Avoid smoking when hunting
First thing to say: Tobacco never is a good idea, so people smoking should quit it as soon as possible to avoid serious health hazards but, if you still smoke and have not clear date to make the final decision to quit, keep reading to know why you shouldn't take your cigarettes to the field when camping or hunting.
Some people sustain that smoking keeps them active when hunting and provides extra heath during cold days. Despite of these potential "benefits", smoking has more risks than opportunities, especially when hunting and those cigarettes should remain at home during your hunting raids.
The reasons? Let's see a few of them!
1. A cigarette in your hand makes you clumsy
Perhaps you don't admit it but it's a fact; a cigarette on your hand makes you clumsy and slow, basically, you are one-handed while smoking.
No matters if you are hiking or resting, that cigarette in your hand is an
inconvenience. While moving in abrupt terrain, your cigarette hand does not help too much to carry stuff and keep the balance.
On the other hand, if you are resting and suddenly a game appears from nowhere, it will take longer to grab your rifle, aim and shoot, definitely that cigarette does not help to be ready to shoot all the time!
Perhaps you think it's not a big deal, if something shows up you only have to drop your cigarette to pick up your weapon fast as lightning but...
2. There's a real risk of wildfire because of unattended cigarettes or hot ashes
Almost all wildfires start because of human actions, mostly improper managed bonfires and cigarettes, especially those dropped fast without proper care to assure a fire won't start.
Perhaps this is not a concern for winter hunters, but when you are in the middle of the forest during a hot, dry day in southern areas or during summertime, a cigarette falling over dry leaves can easily start a fire, most of the time when you are away and unaware of what's going on!
Besides the risks of any wildfire, there's a real risk of being trapped by the fire you started, jeopardizing your life as your hunting fellows too!
3. Animals don't smoke
Animals' keen senses are accustomed to their environment and certainly, they don't smoke, so burning tobacco smell is not familiar for them and will stay away from such, unknown scent.
Moreover, in high-pressure areas, animals will associate the smoke smell with human presence and will run away as soon as you light up that cigarette, then do you wish to drive away a potential big game just because of a cigarette?
Definitely if you wish to enjoy the outdoors, keep yourself safe and protect the environment, it's a big deal to leave those cigarettes at home and, why not? Perhaps leave them behind forever...
