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Hunting is undoubtedly an integral aspect of human life that remains significant until today. Whether it’s for getting food or recreational sport, hunting encourages the use of human skills dating back to our ancestors. It is an exciting sport that involves marksmanship, mental toughness, physical fitness, and navigation.
However, hunters are also always at the mercy of the elements and themselves. They climb trees, walk on rough terrain, and hike. Anything can happen, and sometimes hunters cannot avoid injuries. In more extreme cases, mistakes can even lead to a gunshot wound.
It is common knowledge that every hunter must always fully prepare before going on a hunting trip, including being equipped for emergencies. Read on to find out all you need to know about first aid in hunting!
Every hunter must know basic first aid. You must always carry your own hunting first aid kit. While you can always take safety precautions, it is better to always prepare for the worst. As the saying goes, it’s always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Before we discuss the what and the how of first aid, let’s first focus on the why. First aid is, without a doubt, beneficial to hunting, so let’s dig deeper into why!
You can quickly tend to your wounds or injuries.
Weapons are fundamental to any type of hunting, mainly because the goal is to kill an animal. When you are hunting, you are handling knives, guns, and more. However, the weapons you bring may harm you in the process.
Knowing first aid and having a first aid kit enables you to treat minor injuries on the spot, so you don’t have to stop in the middle of your hunt. Additionally, using a first aid kit lowers the risk of your wounds becoming infected because you have the tools to properly clean them.
You can prevent injuries from getting worse by applying first aid.
Imagine this: you accidentally cut yourself badly during a hunt. Help is far away. What comes next? First aid does, and that is why it’s beneficial. There are cases wherein untreated injuries will worsen. Sometimes, severe injuries can quickly become fatal. Applying first aid reduces that chance. Since you are most likely far from healthcare services, first aid can help you take care of your wounds while you wait for health professionals to treat you.
First aid in hunting can save people’s lives. You don’t have easy access to healthcare, and in case of an emergency, you are the first heath responder at that moment.
You will be more confident in facing outdoor emergencies.
Because you know what to do and have the necessary items to apply first aid, chances are you will be more confident and collected when faced with an emergency. Knowing what to do in terms of first aid gives that added reassurance to yourself and your fellow hunters.
However, do note that you should never assume that other hunters have a first aid kit and can take care of you. Each one of you must come prepared. You never know what might happen, so it’s best to bring your own hunting first aid kit.
First aid helps alleviate pain.
Not all injuries are fatal, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be uncomfortable and painful. Being able to apply first aid to a minor wound can help alleviate the pain and relieve discomfort.
However, first aid kits are not meant to cure. In the event of an injury, there might be times wherein you will need to go to the hospital or wait for paramedics to arrive. First aid will help give you that urgent relief as you wait for paramedics to treat you.
No matter where you go, you need the bare essentials. You may need things specific to your injury but the basic necessities can still be a huge help. Keep your first aid kit in an easily accessible location and at room temperature as well. You will need the following materials especially in a hunting first aid kit.
Tweezers should be included in any first-aid kit, particularly if you enjoy hiking or other outdoor activities. A clean pair of tweezers is the best way to extract a splinter or a tick. Before and after each use, thoroughly disinfect the tweezers with alcohol.
Scissors are most often used to cut gauze and sometimes even adhesive bandages to the proper length. Scissors are often used for other purposes, such as removing clothes to uncover infected areas so that wounds can be treated more effectively.
Although this is often included in pre-assembled first aid kits, it never hurts to have a spare or two on hand in case you need to treat several individuals.
Disposable gloves provide an additional barrier against infection. They should be worn if there is a chance of coming into contact with bodily fluids. Disposable gloves can only be used to treat one casualty at a time to avoid cross contamination, and they should be removed as soon as the procedure is over.
Since there is no power in the outdoors, a flashlight will be extremely helpful in navigating the maze of the forest map. Get these, as well as extra batteries, and keep them in a location where they'll be easy to locate when you need them.
Since lacerations can infect the wound with bacteria and debris from the item that caused the cut, standard first aid for lacerations (irregular, jagged cuts) should concentrate on thorough cleaning after stopping the bleeding. Here is a hunting first aid kit list to see what items you will be needing the most.
Antibiotic ointment is an excellent addition to your first aid kit, whether it's for a gash caused by broken glass or a simple paper cut. For fresh scrapes, air exposure is often a problem, so apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment before covering with a dressing to greatly minimize the chances of wound infection.
Gauze pads are essential for anybackpack hunting first aid kit as they are commonly used for minor scrapes, cuts, and burns. They can prevent wound infection by giving the cut enough space and not exposing it to too much air.
It may also be used to cover wounds as a temporary absorbent dressing. Gauze may be used to cushion or pack a wound, allowing the tissue to heal from the inside out.
