Hypothermia, considered the number one killer of outdoor recreationalists, represents the progressive mental and physical collapse that occurs with the cooling of the inner core of the body. Most hypothermia cases develop in air temperatures between 30 and 50 degrees simply because people can't believe such temperatures can be dangerous and don't take proper precautions.

The human body typically operates most efficiently with a core body temperature of 98.6 degrees. If exposed to frigid temperatures without adequate protection, body temperature plummets rapidly by the loss of heat through five ways. The act of breathing, or respiration, brings cold air deep into the body and accounts for 10-30% of the body's heat loss in cold temperatures. Another route of heat loss, evaporation, occurs when perspiration or water is present on the skin. Heat is lost by conduction when sitting or sleeping on the ground, touching cold equipment, and when the skin's exposed to snow and rain. Radiation describes the loss of heat from uncovered skin, particularly the head, neck, and hands. And lastly, convection heat loss occurs when wind carries away the layer of warm air next to your skin.

The process of hypothermia actually has two distinct steps, exposure and exhaustion. Just being out in the cold doesn't necessarily result in exposure. With proper precautions to avoid the five ways heat is lost from the body, a person can remain in the frigid outdoors quite comfortably for great lengths of time. Exposure occurs when the body begins to lose heat faster than it can produce it.

Mother Nature can sometimes be quite unpredictable and even the most prepared person can sometimes be caught off guard by the fierceness of her fury. Understanding hypothermia and learning to identify the symptoms are crucial to every outdoor recreationalist.

When exposure occurs (heat is being lost faster than it can be produced) the body takes steps to try to correct the problem and preserve normal temperature in the vital organs. There is a desire to move around. This movement of muscles creates warmth in the body. If this isn't enough to compensate for the loss of heat, shivering starts. This is another of the body's attempts to create additional warmth in the body by moving muscles. Persistent shivering is a clear warning you are on the verge of hypothermia.

The body also releases hormones to restrict the flow of blood to the skin in order to preserve the inner warmth of the body. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, thus interfering with the body's ability to protect itself in this manner. When alcohol is present, the body temperature may be 2-3 degrees lower.

In mild hypothermia it's also not unusual to notice some grogginess and slurred speech. Don't delay. Find some shelter and a warm drink, if possible. Assess the situation to discover how your body is losing heat and take action to reduce that loss. Cover your mouth and nose area with wool or a bandana, change into dry clothes, put gloves and a hat on, zip up your coat, get out of the wind, or add another layer of clothes. Whatever it takes, do it!

Beware of continuous strenuous exercise in cold conditions. Exercising may be the only thing preventing you from going into hypothermia. If exhaustion forces you to stop, your rate of body heat production instantly drops by 50% or more. Violent, incapacitating shivering may begin immediately to try to compensate for the change in heat production. You may slip into hypothermia in a matter of minutes.

If exposure and the resulting heat loss continues, shivering becomes violent. The body quickly begins to run out of the energy stores necessary to keep up this strenuous motion. Often the person is unable to think and pay attention. Good judgement and reasoning dissipate as the brain begins to cool. The respiratory and cardiac centers of the brain experience a cold-induced depression. Breathing becomes slow and shallow, the pulse slow and weak. Control of the hands are lost. The body no longer has the energy stores left to shiver. There is an over-whelming feeling of drowsiness and the inability to get up after a rest. Finally, the exhaustion of energy stores and the falling body temperature lead to stupor, collapse and death.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency requiring core rewarming. One of the ways this is done is by inhalation rewarming which gives heat directly to the core of the body via the lungs. If you try to warm up the outside of the body first you may circulate cold extremity blood to the body's core and inadvertently make the person more hypothermic. Seek professional help whenever possible.

Most importantly, be able to admit when it's time to seek shelter. So you miss out on half a day's hunt because you slipped in the creek and went back to camp to change to dry clothes. As long as you're alive, there can always be another hunt. Hypothermia kills - don't allow yourself to become one of its statistics.

Because so many of you will be flying to your hunting destinations this fall, there are some procedures you need to know before traveling with firearms.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001 have changed life in America in many ways. Although the country is trying to return to a semblance of normalcy, there will continue to be a need for increased security at airports. The National Wild Turkey Federation¹s film crew travels thousands of miles each year by airplane to film its television show, "Turkey Call" TV. According to NWTF videographer Jason Morrow, the rules and regulations on traveling with a firearm have changed very little in the past months.

"Traveling with a firearm really hasn't changed that much," Morrow said. "The same regulations are in place. I always take my gun apart before I go to the airport. This shows the airport officials that the gun is unloaded and can¹t be easily used."

Morrow also gave two handy tips for flying with a firearm. "The biggest thing is to declare your firearm as soon as you check in at the desk," he said. "Keep the firearm in a locked, certified gun case separate from the rest of your luggage."

"As far as ammunition goes, I always purchase my ammo when I get to the place I am going, so I don't have to worry about traveling with an explosive product," Morrow added. "It's easier and faster not to travel with ammunition. There are usually plenty of places to buy ammunition when you get there. But if I have to take ammunition, I always pack it separately from my firearm in a different locked case."

