SUMMARY OF HUNTING INJURIES IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN - A 4-YEAR EXPERIENCE AT A RURAL REFERRAL CENTER

Surveillance of hunting-associated injuries was performed over a 4-yea r period at a rural Emergency Department in central Wisconsin. Over th at period of time, 125 individuals sought treatment for hunting-relate d injuries. The majority of injuries were related to autumn deer hunti ng and included both gun and bow and arrow hunting. Over half of the p ersons injured while hunting with a bow and arrow fell from a height. The admission rate for persons in the immediate area was 35.1%, but fo r those from outside the area, it was 64.8%. The effects of the referr al bias result in severe injuries being seen in rural Emergency Depart ments during hunting seasons, necessitating such departments to be pre pared for a wide range of injuries.