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Basic safety precautions keep hunters, others safe

The recent shooting injury of a Scott County man should serve as a timely reminder to hunters about the need for gun safety.

As every careful hunter knows, accidents in the field are almost always traceable to a failure to adhere to safety rules. Fortunately, despite the significant level of gun ownership in this country and the numerous game seasons in most states, hunting accidents are relatively rare.

While media tend to sensationalize accidental hunting deaths and injuries, there are many common recreational activities that are far more dangerous.

In an average year, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports that fewer than 100 people are killed while engaged in some form of hunting while more than 800 die in boating accidents and approximately 1,500 in swimming-related accidents. The International Hunter Education Association points out that hunting accidents are not only relatively rare, but have declined by approximately 30 percent the past decade.

But that doesn’t mean a review of some basic safety practices in the field isn’t worth repeating.

The Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety should be followed rigorously by anyone owning or handling a gun of any kind.

• Treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded gun.

• Watch that muzzle. Be able to control the direction of the muzzle even if you should stumble.

• Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that you have only ammunition of the proper size for the gun you are carrying.

• Be absolutely sure of your target before you pull the trigger. Know the identifying features of the game you are hunting.

• Unload guns when not in use. Take down or have actions open. Guns should be carried in cases to the shooting area.

• Never point a gun at anything you do not want to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm.

• Never climb a fence or tree or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm. Never pull a gun toward you by the muzzle.

• Never shoot a bullet at a flat surface or water. At target practice, be sure your backstop is adequate.

• Store firearms and ammunition separately beyond the reach of children and careless adults.

• Avoid alcohol or other drugs before or during shooting.

Tennessee law requires that hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1969, possess proof of completion of an approved hunter education course. The hunter education class instructs students in hunter responsibility, hunter ethics, hunting tools, shooting fundamentals, firearm safety, wildlife management, survival and first aid. For more information on the classes, call the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region 4 office at 1-800-332-0900.

For that matter, a course on gun safety would be a good idea for anyone, regardless of age or hunting experience.

Hunting is not only a sport. For generations of Americans, it has been a time-honored means of teaching life lessons. Surely, one of the most important lessons is respect for the tools of that sport, and that means putting gun safety first and foremost.

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