I'm about 10 weeks pregnant and buck season just opened up today here in Oregon. My question is: Can I go hunting this season while I'm pregnant? My husband is willing to "carry" anything back that i get, but I'm not sure if I can shoot them myself. My concerns would be the kickback, powders and smells of the powders from the gun. I don't have a dr apt for another 2 weeks and being the weekend, I won't hear anything back until Monday evening. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks for your opinions in advance!
2007-09-29 16:11:00 · 22 answers · asked by Angela B 2 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
Having been both pregnant and around guns all my youth I can say that I think you will be fine.
It sounds like you have been hunting before and know what you are doing so the kickback wont be a problem (especially not at ten weeks when the fetus is still so small) and you are fleet a foot enough that (and again the fetus is small) so even falling wouldn't be too much of a concern.
There are no harmful fumes from one or even a handful of discharged round -- a gun range might be pushing it but still I have never heard of anyone even getting lung cancer as a result of working at a gun range.
As for the smells, well,that is a different story. You are nearing the end of your season of morning sickness and I know that had trouble with familiar smells (like milk!) so the smell of powder might be more of a morning sickness problem than anything. And the smell of the kill and the meat and all the cleaning out... well, that might go to your hubby to do too!
And then, finally, there are the usual concerns that you have to think about anyway, like ticks but since you have been hunting already you know about all those things. My OB did say no DEET that "if I felt compelled to be out where there are mosquitoes" to only spray my clothing and avoid any on my skin.
Happy hunting!
2007-09-29 16:31:01 · answer #1 · answered by toonew2two 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you want to go hunting then do it! I have never herd of gunpowder causing any toxic side effects whatsoever, so the little bit you are being exposed to should not likely be harmful.
If the answers you are getting here do not settle your concerns, then call the conservation department, and ask them. They have many people with a lot of knowledge about guns and shooting. You stand a good chance of finding someone who has already asked their doctor about hunting while pregnant, (or at least their husband).
As far as the other aspects of hunting, the hiking will be great for you and baby. You might not want to try packing out, and hanging a 200 lb buck by yourself, but otherwise there is nothing about hunting that you are not just as able as always to do.
2007-09-29 23:29:42 · answer #2 · answered by crazy_kizmet 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"harmful powders". Give me a break, guys. Look, get the excercise and let someone else clean the gun so you can avoid toxic fumes ten times worse than any smokeless propellant/primer fumes. Unless you plan on shooting all day at an indoor range I say go for it and do not worry about "powders". We live in an age where people get scared of things that did not even make our grandparents wince. Yout only concern would be a fall orsome other non-gun related mishap. But you can fall at the mall too. Be strong and follow your mama bear instincts. The sausage in your belly probably wants you to hunt.
2007-10-01 01:32:35 · answer #3 · answered by david m 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only concern that I see is gutting the deer. Let your hubby do the "dirty" work. You may also want to ask your Dr before eating wild game. Other then that, shooting a gun should be fine. I wouldn't worry to much about the gun residue either, just wash your hands when your done. Not to sound cruel, but at this stage of your pregnancy, the embryo is either viable or not, and there isn't much you can do or not do, to prevent miscarriage (aside from known dangers, i.e. drugs, smoking, alcohol, prescription drugs). Go have fun!
2007-09-29 23:26:33 · answer #4 · answered by Choochie Larue 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
As long as you don't put the gun on your stomach and pull the trigger the recoil will not be a problem.
And the smells, I can't help you there. Go to the range and have the hubby take a few sighting shots. If the smell bothers you, well you can take it from there.
Hunting around a lodge or another source of heat may be needed. When you get really cold it would be nice to warm up quicker, instead of toughing it out like normal.
Other than that have fun out in the woods!!
2007-09-29 23:58:42 · answer #5 · answered by James D 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I couldn't keep my 'ex-' OUT of the woods! She wasn't even going to keep track of ME! If the season hadn't ended, I'm sure she would have hunted into her third trimester! One of my buds got everyone calling her 'Diana', after the goddess of hunting. Nothing bothered her! Gun smoke, blood & gore of field dressing, campfire & fireplace cooking, NOTHING!
She carried a light .243 Winchester, and only got two shots in the field, but that didn't bother her either. We still went to the range frequently between hunts.
Too bad we wern't more compatible in other ways.
I NEVER mess with karma, either! I hear down the grapevine that the wuss she married after leaving me is an anti-hunting bunny-hugger, and MY daughter walks all OVER BOTH of them, since their lawyers and the 'judge' won't give the 'big,bad BIKER' visitation rights! ! ! !LMFAO! ! ! !
2007-09-29 23:30:49 · answer #6 · answered by Grizzly II 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a Doctor, but common sense says you will be fine unless you have a condition 10 weeks in that your OB/GYN tells you that hunting would be a risk to your baby. My ex-wife went hunting with me while pregnant with both of our children and the "smell" of gunpowder, nor recoil was EVER an issue. Our first was about 12 weeks in when she went hunting with me in Colorado for Mule deer, and she walked,hiked and bagged her 6th Mule Deer Buck after walking over 6-7 miles.No problems...Baby #2 was about 16 weeks in and again she walked, hiked with me over 16 miles in 2 days and bagged Deer number 7 and 8. I think she held up better on both trips, than I did..... lol...Go for it!!!
2007-09-30 01:19:45 · answer #7 · answered by JD 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the kick wont harm the baby.. its well protected! Yes you can hunt pregnant.. matter of fact my wife was pregnant with my daughter when she shot her first buck and we did alot of shooting that year.. have fun in the woods. fact is you can do most anything you did before. my wife was 5 months along she just told me . when she shot her first buck. only possible side effect you may have a kid hooked on hunting like my daughter. she loves hunting and fishing
2007-09-30 12:21:15 · answer #8 · answered by Orion2506 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd worry more about the dangers of driving a car than anything you'll encounter hunting. Use common sense and don't stress yourself in out in the woods in any way you wouldn't stress yourself in your daily activities at home.
Usual disclaimer - not an M.D., your mileage may vary, etc.
2007-09-29 23:18:45 · answer #9 · answered by gunplumber_462 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
sure you can,, you can do anything you did before you got preg. the docs just like you to take it easy in the last trimester. because you set labor in to early. I don't know alot about guns, but i wouldn't think there is anything that could hurt your baby.
good luck, with your baby and GET THAT BUCK.
I live in upper michingan where hunting is a part of everyday life.
2007-09-29 23:17:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