Each year approximately 1,000 hunting accidents take place in the U.S. and Canada. While a majority of these are not fatal, they can still be serious injuries that require emergency medical care. Many hunting accidents occur when a hunter falls from a tree or impales themselves with hunting equipment.
Here’s what to do if you or a hunting companion is injured during an outing.
The first thing to do when a hunting accident happens is to call for emergency help. If you or the injured party is located in a rural area, it can take longer for emergency responders to reach you, so call for help as soon as possible.
In the meantime, it’s best not to move the injured hunter if you suspect they have a back or neck injury. Try to keep them warm and comfortable until help can arrive.
If the injured person is bleeding, try to slow the blood flow down by applying pressure to the wound using gauze (if available) or a piece of cloth. If that doesn’t work, try making a tourniquet from cloth and tying it above the wound area. This can help prevent blood loss while you wait for help to arrive.
If someone gets punctured or impaled with an arrow or other piece of hunting equipment, seek medical care or call for it immediately. Don’t attempt to remove the impaling object yourself. Doing so can cause greater injury and increase bleeding and blood loss.
If you know where the nearest hospital is and the injured person can be safely moved, then you may want to drive them directly to the emergency room instead of waiting for help.
The best way to avoid being injured during a hunting trip is to try to prevent one as much as possible. Here are some general tips that can help prevent hunting accidents:
Being prepared can help prevent an injury and also allow you to treat it and stop further injury until you can receive medical care.
At Coastal Urgent Care of Ruston, we treat injuries such as breaks, cuts, and bruises. These injuries can occur as a result of hunting accidents, or other types of outdoor activities. You can walk into our clinic during operating hours without an appointment, or contact us if you have questions about our services.
