Following an article I wrote in the April E-newsletter about a duck hunter who was caught in a life-threatening situation while boating a river, I received several stories from members who found themselves in similar situations. These stories of hunts gone wrong all had a common theme: the boater had gotten complacent.
There is no room for complacency in a duck boat in near-freezing temperatures and constantly shifting winter weather patterns. Even a simple navigational error could have catastrophic results. Waterfowl hunters don’t have the luxury summertime boaters do of being able to hop back in if you fall out while fishing. Hypothermia can set in quickly and being prepared will save lives.
- Always wear Coast-Guard-approved life vests. I normally keep a couple extra vests in the boat for added floatation if the boat were to flip.
- Get camouflage life vests. This will allow members of your party to wear them while hunting. If hunting from the boat, tripping over a decoy bag or shell box could send someone into the water. There’s no sense in taking the life vest off just because the motor isn’t running.
- Water levels can be a huge concern when hunting big rivers. Stay up to date on changing water levels. Rising water can carry large amounts of debris, including 50-foot trees tumbling end over end, which I have seen on several occasions.
- Keep a compass on hand at all times, especially if you’re heading into flooded timber. It’s easy to get turned around in an area where everything looks so much alike.
- Have a dry box. Keep a change of clothing, blanket, matches or lighter to start a fire if needed, and maybe even some energy bars. Every boat should have a first-aid kit, but put an extra one in your dry box.
- Keep your fuel tanks full. You never know when you might have to take an extra-long boat ride in an emergency.
- Stay up to date on the weather. A simple shift in wind direction can cause some big bodies of water to change for the worse in minutes.
The most important aspect of boating big water in the winter is to respect the danger. Knowing what can happen and how quickly an average waterfowl hunting day can turn into a survival situation is something that needs to be in the front of your mind at all times. Being prepared is the right thing to do, but avoiding the situations altogether is the goal.
If you’re unsure or uncomfortable launching the boat on any given morning, don’t launch. It’s hard to make the decision not to hunt when you’re sitting at the boat ramp hours before sun up, but there are days when you will have to make that choice.
We are waterfowl hunters and we expect it to be cold and wet. Most of us have cut our teeth sitting in miserable weather, and we relish the fact that those who don’t waterfowl hunt think we are a little crazy for leaving the warmth of our beds for freezing rain and muddy blinds. Foul weather is just part of what we do, but maintaining respect for the danger and how we do it is ultimately our own responsibility.
Stay safe on the big water this season.
Please share your big-water boating tips with us. Your tip might be one that saves someone’s life this fall.
Additional Resources
- Video: Big Water Safety Tips
- Article: Hunting Moving Waters, by Wade Bourne
- Video: Life Jacket Use
TomCat said,
October 24, 2008 @ 9:26 am
Greetings,
I live in north Florida and most of my hunts are in flooded cypress timber lakes and ponds. I don’t have to deal with ice and fast moving water or unusually deep water. Having just read your article, I agree with all your views especialy about life preservers.
Most of my hunts are from a 12′ layout boat and i always wear chest waders as well. I always have my camo life preserver on. Down here, placing dekes can be quite dicey. Even during our cold weather, 35 – 45 degrees avg. Besides the submerged snags and logs to impale your boat on, or catch your foot in while wadeing, we have to watch for and be careful of Snapping Turtles, 6′ Cottonmouth water moccasins and Alligators routinely over 10′ to 15′. I’ve stepped on Turtles thinking i’m on a stump and i’ve experienced 15′ Alligators attacking my little boat.
Down here, wear your life preserver and carry a few double ought buck shells for the Gaters. Duck shot is also good for the Moccasins and grab them Turtles, they eat good too.
Good Luck Duckin, The Tomcat
JOYCE SHOCKLEY said,
January 26, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
A TRAGIC DUCK HUNTING ACCIDENT IN KY RECENTLY.
SAFETY TIPS SHOULD INCLUDE:
DO NOT WEAR HIP BOOTS OR WADERS IN A BOAT! TO FALL IN THE WATER WITH WADERS ON, COULD BE INSTRUMENTAL IN DROWNING.
drew said,
November 28, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
I live in nor cal and today we went hunting in the sacramento delta. The wind was supposed to be blowing 15mph out of the north it looked to be a good day but buy the time we started to head back the wind picked up to 40 mph causeing 3 to 4 foot swels. we were taking on more water than we could throw out lucky for us a fellow hunter saw us by this time we had our life jackets on and called the coast gard we did not need there help but they fallowed us in but if we had to go much furher it would have not ben good lets just say i will be investing in a billage pump so be perpared kus you new no what can happen