If You Use Your Boat to Fish or Hunt

A study conducted from 1996 through 2002 found that approximately half of those killed in a canoe or kayak accident were fishing. Also, more hunters die each year from drowning and cold-water immersion than from gunshot wounds.

If you use your boat to fish or hunt, you are not only an angler or hunter but also a boater. You must obey all boating laws and should follow all safe paddling practices.

• Wear a life jacket at all times while on the water.
• Never overload your boat (too many people or too much gear).
• Take extra precautions to avoid falling overboard, capsizing, or swamping. Many accidents occur when:
  • An angler leans over the side to grab a fish
  • A hunter leans over the side for a decoy
  • An excited angler jumps up suddenly when he or she gets a bite
  • An excited hunting dog paces back and forth
  • Hunters fire their rifles in roughly the same direction at the same time, causing an imbalance
• If you wear waders while you are fishing or hunting from a boat, understand the additional risks that exist if you should capsize.
• When hunting or fishing on cold water, dress in several layers under your life jacket and take other precautions to avoid hypothermia in case you do capsize.