Safety Hunting Tips for Everyone
All joking aside it is not funny nor even remotely humorous to have a friend or loved one injured or worse killed by a hunter who is just not paying enough attention to what he’s doing. I just recently went to a relatives to take care of my Mother in Law after knee replacement and watched as two hunters clad in orange and carrying rifles or shotguns walked along the fence separating the farmers field from the interstate. They were about fifty feet from THE major highway in North Dakota and walking along, hoping to shoot something with four legs. It is this kind of intelligence that gets people shot instead of the animals that they are hunting.
I am not saying they were doing anything down right stupid but they should have been thinking and not wandering around that close to the interstate. If a deer had jumped out in front of them would they have taken the time to gauge whether their shot would go toward the highway or away from it if they missed the deer. And what if the shot missed or even before getting to the deer it hit one of the numerous metal fence posts and went toward the cars, trucks and semi’s hurtling down I-94.
I know the chances of a shot ricocheting from a sign post and hitting a moving vehicle. I can read about the chances of a hunter accidentally shooting someone else every year too. If these hunters had been thinking about others safety and not whether they get their bag then others would not have to worry so much. This is a national problem, not just one in the upper states like North Dakota or Minnesota. Every year hunters are constantly shooting each other, mistaking their companions for other more four legged animals and wounding or killing them.
Today after hearing over the years of hunters buddies accidentally shooting each other I would not even think of going hunting with someone else unless they stayed right by my side the entire time. Hey that’s a good idea. Why don’t you start a list, first don’t leave your hunting buddies to have a better chance at getting your trophy. That is what the argument is against walking around the woods with others carrying loaded weapons staying right next to each other and wanting to find something that is moving around in the woods not wearing orange.
First yo should not know where the others in your group are, you should stay with them. If you know for a fact they are off that way, then chances are your wrong. I have heard time and again of hunters going out and knowing at all times where their partners are and then one gets shot because he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Things happen and you should not trust your life to the chance of your buddy not doing what was planned. Especially when he might see a deer off that way and go off the plan and chase after that deer.
When you go hunting you should go in smaller groups and not in huge masses. You should use what is called the ten commandments of hunting safety. If you don’t others could die! Do you want to be responsible for the death of some stranger or buddy of yours.
You should always know what your shooting and not just hope it’s a deer. The animal should be fully visible, not just parts. It should be in full light and you should know it’s what your hunting without a doubt before you raise your weapon. Use binoculars to see and make sure your looking at a deer or other animal your hunting and not the son of a local farmer who is out doing the same thing as you are.
There’s a few of these commandments that talk about loaded weapons and safety of guns and bows. You should treat any weapon as if it is loaded, whether it is or not. That way the one time it is loaded your alright. Use common sense and think before you go out. Load the weapon in the field, not at home or in the truck. Point your weapon only at your target or the ground. Never step over a fence, tree trunk or any other obstacle with a firearm in your hands. Be sure of what your shooting and the direction your shooting in. You should know the area and be sure your not shooting toward houses, farms, or roads like major interstates.
You should always wear bright orange so others can easily see and identify you. And not just a hat, wear a shirt or vest with the universal bright fluorescent orange to show others you want to be seen. Deer cannot see the bright orange, they only see things that move. To a deer, that thing across the field not moving is a funny looking tree until you move. Then its dangerous and off they go.
As hard as it is to believe I proved that deer are unafraid of humans except when they are marching around the woods making all kinds of noise. I sat with my back against a tree and read a book while waiting. A couple of hours later a deer, possibly curious of my smell came over and sniffed at me. I sat still and didn’t move. It sniffed my book that I had placed in my lap and I sat there and watched the deer standing right in front of me. It’s head close enough that it tickled my face with it’s chin hair. It sniffed me some more as I held my breath and then wandered away. I had totally forgotten the 110 camera setting next to me and did not get a picture. It was one of those moments in my life that I didn’t need evidence it had happened. If you don’t move the deer will not think your a threat. They may even be curious but will not take off at the first sign of blaze orange.
I am not against hunting per se. I am against hunters who do not use common sense and do not use safety when hunting. I think hunters should use all or most of their kills, eat all the meat or give it away to others who can use it. Not just go after a trophy mount but use the meat and hide even if you won’t use it. There are organizations like Hides for Hunters that will take your hide and sell it with the proceeds going to the betterment of all hunters. It goes into better habitats and wildlife management for the animals that they and possibly you are hunting.
Find out for yourself about hunting safety by visiting your states Department of Natural Resources web site and read what you should be doing for safety and your own health and well being whikle hunting.
Common sense can go a long way to preventing the accidents that I hear about every year. We have only been into the deer hunting season a few eeks and there has been a couple of senseless deaths from hunters. And not the kind of a hunter getting killed by a bear or some other hunting related accident that graces the pages of Field and Stream. I’m talking about the headline that reads “hunter shot in the head by his own hunting buddy”.
