I was lucky enough to have had my first child in the summer, which meant I never had to think about hunting while I was very pregnant.  This time I am not that lucky.  Deer season is in progress, and I am eight months pregnant.  As the season approached I began to realize just how limited my season would be.  My husband did some of the restricting, I was only allowed in ladder stands and platform stands with ladder access that were 15 foot or shorter. This severely limited my stand choices.  Then I as my belly grew my bow shooting became affected, I had to really watch it or my string would hit my belly causing my arrow to fling off and miss the target. As the season began and progressed I had to come to grips with the fact that this season I would not be able to hunt how I was used to.  Each time I went out, I found a new difficulty, whether it be climbing fences, turning in a stand, or walking without tripping.  I even missed a good buck when an awkward shot angle caused my string to hit my belly. Needless to say I was frustrated as gun season began.  My camo didn’t fit, I had to go to the bathroom all the time, and my aches and pains seemed to magnify on the small tree stand seat.  My hunt was cut short when my fatigue caught up with me.  I did however, get to see some deer, and was able to harvest a couple with a rifle.  Because of the changes I had to make to accommodate my ever growing baby, I began to do some research as to what I should and shouldn’t do.  The questions I had would pertain to any women hunter whose pregnancy coincided with hunting season.

My main and most important question was:  Is it safe to hunt while pregnant?

Thinking about what could be potentially damaging to either mother or child I set out to find research on the topic.  The problem, I could not find any, none. I searched the internet and finally had to break it down by topic, shooting a gun, shooting a bow, climbing a ladder, sitting at heights, and cold weather exposure.  Below is a summary of what I found:

Shooting a Gun While Pregnant

On the topic of shooting a gun, I did find one article entitled “Shooting While Pregnant: Dangerous or Not?” the authors, Elizabeth Kennedy and Fabrice Czarnecki, M.D. attempted to find studies dealing with pregnant women shooting guns, but were unable to find any.  The article discussed shooting not in a hunting situation, but as a police training, or shooting on a range, where many shots would be taken.   Kennedy and Czarnecki, although they didn’t find any definitive studies, came up with three possible dangers in shooting while pregnant. 

1.  Lead exposure:  We know that research has found lead to be toxic to adult and children in the womb.  This toxicity has lead to a number of problems involving pregnancy.  Knowing this, the authors agreed that this lead exposure could be easily avoided when shooting.  Most of the lead exposure when shooting a firearm occurs when shooting lead ammunition on a range with many other people, shooting on an indoor range, or reloading the ammunition.  Most of this deals with shooting a lot more than necessary to sight a gun in or to hunt.  After reading the dangers, I felt that lead poisoning from shooting a gun while hunting is not realistic. 

2.  Noise: As a hunter and a shooter I know well the sound of ringing ears suffered from not wearing hearing protection when shooting.  The intensity of sound coming from a gun shot varies depending on the gun that is being shot.  Kennedy and Czarnecki found studies showing that chronic exposure to loud noise could be harmful during pregnancy.  Noises that can be heard by the baby could possibly cause hearing damage or other problems.  Again, this was based on the repeated exposure to loud shots that would be heard at a shooting range.

3. Stress: The authors suggest that the mindset of the mother may have an effect on how the baby reacts to the shots.  If the mother enjoys shooting and finds it fun then the baby may react differently than if the mother was nervous and stressed out over shooting. 

The article did not recommend that pregnant women go to shooting ranges.  But offered the following tips that I found could be applied to hunting:

• Use lead free ammo
• Shoot outdoors
• Shoot the smallest possible number of rounds
• Wash hands thoroughly after dealing with ammunition
• Wear heavy clothing covering abdomen (to reduce noise)
• Discuss this with your doctor

After reading this article, although very informative, I was still unsure as to how shooting while hunting would affect my pregnancy, so I decided to apply the last tip and call my doctor.  I asked him if there could be any harm done to my baby due to shooting a gun while hunting.  His answer was “No, go right ahead.” That was good enough for me, I no problems with the few shots I took this deer season.  I do recommend asking your own doctor his opinion however.  The article provided a lot of facts about these topics that I have not included here, if you are interested you may find it at: http://gemini.tntech.edu/~cpardue/pregnant.html

