The annual rite known as the firearm deer season kicks off at dawn Saturday morning and continues for the final two weeks of November.
Hundreds of thousands of hunters of all ages will take to the woods in the coming days in search of a trophy buck. Regrettably, if history is any kind of indicator, there is at least a chance that a number of hunters will become injured while in the field.
From time to time, some have even died while hunting.
What follows here is is a listing of “do’s” and “don’ts” for hunters in Michigan forestlands. Most of the items are of the commonsense variety:
• Wear the bright orange hunting clothing gear so you can be easily seen and not confused with a deer. Not only is it safe but it’s also required by law.
• Do not pull the trigger unless you are certain without doubt, that your target is a deer. Sounds like a no-brainer, but you would be amazed that most hunting accidents are from hunters shooting other hunters by accident.
• Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
• If at all possible, avoid hunting alone.
• Take care of your hunting equipment before and after the hunt.
• Leave an itinerary before you depart, including where you plan to hunt.
• Insure the land you plan to hunt is open for that purpose. Secure permissions from private landowners.
Best of luck in the coming days and weeks. And remember, safety always comes first during deer season.
An investigation into reports of saboteurs interrupting a hunt near Swindon being dropped has led to renewed debate about fox hunting.
In January, members of the Severn Vale Hunt Saboteurs had the police called on them while they were attempting to stop what they believed was an illegal hunt in Radcot, near Faringdon.
During this incident, beagles were allegedly seen running in an open field.
However, the investigation has now been shelved unless new evidence is brought to light.
Martin Newman replied: “The hunt sabs are gathering evidence that’s led to successful prosecutions because the police aren’t actively enforcing the law.
“The hunt sabs are a brave bunch and I’m full of admiration for them. Keep upholding the law you are on the right side of history.
“The League Against Cruel Sport will shift the main focus of its activity to getting game bird shooting banned. Another barbaric ‘sport’ that has no place in a modern civilised society.”
This highlights the strong emotions on both sides regarding the treatment of animals in hunting scenarios.
Woodturner Cahill added: “Hunts are cruel actions led by cruel and inhumane people who enjoy seeing animals suffer for their entertainment.
“They should all be locked up.”
Cahill’s viewpoint expresses a belief that hunting should not be tolerated in modern society, as it promotes suffering for the sake of entertainment.
Others have pointed out the complexities of the situation.
Martin Newman stated: “The hunt sabs are gathering evidence that’s led to successful prosecutions because the police aren’t actively enforcing the law.”
He expressed admiration for the saboteurs and suggested they are fulfilling an important role in protecting wildlife.
Amanda Jane remarked: “The hunts around me always catch foxes,” reaffirming the belief that hunting continues to pose a threat to wildlife.
In contrast, Neil Fox claimed: “Hunting is a natural thing for the human race,” indicating a more traditional view on the practice.
Yoel Dovid took a different stance, stating: “Hunt sabs are ideological thugs terrorising others in some perverse form of class warfare.”
Ella Hardin expressed similar concerns, noting: “As someone who disagrees with hunts, hunt sabs are just as bad the way they will treat the horses.”
She argued that while she does not support hunting, the treatment of horses by saboteurs can sometimes lead to harm, adding: “I don’t agree with the hunt or even the hounds but no one can deny their horses are kept very well most of the time, especially considering they’re usually well off and unless you’re actually running the show like the secretary or field master they’re just regular people who paid to be there.
“Hunt sabs on the other hand, while their morals can be in the right place, their actions can actually be very dangerous for the horses.
“There’s evidence of them even harming horses and frightening them so much riders are thrown off which makes them just as bad as the people they’re protesting.”
Critics of the hunts have also raised questions about the legality of their actions.
Elaine Dargan asked: “Aren’t the ‘participants’ of the hunt breaking the law?”
In response, Paul Mycock stated: “No they are not. They are ordinary people trying to have fun on their horses.”
Richard Johnson added: “The huge majority of hunts’ members are average working class folk that graft to live.”
