Tips from the ER for staying safe this deer season

ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) - U.P. hunters are thinking of the big buck and getting camp ready for the start of firearm deer season one week from tomorrow.

An emergency room doctor in Delta County and a guide for disabled hunters both say they hope safety is also top of mind for anyone heading into the woods.

Ken Buchholtz is a lifelong hunter who says he always hits the woods on opening day. Buchholtz says wearing blaze orange is one way he stays safe.

"You can see that hunter orange from a long ways away," Buchholtz said. "If you're going to be out there, make sure you got some kind of orange vest on and always an orange hat."

It's Michigan law that hunters wear blaze, flame or fluorescent blaze orange. Wearing the colors makes the hunter more visible and helps prevent accidental shootings.

Dr. John Bednar works in the emergency room at OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center in Escanaba. Bednar says accidental shootings are just one of the injuries he sees during hunting season.

"Common hunting injuries include falls, whether that's a fall while you're hiking, carrying, hauling or whether it's a fall out of the tree stand," Bednar said.

The ER doctor says hunters in tree stands should take extra precautions.

"If you are in a tree stand, make sure you have your harness and tether appropriately working," Bednar said. "If you don't have a harness and you don't have a short tether, you could be in trouble, because if you fall off, even with a harness, you might have too long of a harness lead. So, make sure you have a short tether. If you're going to fall off, you don't fall off very far, and you can get back on again."

Bednar says most of the hunting falls the emergency room treats have one common cause.

"The biggest rule when you're hunting is no intoxication of any sort, whether it's alcohol or drugs or any combination thereof," he said. "Those are the most frequent things we see, people who fall when they're hunting because they're intoxicated."

The doctor says hunters should also know their limits, pack prescription medication and, if needed, remember to take blood pressure medicine.

"They have to know what their fitness level is when they are out hunting," he said. "Whether you're hauling gear or hauling deer, you have to know what your limits are."

Buchholtz says every time you go hunting, you should also let someone know where you will be.

"Things happen out in the woods that are unpredictable," the avid hunter said. "You might slip and fall or something, or even sometimes running into different animals that aren't real friendly."

Buchholtz says he carries a backpack with basic first aid, a flashlight with extra batteries and a blanket in case he gets stuck in the woods overnight.