NZ Hunter Education Module 10 Safe As: Essential things to remember.

NZ Hunter Education Course:

Module 10: SAFE AS

In this module we want to consider some other issues that can impact on your experiences in the NZ outdoors. Being safe with a firearm is important, but getting there safely, having a great time and returning safely is important too! The following will help you have safe and enjoyable experiences.

Being fit.

New Zealand terrain can be incredibly rugged, demanding and dangerous. New Zealand weather likewise can be changeable, severe and vicious. Hunting in such terrain and conditions can be challenging. Hunting is generally a demanding physical sport, whether you are hunting deer or alpine animals such as tahr and chamois. You can be scrambling up steep faces or hunting in thick bush through all sorts of challenging terrain and in weather that may be changeable and threatening as well. Being fit is a major advantage for the following reasons:

It’s far safer. When you are unfit you tire more easily and are more liable to have an accident or make unwise decisions.
If you are fitter you are also able to remove yourself quicker and more easily from potentially dangerous situations.
You will enjoy the experience so much more when you are not struggling.
You will get more animals and see more great country when you are fit.
You’ll make life happier for mates who are fitter!

If you are not physically fit make sure you undertake a fitness programme before you venture into the hills.

Also, if you have any health concerns consult your doctor.

Respect the terrain and conditions.

Terrain in New Zealand varies hugely, even in areas like Fiordland and in the central North Island. You may be challenged by deep swift rivers, seemingly impassable bluffs, huge faces you need to climb, swamps, extremely thick and sometime impenetrable bush, deep guts gouged out by raging streams, huge boulders and fallen trees, snow covered terrain and open country with no water and no trees, big flats where you can go around in circles and difficult ridges that seem to drop off to oblivion, and then to top it all off you have the weather. Don’t take the terrain and conditions lightly and don’t ever underestimate the challenges you may face.

Planning for survival.

Survival is the art of staying alive. Whenever you venture into the great New Zealand wilderness, whether it be for a day trip or an extended hunt, you will be facing risks, some potentially life threatening. That’s the nature of our New Zealand outdoors. Conditions such as terrain or weather can change in a matter of minutes and accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.

Good planning, common sense and good decision making will help you enjoy your outdoor experiences in a safer way. And, let’s face it, no matter how experienced we may be, we can always learn more, we can all hone up our attitudes, our safety gear and plans.

“Knowing that you can save yourself is the first key to survival. Your life depends on what you do, not on some other person doing for you what you cannot do for yourself.”

(Peter Kummerfeldt)

Missing Hunter’s Body Found.

7/7/14

A Hokitika man who died while on a hunting trip was the "proudest father you could ever meet," his family say. Corey Stephens, 35, went missing while on a week-long solo trip in the Wanganui River catchment near Hari Hari on the West Coast. His body was found on Saturday afternoon on the river bed after a week of searching.

Eight Safety Rules

1 Avoid going alone.

This rule is more applicable for longer trips and is critically important when crossing rivers or traversing challenging terrain. Solo hunting on longer trips may be exciting, but the risk factor increases significantly.

2. Notify someone of your travel plans.

Where you are going
Who you are going with
When you will be coming out
Contact details such as the name and phone number of your hunting companion, the helicopter operator, farmer etc.

(The above may make it easier to locate you in the unlikely event of your having an accident)

3. Dress for the expected weather. Check out the weather first before going out even on a day trip, as weather conditions in New Zealand can be localised and change rapidly from one extreme to another. You can experience severe winter conditions even in mid-summer in New Zealand so always be prepared.

On a day trip, as a minimum take an emergency blanket, hat and a lightweight rain jacket in your day pack so you can keep dry – remember you lose most of your heat through your head in cold conditions.

Three good weather sites, but don’t trust your life to them:

www.metvuw.co.nz (Great for longer range forecasts.) www.metservice.com/rural

www.yr.no

Remember weather forcastes show patterns, but fronts can come in far quicker than predicted or expected. One minute you can be enjoying warm, sunny conditions, the next minute the temperatures can plunge and it can be snowing within a very short time. Be prepared!