Peter Addison argued: “The only foxes that were ever killed by hunts (pre-ban) were the sick and lame.”
Meanwhile, Chris Noon pointed out: “It would be a waste of police time” to intervene in these scenarios, suggesting that the legal issues surrounding hunting are complex and not easily resolved.
Olivia Wolfson-Green emphasized the need for hunts to demonstrate compliance with the law.
She said: “Hunting can either wait for the inevitable Parliamentary move or it can decide to demonstrate, convincingly, that trail hunting is indeed being properly conducted.
“That means going further and faster than the steps that have been taken so far.”
Her comments imply that the future of hunting may depend on how well hunts can adapt to changing societal views and legal expectations.
Phil Rushden said: “Well done hunt saboteurs! You are good people.”
Matt Wichall said: “The Sabs continuing to do great work for our wildlife and countryside!”
Physical demands of hunting can strain cardiovascular system, experts say
Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Walking with gear and dragging a deer put a strain on your body and your heart.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Gun-deer season is a week-and-a-half away. It’s good to start thinking of ways you’ll have a successful hunt while protecting your health.
Before you head off into the woods or fields this year, remember the physical demands of hunting can put significant strain on your cardiovascular system.
As a hunter, you often walk long distances while carrying gear or drag a heavy deer after a successful hunt.
Doctors say people with heart and lung conditions face a much higher risk of heart attack during hunting activities.
You may not be prepared to physically take on the extra stress and demand on your body.
Heart attack symptoms vary by gender
As we’ve reported at the First Alert Safety Desk, heart attack symptoms can sometimes be different between men and women. Men usually experience dizziness or lightheadedness with a racing heartbeat. Women may feel jaw or back pain and nausea.
Experts recommend you take time to calm down after a successful hunt.
“It’s hard to tell people to stay calm and relax, but that would be their best option if they are successful on their hunt,” said Megan Johnson, a nurse practitioner at Aspirus Cardiology. “This is for anybody, not necessarily hunters, but hunters especially because they’re doing extreme physical activity when they’re hunting.”
Reducing health risks
Doctors say, don’t ignore any symptoms you might be having.
A way to reduce your risk is by exercising 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes, eating a heart-healthy, low-sodium diet and staying hydrated.
It’s also recommended you get plenty of sleep the night before going for your hunt.
Wisconsin DNR safety reminders
That brings us to some good reminders from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:
Make sure you practice tree stand safety. Always wear a full-body harness, also known as a fall-arrest system.
Practice gun safety, including treating every firearm as if it’s loaded.
Make sure at least 50% of your outer clothing above the waist is blaze orange or fluorescent pink.
A man in Wyoming became infamous for horrible abuse against a wild wolf he captured and later killed, yet at the time he was barely punished. Why? Because in most of Wyoming, killing wolves is completely legal – and hunters can use any method at all to do so.
Sign the petition to demand Wyoming lawmakers finally issue protections for wildlife, including wolves, to shield them from such cruelty and slaughter!
The so-called “Wolf Captor” of Wyoming made international headlines after he injured a wolf cub – using a snowmobile to run it over until it could hardly move – and then muzzled the animal, keeping it captive and parading it around town, before ultimately killing it.
He even brought the defenseless wolf to his local bar, where he took photos grinning while holding a beer in one hand – and roping the terrified animal in close. After he was done, he took the captive wolf out back behind that very same bar. And then he shot and killed it, after it had out-lived its entertainment purposes.
Yet since wolves are considered vermin and predators in most of Wyoming, the state’s Game and Fish department only penalized him with a $250 fine. Now, a year later, he’s finally being faced with felony animal cruelty charges.
But even now, his callous slaughter of this majestic animal is actually still perfectly legal. And Wyoming lawmakers still haven’t set limits on how people are allowed to kill wolves. Torturous trapping, violent explosive and firearms, sadistic vehicle collisions – all are acceptable. Even worse: there are no limits on how many wolves a person is allowed to kill.