Adhesive tape is useful because it can help wound dressings stay safely in place around the injury. Adhesive tape is often important for applying the necessary pressure for a covering to absorb exudation or excess fluid from the wound.
Wounds to the face, head, or mouth are expected to bleed more. Apply strong yet gentle pressure to the cut with a clean cloth or piece of gauze to stop the bleeding. Don't remove the gauze or fabric you're holding over the cut if the blood soaks through. Instead, add more gauze and keep applying pressure.
Deep or deep lacerations almost often necessitate medical attention, since they will almost certainly require stitches or staples. Stitches and/or staples can help the wound heal faster and lessen the likelihood of infection.
All of us have probably encountered a minor injury or even a major one when we went out hunting with friends - from small incidents such as sprained ankles to skinned knees because offalling off your electric fat tire ebike up to an incident with a poison ivy. This is why knowing first aid is valuable to hunters, because you can never tell when there would be an emergency, so it’s highly important that you always carry a hunting first aid kit or a medical kit with you. Most of all, it’s important to know how to use it! In case an accident arises, you can easily overcome the challenges on the field.
While it’s easy to say that you can remain safe on your trip, you can never assure that accidents won’t happen. Accidents are truly unprecedented, especially if they require medication. Knowing this, stocking up on medication supplies in your first aid kit is a must to save lives. Here are some medications that you must have in your hunting bag:
Aloe vera gel helps alleviate pain and heal burns. It can also be used for bruises, boils, abrasions, canker sores, and other sores in the mouth.
Calamine lotion helps alleviate mild itchiness and skin irritations because of its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. This is important especially if you encounter an unknown plant during your hunting trip. You’ll never know when you’ll itch with these species.
An antacid helps neutralize the acidity in your stomach and helps get rid of heartburn, indigestion, and upset stomachs. It may also be used for constipation and diarrhea. This is essential in hunting especially that you’re away from comfort whenever a stomach issue arises. There’s no comfort room in the outdoors to save you as well.
For those with allergies, a quick solution would be taking antihistamine to alleviate its symptoms. This is essential for those people who have eaten they’re allergic with in the wild while hunting.
Hydrocortisone cream is an essential for hunters because it can help with several skin conditions such as insect bites, poison oak/ivy, allergies, rash, and itching - all of which you may encounter outdoors.
Hunting is definitely a physical activity. Aside from facing animals as part of your quest, the difficulty of traversing the forest is a pain in the body. In case of any accidents that may cause pain, it is important to have pain relievers to alleviate the body aches.
Aspirin is especially helpful for adults who are experiencing chest pain. In case there is no immediate medical attention available for someone having a heart attack while hunting, having the adult chew on aspirin helps. Just take note that it is not advised to take aspirin if you are allergic to it, have bleeding complications, or have taken blood-thinning medication prior.
You might believe that your first aid kit is well-packed already, but you can never be too sure. As a hunter, you must always anticipate the worst to come, so it’s best to prioritize your safety above all else. Here are some more first aid items you must stock up on your basic hunting first aid kit:
An emergency blanket serves the main function of keeping you warm. This is helpful in preventing frostbite or freezing to death in situations that you might be put at risk of. It can also signal other people to know where you are if it is shiny like Mylar blankets. Sometimes, it can even be used for added insulation, shelter, and water gathering.
Having a CPR mask allows anyone to conduct CPR on other people, even if the person needing CPR has a communicable disease. This is because it serves to stop transmission of disease.
Trauma shears, compared to normal scissors, have a safer blunt end that helps you avoid accidental cuts. You can use these for clothes, seat belts, and leather. It is highly useful when trying to reach a wound while avoiding unnecessary wounding. You can also use them to cut up small games.
Going on a hunt can get dirty. From the outside dirt to gunpowder, your eyes might get irritated. At all costs, avoid using outdoor water to clean your eyes. Instead, bring sterile eyewash to fulfill this task. Just drop some in your eyes, blink, rinse, then repeat.
When going on a hunt, of course, the goal is to have fun and get some game to bring home. However, it is most important that you prioritize your safety first, above all, always. While you can have the time of your life during hunting, it is essential that your fun does not cost you your life. There are a lot of safety precautions you can plan and even take before hunting itself, but you can never predict an accident. Using an electric fat tire ebike for hunting is a safe choice. These ebikes have a motor and throttle, you can easily go back to camp even if you can’t walk due to unforeseen accidents.
Wherever you may go, keep an emergency kit with you. You can keep one in the car and one as you go, so you can tackle any emergency while hunting anywhere. The tips we provided you through our guide have been recommended by hunters themselves, so like them, keep yourself safe. Happy hunting!
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