It's easy to get caught up in the fun and excitement when you're on the hunt. But one proverbial slip can spoil more than a good time. The safety of individuals is the most important part of a hunt. Here are nine tips to keep everyone healthy and having fun.
Nine Ways to be Safe
- Always keep your gun's muzzle pointed in a safe direction, never toward a person.
- Treat every gun as if it is loaded.
- Only load or cock a gun when you are shooting.
- Identify your target and verify beyond your target before shooting.
- Anyone shooting or near a shooter should wear shooting glasses and ear protection.
- Never climb or jump with a gun. You can't control the direction of the muzzle if you stumble or fall. Unload and safely lay the gun down or hand it to a companion if you must climb or jump. Use the same procedure when crossing over or under fences, trees or other obstructions.
- Aviod ricochet. Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or at water. Ammunition can ricochet off water just like a skipped rock.
- Keep the muzzle clear. Never let anything obstruct the muzzle of a gun or allow it to come in contact with the ground.
- When you finish shooting, put the trigger safety in the "on" positoin and unload the gun. Store guns so they are inaccessible to untrained shooters.