Preparing for a safe season

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 15

Preparing for a safe season

Keen duck-shooters are waiting the opening of the. 1981 duckshooting season, which starts in the South Island this Saturday, April 11. The thought of spending a week-end up to the knees in inud, crouching in a miamia or rowing a dinghy on a freezing morning might not appeal to most people. But to the keen duekshooter, this cold, wet and muddy business is bearable if the rewards are good — a good bag of quackers and a roast duck dinner. Traditionally, duckshooters are renowned for their stoical behaviour, job-like patience and well developed sense of humour. However, there are a few duckshooters whose commonsense takes flight with the ducks and next minute they find themselves in difficulties — sometimes fatal, If yon are a veteran or a beginner, now is the time to brush up on the basic safety rules. Duck shooting can be hazardous. Consider the cle-t ments involved — guns, cold weather and deep water. There are two ways in which duckshooters can injure or kill themselves — they get into difficulties in water.and drown, or they mishandle their shotguns and either injure themselves or their companions. Here are a few basic water safety tips: • Prepare your boats well in advance. Last minute attempts to repair leaks are seldom successful.’Your boat should be wide, have high sides and be strong enough to withstand frequent groundings. • Take extreme care travelling before dawn or after dark along rivers or through swamps. Hidden obstacles both above and below the waterline are dangerous for ;small craft.

• Do not overload. Make sure more of the boat is above the waterline than below it; make sure everybody sits. • Only take a dog in a boat if you can control it. Using a dog for retrieving from a boat is risky because it is easy for you to fall out ’and capsize while getting the dog aboard. • Make sure you have a comfortable seat. It is.dangerous to stand up iu a small boat and especially hazardous to shoot while standing. • Make sure you have some flotation material in the boat in case of an emergency.

• IE you wear gumboots or waders in a boat, roll them down and loosen then] on your feet. ® Take care when retrieving birds front deep water Do not reach too far and fall in. ® Whop wading in muddy water use a stick to feel the "bottom for soft spots or deep holes. Remember gumboois can easily fill with water. © If you cannot swim or are a poor swimmer wear a lifejacket at all times. •© It is important to know the basics of rescue breathing; take a course if vou de not.