Six duck hunters rescued from Leech Lake after boat capsizes

CASS COUNTY, Minn. (Valley News Live) – Six duck hunters were rescued from Leech Lake over the weekend after their boat capsized. The call came in around 5:20 a.m. Sunday.

A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources employee was in the area at the time and responded by launching his personal watercraft.

He managed to rescue the first four young males, two of whom ended up in the water. On the second trip, the last two young males were rescued and brought ashore around 7:05 am.

All six were in the water and/or on the capsized boat. They were treated at the scene for radiation exposure and mild hypothermia.

The initial investigation revealed that the group had left the Battle Point Boat Landing and had traveled across Boy Bay for approximately three miles when their small duck boat capsized.

One of the hunters was able to call 911, and mapping technology was used to locate their location. Life jackets were in the boat but were not worn at the time of the incident.

The water temperature was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It was dark and windy at the time of the rescue. The incident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota DNR share the following safety information for all waterfowl hunters and fall fishermen:

• Always wear a PFD – A PFD significantly reduces the likelihood of sudden drowning due to cold shock and swimming failure. Drowning in cold water can occur instantly if cold shock causes a person to suffocate while their mouth is submerged in water. Previously, this phenomenon was called “sudden disappearance syndrome.” It’s worth emphasizing that you won’t suddenly disappear or sink to the bottom if you’re wearing a properly secured PFD. Drowning can also occur in the first few minutes of cold shock due to failure to swim or inhalation of water from a splashing wave. If you don’t wear a PFD, you will drown as soon as you stop swimming and walking on water.

• Always dress appropriately for the water temperature – Cold water can kill you. Not wearing thermal protection when paddling in cold water puts your life at risk. Air temperature doesn’t matter. The only thing that really matters when you fall into cold water is whether you are dressed for the dive. Dressing for the water temperature is much more than just throwing on a wetsuit or drysuit before heading out. This means making sure that the clothing you wear provides enough thermal protection to keep you warm and allow you to function – physically and mentally – even if you end up in the water. Cold water diving is always a race against the clock, and depending on how well prepared you are, it can be a desperate race or a race where you can walk rather than run.

• Dressing according to water temperature means:

1) Wear thermal protection such as a wetsuit or dry suit to avoid cold shock.

2) Wear enough thermal protection to keep you warm, calm and able to function – physically and mentally – while you are in the water – whatever the water temperature.

3) Wear a wetsuit that is thick enough to protect you from the cold and tight enough to perform properly.

4) Wear a dry suit that doesn’t leak, doesn’t cause excessive burping, and has enough warm clothing underneath to protect you from the cold.

5) Wear enough protection to keep you functional if you have to swim or tow to shore, and if you can’t get to shore, enough protection to keep you alive long enough to be rescued.