- Is designed or adapted for travel on surfaces other than maintained roads and…
- Has one or more tires or tracks equipped with a rollover safety system and/or safety belts and…
- Is 65 inches in width or less and…
- Has a net weight that does not exceed 2,000 pounds and…
- Is capable of carrying passengers or other payloads.
Page 6
According to New Hampshire law, a snowmobile is any vehicle propelled by mechanical power that:
- Is designed to travel over ice or snow and…
- Is supported by skis, belt tracks, or cleats and…
- Is 54 inches in width or less and…
- Has a net weight that does not exceed 1,200 pounds.
Snowmobiles are not classified as OHRVs.