Not the Same Old Safety
November 2, 2009 by admin
By Nick Simonson
Year after year, the approach of the deer firearms opener causes something to stir in the souls of outdoorsmen. Tags are placed in secure spot, the final preparation of shooting lanes occurs in the woods and walking hunters map out their favorite draws, ravines and creekbottoms for opening day. With all the excitement comes the renewed call for extra caution in the field. Each year, guys like me fill a column like this with the usual “be safe out there” story. We do so not because there’s nothing newsworthy going on but because it is important, year in and year out, to remind everyone of the responsibility that comes with the right and privilege we have to hunt.
Hunting safe should always be a priority
Each year, the responsibility continues. The only way we can come through on behalf of our brothers and sisters in the field is to make sure we conduct our hunts in a safe manner. What follows are some tips to help make this year the safest – if not the best – hunting season ever.
Know Before You Go
Have a plan in place for the opening weekend and beyond. Leave contact and location information regarding your hunt at home with a family member, neighbor or non-hunting friend. Leave directions to the deer camp, locations of stands, and areas you plan to hunt along with that information. Note your departure, return times and check in times with your contact. Have every detail planned out ahead of time and have contingencies in place and noted. Know all aspects of the hunt, and be prepared for the unforeseen. Making a hunting trip safety information sheet will keep vital data handy for your contact. Type one up for yourself and attach maps and routes, or download one here. (Hunter Safety Sheet). A safe hunt begins well before you pick up a firearm.
A Stand for Safety
Recent surveys reveal that over 80 percent of all deer hunters either have been injured in a fall from an elevated hunting stand, or know someone who has been hurt when the unexpected happened. Many of these situations occurred simply because the hunter involved failed to wear a safety harness with proper fall restraint. While a fall from as little as four feet can kill or paralyze a person, most hunters who choose to rise above their quarry hunt at heights of 15 feet or more. From those points, most any fall without a fall restraint means serious injury or death. Wearing a safety harness and proper fall restraint would prevent a majority of those injuries. Inspect safety harnesses and lanyards for fraying or material compromise. Discard damaged harnesses and restraints and replace them with new ones.
Other injuries occur when treestand failure happens. To prevent stands from breaking down, collapsing or becoming detached, stands should be taken down after each hunting season and re-installed the next year. Prior to installation they should be inspected to see that all parts are in working order, that they connect solidly to each other and that the chosen tree is healthy, and of proper size to support the stand and hold it securely.
Do not use tree stands you did not install yourself. Do not use wooden tree stands that have been in the woods for any period of time. Do not use nailed plywood, two-by-fours or other makeshift stands which have been compromised by the elements. They are disasters waiting to happen.
Blinded
A trend on the rise during the firearms deer season is the use of ground blinds made from wood or natural materials, or pop-up style blinds to help hunters conceal their locations. When pursuing deer during the firearms season, blaze orange is a mandatory color for a large part of a hunter’s body. However, this warning to other hunters can’t be seen when its concealed by the materials of a hunting blind.
This season, many agencies throughout the upper Midwest are placing elevated importance on letting hunters know of occupied blinds. Recommendations from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department include placing blaze orange material atop and around the blind to provide more visibility of the hunting station to those who may be hunting nearby. Other suggestions include securing blaze orange materials such as tape or signs to trees, fence posts and other nearby objects letting others know of your presence, should you opt for a blind this season. This new wrinkle on hunting, which is growing in popularity, changes the rules for a safe hunt, but not the ultimate rule.
The Ultimate in Safety
Each year it comes down to knowing where your firearm is pointed, knowing where your target is, and knowing what lies in front of, behind and around your line of fire. Thinking it is a safe shot is not enough – you have to know. The ultimate responsibility lies with the person holding the firearm.
The shot cannot be called back, so take a second look. Do not allow buck fever, adrenaline or excitement to overcome your responsibilities as a hunter. Before you pull the trigger be absolutely certain the shot is safe. Don’t shoot at noise or a concealed target. Know, know, know.
Take to the field with confidence. Be well prepared, be safe, and be certain of every aspect of your hunt before you pull the trigger. It’s not the same old advice from year to year, it’s the same good advice for a safe hunt…in our outdoors.
Comments
Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!