Shooting a Bow While Pregnant

I was unable once again to find any valid information that showed any danger in shooting a bow while pregnant. On the contrary, I was able to find websites and doctors that recommended archery as an activity encouraged during pregnancy. I even found one champion archer who was winning tournaments while eight months pregnant.  I discussed it with my doctor to find some tips on shooting while pregnant, and we came up with the following:           

• Back off the draw weight to eliminate any strain, draw should be smooth and easy (hey, that would help any shooter!)
• Do not over do it, if you get tired when practicing then quit (that also would help any shooter)
• Have someone pull your arrows for you if your arrows are very hard to pull from the target

Using a Tree Stand While Pregnant

Although I could not find any information about pregnant women using tree stands, I was able to find information about using ladders and sitting at heights.  A tree stand whether it be a ladder, hanging, or climber, requires an amount of effort to get from the ground to the desired height.  A ladder or hanging stand requires climbing up a ladder or steps of some form. Climbing may not be affected early on in pregnancy, but as the baby gets larger it will become harder and take more strength. The UC Davis Environmental Health and Safety Net says, “Balance can become a significant problem in late pregnancy since the size of the unborn child forces the center of gravity farther back and away from a ladder thus requiring greater strength to climb and maintain balance.”  Many pregnancy guides give a limited number of times a pregnant woman should climb a ladder daily.  A woman should consider carefully whether or not a safe climb into her tree stand would be affected by her pregnancy.

Once in the stand another factor comes into play.  A pregnant woman is more prone to dizzy spells and becoming off balance, either one would be a problem while in a tree stand.  Tree stands, if not used carefully, are dangerous any way; hunters who have no physical limitations fall out of them.  Pregnant women should be aware of this and be extra cautious if they have to use a tree stand. Also, sitting for a long time can become uncomfortable while pregnant.  A sore back could reduce the amount of time a woman can sit in the woods.

After having done some research on this subject, and having gone through a deer season during my 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th, month of pregnancy, I have come up with the following tips for tree stand use:

• Do not try to do more than you are able, if you have any trouble at all getting into a stand, eliminate it from your hunting options, it is better to be safe than sorry.
• Only use stands that are easy to get into, I found that the more my belly grew, the harder it was for me to do simple things like climbing a 12-foot ladder.  I did not even try any tree steps or climbing stands.
• Always use a safety harness.  I used a vest that was excellent and put no pressure on my belly.
• Use a stand with a large platform, you are less likely to loose your balance and will feel safer.
• If you feel uncomfortable, don’t do it.
• Ask your doctor, every pregnancy is different, your doctor may not want you climbing.

Cold Weather Exposure While Pregnant

I was able to find a good article about cold weather and pregnancy.  “When the Weather Outside is Frightful… How to Stay Safe and Active During Your Winter Pregnancy” by Dr. Aneema Van Groenou, had some useful information for pregnant women heading out into the elements. “you are more susceptible to cold exposure during pregnancy, so prevention is key” Groenou says.  Pregnant women may be more affected by the cold than they were before pregnancy.  Also your aches may increase when you get cold.  Here are some tips the article gives for staying warm when out in the woods.

• Wear layers – moisture wicking bottom layer that fits snugly, a fleece layer to trap warmth, and a wind and water proof shell
• Wear a warm cap and gloves
• Wear warm, wrinkle free socks, and leave plenty of room in your boots, tight boots = cold feet
• Wear clothes that stretch, make sure you and baby are comfortable
• Drink water often- dehydration makes cold worse
• Snack often- keep your energy up and blood flowing
• Move around- take time to stand up and move a bit before you get too cold

You may read this article in it’s entirety at: http://pregnancytoday.com/articles/2252.php

There is a lot of information available on the internet, some based on viable research, some based on wives tails and biased opinion.  I suggest that if you are in the same pregnant boat as I am, that you do some of your own research and ask your doctor, assuming he is familiar with hunting, if he is not, you may want to find one that is.  Armed with the above info, I was able to safely and successfully hunt this deer season.  Hunting while pregnant can be a bit more challenging, but with a little more patience and your husband’s camo pants, it can still be a great experience.