Delta Airlines spokesperson Cindi Kurczewski said that regulations for traveling with a firearm haven't changed since Sept.11, but she recommends checking with the airline you wish to use for possible changes in regulations before booking a flight. "Although our regulations for traveling with a firearm haven't changed, we want to remind everyone traveling this hunting season of the constantly changing security regulations of the airlines," Kurczewski said. According to information provided at Delta's web site at www.delta.com, when checking a weapon, you must:

~ Declare to the airline representative that you are checking a weapon; (If there is a security checkpoint prior to the Delta ticket counter, you must declare the existence of a weapon to security personnel);

~ Present firearms unloaded and sign a "Firearms Unloaded" declaration;

~ Lock the weapon in a hard-sided, crush-proof container and retain the key or combination;

~ Maintain entry permits in your possession for the country or countries of destination or transit;

~ Ensure small arms ammunition is packed separate from the firearm in the manufacturer's original package, or is securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes.

Other items to remember:

~ Firearms transported to the United Kingdom as checked baggage require a permit from the United Kingdom. The passenger must contact the United Kingdom prior to travel for more information regarding this permit.

~ 11 lbs. of ammunition (10-lbs. max. on Delta's Connection Carrier SkyWest) is allowed on Delta flights, but must be packed separately from your firearm(s). Ammunition in excess of 11 lbs. per passenger or that contains incendiary projectiles is prohibited.

~ You may purchase a hard-sided case (12" x 52" x 4 1/2") with suitcase type lock (capable of holding two rifles with scopes) for $75 plus local tax at most Delta Airport Ticket Counters.

~ One item of shooting equipment is accepted as part of a customer's free checked baggage allowance. For each item listed, one item of shooting equipment is defined as one or a combination of the following:

*One rifle case containing:
~ two or fewer rifles (with or without scopes)
~ one shooting mat
~ one small pistol tool kit
~ noise suppressers
Cases containing more than two rifles will be assessed an excess baggage charge.

*One shotgun case containing:
~ two or fewer shotguns
Cases containing more than two shotguns will be assessed an excess baggage charge.

*One pistol case containing:
~ two or fewer pistols
~ pistol telescopes
~ noise suppressers
~ a small pistol tool case
Cases containing more than two pistols will be assessed an excess baggage charge.

Finally, remember that each airline may have different firearms restrictions‹and keep in mind that regulations can, and do, change. Always call ahead or check your airline¹s website for their latest regulations before packing for your hunting trip.

Jared Felkins, NWTF

The NWTF is a 390,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.

For more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, call (803) 637-3106, check out our web site at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.

Where do you set a tree stand? How high do I go up? What size tree? What type of tree stand should I use? These are all questions that are asked time and time again. Lets spend a few minutes together and I will try and shed some light on the use of tree stands.

Let me start out by saying that of all the products to arrive in the 20th century for a deer hunter, the tree stand is at the top of my list. The ability to get off the ground, the sight advantage it gives you and the scent dispersal it allows are all elements that can help you harvest a white tail deer.

The three most commonly used tree stands are: the ladder stand, the fixed position stand, and the climbing tree stand. All three have advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at them individually and discuss the pros and cons.

~ Ladder Stands - I think the biggest advantage of a ladder stand is stability, once placed against a tree and secured properly, they are as solid as a rock. A ladder stand is an excellent choice for a young hunter, a new hunter, or a person who is afraid of heights. The biggest disadvantage is that they are somewhat heavy and cumbersome. Moving them to a new spot can be quite a chore.

~ Fixed Position Stands - This stand is a favorite among many deer hunters. A good pair of climbing ladder sticks and a fixed position stand is a combo that’s hard to beat. It allows a hunter to get in between branches of a tree and can be placed in many trees where a ladder or climbing stand just would not work. The only disadvantage once again would be the inability to move them with ease. For this reason a lot of hunters will own two or three fixed position stands, and set them in various places so they can move to which ever stand they wish to hunt out of.

~ The Climbing Tree Stand - My personal favorite is the climbing tree stand. Have you folks noticed that in all my articles, I always get around to writing about my favorite stuff? Anyway, the climbing tree stand is the jewel of the tree stand family. Lightweight, easy to set up and most importantly, it makes you mobile. Hunt for a day or half a day, and if you feel like you are in the wrong spot, just move. The only disadvantage is that you need a fairly straight tree with no big limbs in your way to climb up.

Speaking of climbing up, how high should you go? I like to get up about 15 to 20 feet off the ground. Any higher than 20 feet can cause some severe angles for shooting at deer close to your stand, especially if you are bow hunting. The size of the tree you choose to set up in will vary from time to time. But no matter which of the three types of stands you choose, just use common sense. You want the gripping part of your stand to fit the tree with ease.

There are a lot of quality tree stands made by different companies, so shop around, before you decide which stand is best for you. After you choose a stand, take the time to read the instructions and always follow the manufacturers recommendations.

Last, but not least, whatever stand you decide to buy and use, without fail, without hesitation, always use a safety belt or safety harness. It only takes one little slip up or mistake to send you crashing to the earth and then your deer hunting days may be over.

I’m Kenny, and I hope I have all of you in my corner, or in a tree stand.

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