Chapter 5: Outdoor Safety
Coping With Extreme Weather
Some of the most common and dangerous risks to hunters result
from exposure to extreme weather.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing your core body temperature to fall. Hypothermia is often induced by cold, wet conditions, such as rain, snow, sleet, or falling into water.
Moisture from sweating, humidity, and dew or rain on bushes and trees also can soak your clothing over time, putting you at risk in cold weather. Wet or damp clothes will draw heat out of your body more rapidly than cold air. Wind lowers your body temperature as it evaporates moisture from your body. Resting against cold surfaces also will draw heat from your body.
Prevention of Hypothermia
- Hypothermia can be prevented by dressing properly, by
avoiding possibly dangerous weather conditions, and by
drying out as quickly as possible when you get wet.
- High-calorie foods, such as chocolate, peanuts, or raisins,
provide quick energy that helps your body produce heat.
Symptoms of Hypothermia
- Uncontrolled shivering—usually
the first obvious symptom, but
ceases as hypothermia progresses
- Slow, slurred speech
- Memory loss
- Odd behavior, such as
removing clothing
- Lack of body movement
- Sleepiness
- Unconsciousness, which could
lead to death
Basics of Cold Survival Without Fire
- Wear proper type of clothing (no cotton).
- Stay dry. Use water-repellent outer garments.
- Build a shelter. The best is a nylon tarp shelter as
it will protect you from wind, rain, and snow. Insulate
the floor of the shelter with pine boughs, if available.
- Avoid contact with cold surfaces (the ground, rocks,
or snow).
- Wrap your body in a thermal foil blanket. This will maintain
a temperature of 60° F inside the wrap even when the
outside temperature is -10° F.
- Limit your physical activity to conserve energy.
|