Sign the petition to demand that Wyoming leaders change the law to show proper respect for wildlife, including wolves. They are living beings who feel pain and pleasure, and should never be treated so ruthlessly. They must save wolves from wanton killings and implement protections for these incredible animals now!
In Indiana, the best time to wear orange if you’re hiking or recreating outdoors is November and into December.
When and why to wear orange?
Hunter orange is the color and starting the first Saturday after Veterans Day (Nov. 15) and running until Nov. 30 is firearms deer hunting season in the Hoosier state. All deer hunters are required to wear hunter orange, even while walking to and from their hunting location. It’s recommended for anyone outdoor in fields and woods during firearm season as well.
After the firearms season ends, it’s not long before the muzzleloader season begins. This year it runs Dec. 6-21.
Where can people hunt deer in Indiana?
There are many private properties where hunting is allowed. Hunters must have permission from the land owner to hunt.
In addition many public properties in Indiana allow hunting. That includes state forests and recreation areas (Yellowwood and Morgan-Monroe state forests), including recreation areas at Lake Monroe, as well as in the Hoosier National Forest.
Over 200 beachgoers watched on as the rescue progressed
Marine Mammal Center volunteers wheel a sick sea lion off the beach at Natural Bridges State Beach Sunday afternoon. (Caroline Hemphill – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ — Volunteers with the Marine Mammal Center rescued a sea lion that washed up on the beach at Natural Bridges State Beach Sunday afternoon.
The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit organization and marine mammal hospital that rescues, rehabilitates and studies marine mammals in Hawai’i and along the California coastline. The organization received reports on its hotline of a California sea lion on the busy beach Sunday and a team of trained volunteers from the hospital’s triage facility in Castroville arrived at the beach just after 3 p.m.
The sea lion weighed about 200 pounds and appeared to be in poor condition, said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. It was reactive and registered the volunteers’ presence but was lethargic. The volunteers worked together to corral the animal into a large metal box as a crowd of beachgoers formed to watch the rescue in progress. The crowd applauded once the sea lion was safely secured in the box and the volunteers carried it up the beach.
The sea lion was taken to the Castroville triage center, where it stayed overnight. Monday morning, the animal was found dead. It will be transported to the Marine Mammal Center’s main hospital in Sausalito. There, it will undergo an animal autopsy to try and determine the cause of the sea lion’s poor condition, strange behavior and its eventual death.
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The rescue comes in the middle of a severe outbreak of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that causes kidney failure in sea lions. The behavior of the sea lion at Natural Bridges was consistent with some leptospirosis symptoms, but the Marine Mammal Center cannot yet confirm whether the animal was infected.This year’s leptospirosis outbreak has been the largest on record, Rulli said. The Marine Mammal Center has responded to over 450 California sea lions with the disease since July 1. For comparison, previous record years 2004 and 2018 each saw around 300 sick sea lions. The numbers seem to be tapering off now, Rulli said, but the epidemic isn’t over yet.
This year’s major outbreak is a mystery, according to Rulli. Scientists have been trying to understand why the disease spreads rapidly once every three to five years, and haven’t been able to find many answers. The current outbreak is particularly unusual, due to the large number of sick animals and the fact that outbreaks usually begin in the fall.
Leptospirosis can be fatal to dogs. For that reason, Rulli said, it’s important for owners to keep their dogs leashed on the beach and not allow them to approach sea lions or other marine mammals. Beach visitors are also advised to keep at least 150 feet of distance from marine mammals on the beach. Anyone who sees a marine mammal that could be sick or injured can call the Marine Mammal Center’s hotline at 415-289-7325, and volunteers will respond to evaluate whether the animal needs rescue.
Right now, it’s too early to tell if this bout of disease is an anomaly or a long-term problem for California sea lion populations, Rulli said.
“California sea lions are a conservation success story,” Rulli said. “Yet they are a species that is a sentinel for ocean health. So when they’re washing ashore sick, it’s really important that we pay attention.”
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