Hypothermia Risks of Waterfowl Hunting

During the winter season, waterfowl hunters across North America face a variety of risks associated with hypothermia.

“Statistics show more waterfowl hunters die from hypothermia and drowning than gunshot wounds,” said Maj. Chris Huebner, North Carolina's state boating safety coordinator. “Hypothermia is the loss of body heat and, left untreated, can prove fatal. Exposure to extreme cold, such as being in cold water or wearing wet clothes in cold conditions, can increase the chance of hypothermia.”

To help waterfowl hunters who use boats to practice both boating safety and hunting safety, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recently launched its Home From The Hunt™ campaign.

For more information, visit: www.ncwildlife.org

source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Deer Hunting Gadgets

An incredible array of gadgets are available for deer hunters. Hunting equipment is used to improve efficiency, accuracy, and safety. Equipment for deer hunting includes navigational aids, optics, cameras, lights, processing equipment, and more.

Navigation

Navigational equipment is essential for hunters. The most common items are compasses, portable GPS units, tracking devices, maps, digital mapping software, and accessories.

Optics

Optical equipment is especially useful in many hunting situations. Optical devices include binoculars, night vision equipment, spotting scopes, rifle scopes, eyewear, and other items.

Cameras

A variety of digital equipment is used for hunting. Scouting cameras have revolutionized big game hunting. These discrete units are mounted along known deer trails. Triggered by movement, these specialized cameras capture images of deer and other wildlife.

Lighting

Lights are essential accessories for deer hunters. Battery powered headlamps are extremely popular among deer hunters. These simple devices strap on to the hunter's head, leaving both hands free. Flashlights in a variety of sizes are also useful when hunting.

Processing

A variety of equipment is available to help hunters process, store, and cook venison. For field processing, knives, racks, winches, and other items are useful.

Once deer carcasses have been field dressed and transported back home, final processing can begin. Some venison needs only to be cleaned, cut, and packaged for freezing.

In addition to freezing cut venison, many hunters elect to further process their kill. Useful equipment for venison processing include sausage grinders, meat slicers, jerky ovens, smokers, and other devices.

Satellites Aid in the Rescue of 295 People in 2010

In 2010, NOAA satellites were critical in the rescues of 295 people from life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters. The satellites picked up distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers, and relayed the information about their location to first responders on the ground.

NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites, along with Russia’s COSPAS spacecraft, are part of the international Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system, called COSPAS-SARSAT. This system uses a network of satellites to quickly detect and locate distress signals from emergency beacons onboard aircraft and boats, and from smaller, handheld personal locator beacons called PLBs.

Alaska had the most people rescued last year with 77, followed by Florida with 37, and West Virginia with 17, who were aboard a downed Army Reserve helicopter.

When a NOAA satellite finds the location of a distress signal within the United States or its surrounding waters, the information is relayed to the SARSAT Mission Control Center based at NOAA’s Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md. From there, the information is quickly sent to a Rescue Coordination Center, operated by either the U.S. Air Force, for land rescues, or the U.S. Coast Guard, for water rescues.

Now in its 29th year, COSPAS-SARSAT has been credited with supporting more than 28,000 rescues worldwide, including more than 6,500 in the United States and its surrounding waters.

source: NOAA press release