Hunting Near Water

What You Should Know

Many hunting activities place hunters on or near water. Waterfowl hunting is a good example. Also, hunters traveling in remote areas must often cross streams or rivers during the course of their hunt.

While these activities may not seem to be a reason for concern, each year too many hunters are killed or seriously injured by a water-related mishap. Learning about water safety and how these accidents can be prevented is important to all hunters.

At the conclusion of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. State the two major dangers of hunting near water.
2. Understand how to safely enter and exit a boat.
3. State what to do if you fall overboard or the boat capsizes.
4. Name an important safety device that must be used when hunting from a boat and understand why it should be worn at all times.
5. Recognize the dangers of wading across streams or other bodies of water and explain what methods to use to minimize a mishap.