Outdoors /
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Operation Game Thief." 1-800-992-3030
Operation Cal- Tip: 1-800-952-5400
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by Ed Tomch/n
According to Geoff Schneider, Nevada Division of Wildlife
Information Officer, thousands of acres of land on the Nellis Air
cies allows for the continuation 0fdesert birn sheep hunting
on 40 square miles of land in and near Stonewall Mountain in
Nye County, which is within the boundaries of the Nellis Air
Force Bombing Range.
Hunters are allowed access for a three-week period (Nov. 8
- 29) and Nellis AFB has agreed to restrict air operations in the
Stonewall area during this period.
The agreement requires bighorn hunters accessing the range
to attend an Air Force briefing which will provide access
Fishing Report
by Geoff Schneidcr
Nevada Division of Wildlife
LAKE MEAD - Striped bass fishing continues to gain
momentum with boaters finding good action for fish that am
feeding on the lake's surface, according to the Nevada Divi-
sion of Wildlife.
Stripers are working the surface throughout the day. Top
water lures such as Sassy Shad and Zara Spooks am catching
the fish.
Some of the better fishing is being found at Pumphonse
Cove, Saddle Island and Black Island.
If a storm approaches, boaters should immediately head to
safe harbor.
LAKE MOHAVE - Windy weather has been keeping
boaters off of the lake.
Some boaters have been taking fish by drifting anchovies
around Cottonwood Cove.
WAYNE E. KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
AREA - Largemonth bass fishing is good at Adams-McGill
Reservoir.
The upper portions of Adams-McGill, Cold Springs and
Haymeadow reservoirs will be open to fishing beginning
Saturday, August 16.
EAGLE VALLEY AND ECHO CANYON RESER-
VOIRS - Fishing is poor because of murky water conditions
caused by the flood.
Desert heat's a killer
by Ed Tomchin
We are in the middle of another of our desert summers.
Hospitals, emergency rooms and rescue squads are being
overloaded with calls for heat exhaustion and other heat related
illnesses. Newcomers to our part of the country need to
become aware of the debilitating effect desert heat can have,
and what to do about it.
Most of Southern Nevada's deserts are arid, barren regions
incapable of supporting human life because they lack fresh
water. When the military trains their men for desert operations,
they are required to undergo a full two weeks of acclimatiza-
tion to assure the soldiers survival in desert terrain. So don't
think you can simply go out into the summer desert without
preparation and expect to do fine. You may wind up killing
yourself.
Water is the most basic need to human
life, but even more so in a desert. Without
it. we cannot function effectively for more
than a few hours, nor survive for more than
a day. Nor can you depend on your thirst as
a gauge of your need for water.
Under desert conditions, hikers and
campers generally do not replace their body
water sufficiently or rapidly enough, even
when wateris readily available. Depending
on thirst to tell you when to stop and take a
drink is a poor indicator of dehydration.
Many people in a hot environment will
exhibit what is called "voluntary dehydra-
tion" which means they maintain them-
selves about 1.5 quarts below their ideal
hydration status with little sense of being
thirsty.
Heat stress, which severely degrades
mental performance, can occur anywhere
in the southwest, even in the middle of a city
if you are working or playing out of doors.
Normally, excess body heat is carried off
through several mechanisms. However,
when the air temperature is above skin
temperature, which it is virttially all sum-
mer long here in the southwest, evaporation
of body sweat is the on!y mechanism available by which to lose
excess body heat.
There is a delicate balance to maintain, because as you
sweat, water must be consumed to replace that which is lost.
You must continually rehydrate your body as you cool off by
sweating. If your body fluids which are lost through sweating
are not replaced, dehydration results, which adds to heat stress
and eventually leads to severe disabilities.
It is important to note that shedding excess heat through
sweating does not mean that you are always wet. In fact, the
greatest amount of sweating occurs when you feel dry. When
humidity (the water content of the air) is high, you sweat and
it gathers on your skin, making you feel wet and clammy.
However, when the humidity is low, as it generally is in
Southern Nevada, your sweat evaporates as your body pro-
duces it. So you feel dry and fail to notice how much fluid you
are losing in this manner.
The safest practice is to assume that you are losing body
fluids by sweating, and replace them regularly by drinking
large volumes of water.
There are several heat-induced illnesses and injuries which
result from heat stress, including heat rash, sunburn, heat
cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat rash is a skin rash most commonly found on clothed
areas of the body. While the rash itself is of little consequence
other than being annoying, it can impair your bodies ability to
lose heat for many days after its disappearance. You can avoid
heat rash by practicing good hygiene. Wash regularly and
change clothes often. Do not wear the same clothing for more
than a day, and it does not hurt to change twice a day.
Sunburn is an actual burning of your epidermal layer of skin
as a result of over-exposure to the sun and will severely impair
your bodies ability to lose heat. Extreme sunburn can cause
second and third degree burns, and in some cases, death. Avoid
sunburn by covering your skin with light-weight clothing and
a sunscreen appropriate for the strong desert sun.
