Tips for hunting in the heat wave

It is summer and the heat is pressing, but the desire to shoulder the shotgun when the thermometer shows maximum temperatures can play tricks on you. Therefore, it is important to prevent dehydration and the well-known heat stroke.

The first piece of advice is to get up early. Every hunter knows that first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the thermal sensation is cooler, the heat will not be as powerful and we will be able to cope better with the hunting day.

To this must be added good hydration. If we already need it with the heat, even more so when physical activity takes place on days with high temperatures, because much more water is lost than when we hunt in winter, for example. For this reason, before starting to hunt we should drink water and during the day do not forget to take the occasional sip from time to time. In any case, summer fruits, such as watermelon or melon, will also allow us to keep our body well hydrated.

Technical clothing and sun protection

The clothes with which to equip yourself in summer is another key factor. If when we go out hunting in winter we protect ourselves well from the cold, in summer we must also think that not all fabrics will be equally comfortable in the heat. That is why not only light clothing should be used, but also breathable fabrics. And since the normal thing will be to wear short sleeves, we cannot forget to protect the skin with sun cream, because the sun at this time could cause burns. Finally, do not forget to wear a hat to protect your head and face from solar radiation.

watch out for our dogs

The most serious consequence that a dog can have when subjected to external conditions of extremely high temperatures is what is called heat stroke, which consists of an increase in body temperature between 41 and 43 ºC -remember that the normal temperature of dog is between 38 and 39 ºC-. This increase in temperature will cause damage to the cells, vital organs of the dog and blood coagulation systems.

Intense exercise in the hottest hours of the day, or dogs locked in the car or trailer in full sun are the most common situations that can cause heat stroke. The symptoms of heat stroke in dogs, in addition to the increase in temperature, are: Excessive panting, since dogs, unable to sweat, try to dissipate the heat by ventilating. The gums of the mouth are congested, that is, redder than normal and even dark in color. They also drool profusely. Tachycardia, the heart beats faster.

And the most serious signs are: immobility and prostration, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, loss of consciousness and convulsions due to cerebral edema that causes the death of the animal.

During the hunt, we can implement measures to prevent fatal heat stroke: never leave dogs inside cars or trailers in direct sunlight, as excessively high temperatures are reached inside. Prevent the dog from exercising in the middle of the day, when it is hotter. If possible, wet the dogs during the hunting day to cool them down and provide them with water to keep them hydrated