Good Luck to all the Hunters, have a safe hunt.
Always ask permission to hunt on or go on the land of another.
Carry your cell phone, matches/lighter and flashlight. All these things will help us find you in the event you get lost. If you get lost, stay put, moving around makes it more difficult to find you. Take warm clothes as it gets cold at night and you might be in the woods all night. Let people know where you'll be hunting, where you'll be parking your vehicle and when you intend to return. If you have a medical condition, take your medication with you.
Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Never assume a firearm is unloaded and never treat it that way, even if you watch as it is unloaded.
A = Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. About one third of all hunting incidents are self-inflicted injuries. That means the muzzle was pointed at some part of the hunter’s body. A safe direction is a direction where the bullet will travel and harm no one in the event of an unwanted discharge. There are no accidental discharges with firearms, only unwanted discharges.
B = Be certain of your target and what’s beyond it. Positive target identification is a must. To shoot at something you only think is a legal target is gambling. In the case of human injury, that means gambling with human life. You must be absolutely certain and correct in judgment before deciding to shoot. Otherwise, it’s reckless behavior.
K = Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot. If a hunter stumbles with a firearm in one hand and nothing in the other, whatever that person does with their free hand will automatically happen with the hand holding the gun.
Basic rules of tree stand safety
- Always wear a full-body harness also known as a fall-arrest system. Connect to your tether line and keep your tether line short. The tether is designed to keep you in the seat, not to catch you after you fall. Always have three points of contact while climbing into and out of the tree stand: This means two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand at all times.
- Always use a haul line to raise and lower your unloaded firearm or bow into and out of the stand. You can also use the haul for other things like a heavy backpack.
- Use a lifeline when climbing up and down, this keeps you connected from the time you leave the ground to the time you get back down.
- Be aware of suspension trauma: Suspension trauma can happen in less than 20 minutes and can be fatal. Attaching an additional foot strap to the body harness will take pressure off your upper legs should you fall.
- Select a tree that is substantial enough to support your weight.
- Use a short tether between you and the tree when seated in the tree stand.
- Carry a cell phone with you so you can call for help if you are injured after a fall.
Last Update: Nov 18, 2016 9:42 am CST
