GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Many hunters around the state are preparing for the 9-day gun-deer hunting season that starts Saturday, November 19.
Dr. Amy Romandine Kratz, primary care sports medicine physician at Prevea Health, says along with the obvious concerns with gun and tree stand safety, we also need to be aware of heart attacks during this adrenaline pumping activity.
“There’s a lot of different physical activity that’s involved. There’s a walk out to your tree stand, there’s the potential dragging a heavy animal after you’ve had a successful hunt.”
Another thing to keep in mind is buck fever. Romandine Kratz says recent research reveals buck fever is real.
“They recently did a study in the Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Journal where they had monitors on people and just seeing a deer lead to heart rates that were near maximum in many of the participants. That’s a lot of stress for a heart that may not be healthy,” says Romandine Kratz.
Tips to keep in mind, never drink alcohol before or during a hunt and purchase a full-body harness to prevent falls from tree-stands.
Read more on hunting safety, as well as a free tree stand safety course at www.huntercourse.com.
