Wearing a life jacket is best defense against dangers of cold water
Late season waterfowl hunters are reminded that with water temperatures rapidly dropping across the state, wearing a life jacket is the best defense against the dangers posed by cold water, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
In Minnesota, one-third of all boating fatalities occur during the cold water season, when water temperatures are below 70 degrees. Cold water shock can cause even the strongest swimmers to drown in a matter of seconds if they fall in while not wearing a life jacket.
?ÄúIf you ask the average duck hunter for safety advice, they will most likely recite firearm safety rules,?Äù said Debbie Munson Badini, Minnesota DNR boat and water safety education coordinator. ?ÄúBut year after year, more waterfowl hunters die from drowning, cold water shock and hypothermia than from firearm accidents.
?ÄúThe importance of water safety and life jacket use needs to be impressed upon waterfowlers in the same manner as the tenets of firearm safety,?Äù Munson Badini said. ?ÄúDuck hunters are boaters, too, and they are often boating on dangerously cold water.?Äù
Since 2010, five Minnesotans have died in duck hunting-related boating accidents, including two minors. Last year, two drownings occurred; neither victim was wearing a life jacket.
Common causes of these fatal accidents included falling overboard, capsizing, or swamping due to overloading of passengers and/or gear, but in nearly all cases the accident would not have been deadly if the victim had worn a life jacket.
?ÄúThe message is clear: Cold water kills, and life jackets save lives,?Äù Munson Badini said. ?ÄúWaterfowl hunters can hit two birds with one shot by simply wearing their life jackets.?Äù
The wide variety of comfortable life jackets designed specifically for waterfowl hunting includes inflatable vest and belt-pack styles, insulated flotation jackets, and foam-filled vests with quilted shoulders and shell loops. Flotation jackets and foam-filled vests will offer hunters the best insulation against cold air and water.
At the very least, all boats must carry one U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each passenger, and boats longer than 16 feet must also have a throwable flotation device immediately available. Children under 10 must wear a life jacket.
For additional information, visit mndnr.gov/boatingsafety to download the DNR?Äôs ?ÄúWater Safety for Duck Hunters?Äù brochure, or call (888) 646-6367 to request one by mail.
Other water safety tips for duck hunters include:
?Ä¢ Don?Äôt overload the boat; take two trips if necessary.
?Ä¢ If wearing hip boots or waders, learn how to float with them on.
?Ä¢ Stay near shore and avoid crossing large expanses of open water, especially in bad weather.
?Ä¢ Share trip plans with someone and advise them to call for help if traveling party does not return on schedule.
?Ä¢ Use a headlamp, spotlight or navigation lights to alert other boaters to your presence in dark and/or foggy conditions.