Wisconsin is less than two weeks away from the Gun Deer Season opener.
Local health officials are urging hunters to take this time to assess their health.
The physical demands of tracking game, climbing into stands and hauling equipment can create serious health risks for some hunters.
For hunters who spend much of the year inactive, opening day can place sudden stress on the cardiovascular system.
“We definitely see increased risk of heart attack during this time. We see a rise in our heart attacks, chest pain unit, and just people kind of showing up exhausted and having cardiac issues," said Dr. Daniel Krause is an Aspirus Cardiologist.
Krause recommends easing into physical activity before hunting season rather than waiting until opening day.
Building endurance through regular walking, hiking or other exercise throughout the year can help prepare the heart and reduce the risk of injury or illness while afield.
Hunters should also pay attention to warning signs that may indicate a heart problem.
“Warning signs that hunters cannot ignore are certainly any kind of chest pain with activity, increased shortness of breath," said Krause. "If they're doing an activity that they normally can complete, and all of a sudden now they're very short of breath and just don't feel like they could do it, that's concerning.”
Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical evaluation immediately.
The gun deer opener is Saturday, November 21.