4. Carry an emergency kit.

Here is a suggested list of contents for an emergency kit:

Emergency space blanket or bag to keep you warm and dry in case of an accident or an unexpected night out.
Fire lighters, plus waterproof matches. Note some of the fancy fire lighters as advertised in magazines may not work in damp NZ bush! Small balls of cotton wool soaked in vaseline or a piece of candle or rubber (old jandal soles are great) are ideal for starting fires.
First aid kit including as antihistimines, pain killers, tape for blisters and cuts.
10-15 metres of nylon rope – useful for all sorts of things!
A couple of bars of high energy food.
Torch, plus spare batteries

5. Know your personal limits.

Many hunters not only over estimate their ability with a rifle, but they also can over estimate their personal abilities. As our population has moved to more urban areas, many people are not used to walking long distances on the kind of terrain hunters frequent, nor are they used to the challenges of the terrain.

Things may look easy on a map and distances relatively short, but reality in the field is often quite different from what is perceived. Factors such as age, medical conditions, experience and fitness all play a part. Smart hunters work within their limits, think ahead and make responsible decisions.

Check out the weather first before going out even on a day trip as weather conditions in New Zealand can be localised and change rapidly from one extreme to another.

Carry an emergency blanket when planning a hunting trip

6. Know the geographical area.

If you are heading into a new area at the very least grab a topo map and identify which ways the rivers run (eg. Nth/Sth), where the key ridges face and other notable features such as mountain peaks, tracks and huts. You could also have a look at Google earth, but keep in mind that it may give you a misleading perspective in terms of times, distances and difficulty of terrain.

7. Carry a compass and a laminated map of the area. Again, pretty basic stuff, but absolutely essential, even if you have a GPS. In the event of a GPS breaking down you have something ‘solid’ to refer to. Make certain your map is in a plastic bag or the section containing the area you are hunting is copied and laminated with GPS references marked. In places like Stewart Island where there are few high points and it is super easy to become temporarily dislocated (a fancy word for being lost!), if you have map and a compass you can at least make your way out to the coast or a river.

8. Control your ego and make good decisions.

You may be fan of Bear Grylls and want to emulate him, but remember TV programmes are just that, TV programmes – fantasy dressed up as reality, with TV crews and back-up on hand. To be successful as a hunter you just have to be smart, make good decisions, be some-what skilful and put in the hard yards!

Alays plan your route and let people know where you're going.

Other important safety gear

Modern gear makes life so much easier so why not use it?

GPS – almost an essential part of a hunter’s gear these days. The use of GPS’s has reduced the number of Search & Rescue call outs dramatically. They are not idiot proof though and you need to make sure you know how to work your device before you venture into some deep dark valley. And do remember to take spare batteries, a compass and map!

Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) - While seemingly expensive, they can be a life saver and our advice is this: If you can afford one, buy one and make sure you have it with you at all times. Not only will they help with a quick response in a time of crisis, and may save your life, but they will give a lot of peace to loved ones at home.

Satellite phones - This is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites. Relatively expensive and the phones have a relatively short battery life (24 hrs or so), but they will see increasing use linked with solar panel charging.

Mountain Radios - You can hire these from the NZ Mountain Radio service - they are an absolute must for a party venturing into the NZ outdoors for any length of time. As well as getting an up-date on the weather each day, the latest versions enable you to make a phone call at any time and of course they are a great back-up in case of an emergency. www.mountainradio.co.nz

When things go to custard!

Survival is the art of staying alive. The majority of people who get lost very quickly become incapable of rational thought. Panic can cause people to make poor choices and thus make minor incidents into potentially life threatening ones.

If you do get lost or have an accident, remember the following! S T O P

S - stands for stop. Yes, if become disoriented or have an accident, stop and take some time to calm down. Have a chew on a snack bar. Start thinking straight – your worst enemy is a panic. Remember you are the key person needed to get you out and so you must take control of your emotions first.

T - stands for ‘take stock’ – what is the weather like, how long before dark, how hurt or tired are you, how much food, what is the country like, do you need to move and when do you think an alarm may be raised etc. Ask yourself the necessary questions so you can make informed decisions.

O -stands for ‘orient yourself’. Figure out where the sun is (at noon it is directly north), get your map and compass out and work out your position or use your GPS. Note major features. Try and project an approximate position or direction.

P - stands for ‘plan’. When you are thinking straight, plan what you will next do. It may be best to stay put given the time of day or your situation. If you will be overdue and you know a search party will be send out, make sure you are in a position to make yourself visible from the air. If you come across a hut STAY THERE!