Hunting while staying safe as the hunting season begins

Hunting while also staying safe as the hunting season begins should be one of the main priorities. Even the most experienced hunters understand, when it comes to safety you always need practice. However, for newer hunters starting there are plenty of tips when out in the wilderness.

Hunting is just like any other skill, takes time and effort to do well, but also understanding how the weapon is also a tool.

Kipp Duncan, a Conservation Officer with Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources explained other ways hunters can stay safe.

“So this is the time of the year also when we have hunters that get lost. So we want to make sure that all hunters have a plan prior to hunting. And that plan should involve making sure someone knows where you are and sent in someone who would know about what time you should be home.” Duncan said.

The three most common factors for hunting accidents are careless handling of firearms, not knowing the safe zone of fire, and not knowing what’s beyond the target they’re shooting at.

“And we wear blaze orange for that specific reason that it for people to be safe. So make sure that we can see the people that are walking through the woods. So my advice to the new hunters is continue to have fun. Hunting is a fun sport. And it is a very safe sport. If people treat it safely and they’re making sure that their gun is always pointed in a safe direction.” Duncan said.

There are a number of other ways hunters can also stay safe when hunting in remote areas. For an example carrying an emergency radio can help with no cellphone reception.

“So we emphasize this in our firearm safety classes, too, that people should have survival kits. You know, the number one thing is, is they should have matches so they can build themselves a fire if need be. My advice to the new hunters, continue to have fun. Hunting is a fun sport, hunting is a very safe sport, if people treat it safely.” Duncan said.

For more information about staying safe hunting you can look here https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/index.html.

Youth deer hunting begins next week on October 20th, and you can your hunting photos to us at sports@wdio.com. You can look here for this week’s Gone Hunting and Fishing https://www.wdio.com/sports/gone-fishin-huntin-october-13th/.