Duck Hunting in a Boat: Major Safety Tips

February 4, 2022

 

No matter how you look at it, safety should always come first, even though we seem to live in a relatively safe time. At least it is easier for us to protect ourselves at a crucial moment. And the experience of many previous generations has given us a massive volume of rules that we can and should follow so that we would stay safe and sound in this life. And that applies to absolutely everything in this life, from the rules on the road that we should look behind us before crossing the freeway to our favorite and sometimes hazardous hobby. And since we're talking about hunting now, we all know the importance of safety at every step, and nothing should ever be neglected. Again, let's remember the experience of our predecessors, and it is not difficult to guess why we need it. After all, there are different situations. You can get an insignificant injury, but history knows such episodes when people became disabled or even said goodbye to life. It would seem. Why such a big rant on this subject. Yes, we may have thickened the clouds a bit. But only to emphasize the importance of safety techniques. And in this article, we will look at safety tips for duck hunting from a boat.

Major Safety Tips

It's probably safe to say that duck hunting is one of the most rarified types of hunting, and it's often easier to prepare for it than for other games. The birds are easily accessible. The most important thing is to have a good eye and aim not to go home empty-handed. Still, the question remains why the option of hunting us by boat is so standard. The answer is and floats on the surface as these birds swim in a body of water. They don't continuously swim up to the shore, and when they are far away from you, you may shoot them, but the carcass still needs to be picked up. And given that the hunting season for this game is mainly in the fall, the water is already quite cool to swim for it yourself. Therefore, for the success of your mission, you should not neglect the following recommendations.
Remember that it is better to spend money on a good boat that will suit you in size and therefore will hold everything you need in your adventure, including the passengers - a dog or your friend. In addition, it's essential to distribute the load evenly over the area of your boat. Don't forget to make room for warming drinks, too. I'm talking about tea or coffee. I don't get any ideas. Because you always need to keep a sober mind in a business like this.
Given that the bottom of your transport is flat, sometimes there is a risk that it may tip over. Therefore, it is necessary to move on without dancing and sharp jumps and dressed in a parade lifejacket. And it does not hurt to dress up your four-legged friend if you have one on board. We remind you that the water is cold, and God forbid that he was seized by a cramp and not dragged to the bottom after the fall. And since we're talking about the cold, in addition to drinks you should remember first of all that it is necessary to dress very warmly. After all, where there is a pond, it's damp, and because of this, the temperature may seem much lower than it is. In this case, underwear to help you.
Now let's talk a bit about emergencies. We hope that this does not happen and you will not experience hypothermia in the water because you fell overboard, but it happens in this life stuff. So it's always important to be on your guard. If it has already happened, try to get into the boat. If it's too far out, grab onto anything that can help you stay afloat. The main thing here is not to panic and continue to swim to shore and not to stop while calculating your strength. The main thing is not to lose your mind. And it's incredible how the human brain reacts to a critical situation and tries to keep your body viable. As for clothing, it quickly becomes soaked with water. For this reason, something may have to be taken off so that this load does not drag you to the bottom.
Before each hunt, it is also imperative to check your equipment and gadgets. You don't want to deal with equipment malfunction at the most responsible moment. You carry your gun with the bolt open, unloaded, and shrouded. Also, I would like to add to all of this some recommendations. These are not rules, but such precautions can be beneficial. As we said above, there are situations where a person has fallen into a body of water. The boat capsized, the rules of survival require one to take off anything in the way. And it won't be delicious if in these clothes are the phone and car keys. After all, what to do next, if you are alone, you got out and to the nearest settlement several hours of walking in the cold and to the same drenched. In this case, buy a particular waterproof case for your phone, and let it hang around your neck. There it would help if you also put the keys. And it will be perfect if you have a spare piece of clothing in the trunk. It will never be superfluous. And, considering all the above said, it's better to have safety training on hunting.

General shooting issues
Now we can discuss some additional issues that relate directly to the shooting. And your safety depends on it. If we are talking about rifle positions from which you can shoot, the answer here will be laconic - the safest and most stable position will be a prone position. It is also essential to remember that keep your finger outside the trigger guard if you are not ready to make a shot. Otherwise, if the shot is accidental, you will scare the game away for nothing. But this is the most harmless thing that can happen.
The last point I'd like to cover in this section is to never shoot while your boat is underway with the motor running. Lower the anchor correctly and wait until it comes to a complete stop. Only then aim and shoot in the correct position above. This is so that you don't have to experience the emergency we have already discussed.

Zone of Fire for Two Hunters in a Boat

Your hobby should bring you joy and relaxation. And how wonderful to have someone to share it with. But beyond sentimental feelings, it's also practical. It never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes, and if anything, you're not the only one to get out of a jam. But since you're already sharing space with someone on the boat, again, there are the following points to remember. One more crucial clarification. Remember that shooting in opposite directions keeps an already rocking object stable. Therefore, you should shoot back-to-back with the firing zone limited to 180 degrees in front of each hunter. Otherwise, if the shot happens in one direction, the double force of the unstable recoil of your weapon may overturn the boat, and you and your companion will end up in the water. It would help if you did not shoot standing up because this will lead to negative consequences like those in the previous example.