Heat cramps, another debilitating result of heat stress, are
due to excessive salt and water losses. These losses in turn
cause muscle cramps in the abdomen, legs, and arms. They
most often*occur in people who are not acclimatized to the
severe summer desert heat. You can avoid beat cramps by
maintaining proper nutrition and hydration.
Heat exhaustion results in fatigue, nausea, dizziness, faint-
ing, vomiting, mild changes in mental function (i.e., disorien-
tation, irritability), and elevated body temperature. Heat stroke
includes all of these symptoms, but is more severe and can be
fatal. A heat or sunstroke victim will be very hot, disoriemed
and possibly unconscious.
You can avoid both heat exhaustion and heat stroke by
making sure you maintain regular cycles of work and rest, and
by consuming adequate amounts of water or electrolytes.
The key to preventing heat illness is knowledge of desert
conditions and the measures necessary to prevent heat illness.
Adjust your activity and rest schedules and water consumption
according to conditions. Remember that heat stress and dehy-
dration can accumulate in the body over several days before
causing heat illness.
ACCLIMATIZATION: Maintaining your physical fitness
is one of the primary keys to building a resistance to heat illness.
Don't go jumping out into a severe desert environment without
acclimatizing yourself for at least three to five days, which
entails at least two hours per day of carefully supervised
exercise in the heat, gradually increasing your exercise inten-
sity each day.
During the first two days of heat exposure, light recreational
activities such as softball or volleyball are appropriate. By the
third day short jogs at a leisurely pace are
advisable.
It is important to remember that the
process of heat acclimatization does NOT
reduce your water requirements. It actu-
ally increases them due an increase in the
amount of sweating you do, which en-
hances the evaporative cooling process of
your body. Increased sweating requires
additional water consumption.
Note that during the first few days of
heat acclimatization your sweat will be
very salty, so taking salt tablets is neces-
sary to replace what you are losing. How-
ever, after you have become acclimatized,
your salt loss is reduced and the need to
replenish it becomes diminished.
The importance of drinking large quan-
tities of water cannot be emphasized
enough. The amount of water required to
replace that lost to sweating may exceed
your body's ability to absorb fluid, which
is about 1.5 quarts per hour, so do not try to
exceed this amount. Rather, cut back on
the amount of energy you are expending.
A good rule in the desert is to carry water
in your belly, not in your canteen.
An important method of monitoring your hydration status
(i.e., your need for water) isto note the color and volume ofyr
urine. Dark yellow urine and infrequent urination are t,o
excellent indicators that your fluid consumption should be
increased.
You can prevent dangerous increases in your body tempera-
ture by reducing your pace and increasing rest periods. Plan to
do your hiking or working in the early morning or cool evening
hours whenever possible. Avoid expending energy during the
heat of the day.
If at all possible, work and rest in the shade. Do not rest on
the ground, which can be 30 to 50 degrees hotter than the air.
Either elevate yourself above the ground, or dig out a hollow.
Cooler ground is just inches below the surface and a shaded,
shallow trench will provide a cool resting spot.
The use of appropriate clothing (i.e., loose fitting, light
colored shirts and pants) cannot be exaggerated. Hats or
beadcloths are imperative in the desert sun. Keep your clothing
clean. Whenever possible, wash your clothing and air or sun
dry it.
Change socks two or three times a day. The prolonged use
of sweaty socks can lead to severe foot injury such as blisters
and open wounds. The accumulation of sweat in your hiking
shoes can be reduced by wearing socks that are absorptive and
thick enough to "wick" moisture away from your feet tOward
the top of the boot where evaporation can carry it away.
Wearing thin polyester socks next to the skin under the heavier
socks can also help prevent blisters.
FIRST AID: Signs of overheating include the inability to
function, a red or flushed face, confusion or disorientation, and
fainting. It is always better to take care of a problem early.
When in doubt, treat it as a heat illness.
Immediately get into the shade and remove any heavy
clothing. If you are alert and not vomiting, slowly drink water.
You will probably need at least 3 quarts over the next two hours.
The water should be cool but not cold.
Wet your skin or don a wet T-shirt. Fan your body. If
possible, immerse yourself in cool water. This is the best way
to reduce body temperature. Drink fiquids that contain some
added salt or electrolytes for heat cramps. Drink no more ttam
1.5 quarts per hour of either slightly salted water (one or two
teaspoons of table salt per quart), or a rehydration solution such
as a commercial glncose/electrolyte beverages (sports drinks).
Seek medical help as soon as possible.
However, by following the above suggestions, you can
easily avoid experiencing any heat related illnesses, and your
summers in the desert can be a pleasant experience. These
suggestions apply not only to those hiking or camping in the
desert, but also to those who work outdoors in the r. Pay
heed, keep yourself in good shape, and you won't wind up
needing emergency services or those of the undertaker.
