Hunter Safety Basics

Not many people think about the dangers that are involved in hunting. There are many things that you can do to prevent injuries and even death.  To start off the safety types we will begin with safety dealing with fire arms. You should always assume that a gun is loaded. Make sure that you have control of your muzzle as well. You can do this by making sure that your gun is pointed in a safe direction. Also before you shoot an animal make sure you know what is behind your target. The last thing is to never have your finger on the trigger until you are ready to take the shot.  Wearing hunter orange is another big thing that can save your life. More than 80 percent of New York state hunters wear hunter orange. I know that many hunters do not wear hunter orange because they think that the animals will see it. Well the animals cannot see the color orange. So I encourage everyone to wear hunter orange because ever hunter that wears hunt orange is seven times less likely to get killed or shot. The most concern that hunters have is with hunting in tree stands. The first thing you need to do is hunt the deer and not the tree. This means to look for deer trails and droppings so you know where to put your stand. Another thing is to pick a nice big, sturdy tree that will not fall easily. The best thing is to not go too high into the tree. Keep the stand around 15 to 20 feet high. When you are climbing the tree make sure you keep a strap around you and the tree and to also keep 3 points of contact with the tree. Never try and carry your bow and guns up or down the tree with you. Finally once you get into the stand you should strap in to a harness right away. Those are just a couple safety tips to follow. So stay safe out there and if it’s brown then it’s down.