A medical examiner is asking deer hunters to have a checkup before heading for the woods, after three Michigan men died of heart attacks in the opening days of the state's firearm season this month. Two of them were hauling away deer when they were struck, MLive reports. "I've never seen three people die in 48 hours from heart attacks while deer hunting before, never," said Dr. William Morrone, who serves several Michigan counties. "We need to reframe some of our activities to have these preventable deaths reduced."
The men were hunting in Arenac and Tuscola counties, per Fox News, and were 57, 65, and 83 years old. For someone with a heart condition, deer hunting is strenuous and can be risky, a cardiologist said. It "typically involves hiking to a tree stand or blind, waiting in the cold for hours and then dealing with a sudden surge of adrenaline when a deer is spotted. Once a hunter hits the deer, they have to track the deer, often for a long distance over rugged terrain," said Dr. Bradley Serwer. "When the deer is found, it must be transported back to a vehicle. This typically involves dragging a 100- to 200-pound animal over varied terrain."
Morrone said he believes sedentary lifestyles contributed to the three deaths, a problem he said has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He suggested hunters take up physical activities and watch what they eat to prepare. "The first thing they should do is start walking a month before hunting season, maybe do some light weight-lifting, like cardio," he said, per MLive. Those who have been diagnosed with hypertension or cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, or just are overweight, should have a full physical examination before hunting, Morrone said. (More deer hunters stories.)