Chapter 6: Enjoying Water Sports with Your Boat
Hunting

Many hunters use boats for duck hunting or to get to their favorite hunting grounds. If you are using your boat to hunt, you should:

• Understand that you are still responsible for obeying all boating laws and should follow all safe boating rules.
• Take extra precautions to avoid capsizing or swamping.
  • Small, flat-bottom boats are prone to capsizing or swamping.
  • Keep weight low and distribute gear evenly in the boat.
  • Do not exceed the craft's capacity. Never crowd too many people or too much gear into one small hunting boat.
  • Take only well-trained dogs on board. An excited dog could capsize a hunting boat. Keep the dog lying on the bottom, positioned in the center of the craft.
  • Take precautions to avoid hypothermia in case you do capsize. See Chapter 5 for guidelines on preventing and treating this condition.
• Wear a life jacket (PFD) at all times while on the water. PFDs come in a variety of styles, including camouflage vests and float coats.
• Duck hunters sometimes drown after falling overboard when wearing waders or hip boots. This can happen when the wearer tries to remove the boots after they have fallen in, releasing trapped air in the waders that have been providing some flotation. While it is possible for the practiced wearer to float in waders by bending at the knees to keep air trapped in the boot's shins, it is smarter to not wear them in a boat.
• Remember that cold water can be a killer. When hunting on cold water, dress in several layers under your PFD.
• Always check the weather and stay as close to the shore as possible.
• Never fire until the boat is stopped, the motor is turned off, and the boat is secured or properly anchored. Always remain seated when shooting. Of course, you must possess a valid hunting license, tags, and permits for whatever you are hunting.
• Be aware of laws regarding transport of firearms in a boat.
• Ensure that all firearms are always unloaded with the safety on and are secured in a gun case when they are being transported in a boat.

Special precautions and responsibilities are required when hunting from a boat.

Remember—If you fish or hunt from a boat, you are not only an angler or a hunter but also a boater.