Hunter Education Course

Chapter 6: Hunting Safety

A safe hunter takes time to prepare and to practice using all gear before going out into the woods with a firearm. In this chapter we are going to discuss safety skills for handling a firearm in the field, as well as how to play safe when hunting near or in water. We'll also examine general safety guidelines for all types of hunting.

Firearm Safety

Most hunting-related incidents occur when a hunter either forgets the basic rules of firearm safety or behaves in a careless manner. Look at accident reports involving hunters and you'll likely note one or more of the following mistakes:

• Pointing the muzzle of a firearm at someone
• Not identifying target carefully and what lies beyond it.
• Not keeping finger out of trigger guard and off trigger until ready to shoot.
• Assuming that a firearm is unloaded and not handling it safely.
• Not using a suitable lifeline and harness
• Assuming that a firearm is unloaded when crossing a fence
• Jumping over a ditch or creek with a loaded firearm
• Transporting a loaded firearm in a motorized vehicle

Avoid making those kinds of mistakes by observing the following rules of safe firearm handling.

Keep the Muzzle Pointed in a Safe Direction

It is your responsibility to always control the muzzle of your firearm and ensure it is pointed in a safe direction. If you remember and obey this rule, you will not have to worry about hurting any person or damaging property.

Treat Every Firearm as if it Were Loaded

Every time you pick up a firearm, open the action and check to see whether ammunition is present. When another hunter hands you a firearm, do not accept it unless the action is open.

Be Sure of Your Target and Beyond

Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger

Safe hunters always protect the trigger. You finger should be on the trigger only after you have identified your target - as well as what's in front of and beyond that target.

Know How Your Firearm Works

Always refer to the owner's manual that accompanies any newly purchased firearm. It is your responsibility as a safe hunter to read and understand how your firearm works. If you do not have a manual, call the manufacturer or go online and obtain a free copy.

Keep the Action Open

When traveling by vehicle to or from your hunting spot, always keep the action open on your firearm. Also, make sure your firearm is unloaded and in a protective case. Keep the action open while walking to your stand or hunting location. Only when you are ready to start hunting should you load your firearm, at which point you must also engage the mechanical safety.

Check the Barrel for Obstructions

When debris gets into a barrel of any firearm, it is a condition referred to as an obstruction. It blocks the path of the bullet and can cause injury to you or to your firearm. If you suspect that your barrel has an obstruction, unload the firearm and clean the barrel with a cleaning jag.

Cover the Trigger Guard

When walking through brush or dense undergrowth, protect the trigger by placing your hand around the trigger guard - not through it. Otherwise, a twig or vine can get caught in the trigger, and the firearm could discharge accidentally when you try to free it. Always engage the safety, but remember that it's a mechanical device and can fail. Responsibility always rests with the hunter in ensuring proper handling of a firearm.

Safe Firearm Handling in the Field

The terrain and the number of hunters that are with you will determine how you carry your firearm through the woods.

Crossing a Fence Alone

Step 1.

If you are crossing a fence by yourself, unload your firearm first.

Step 2.

While protecting the muzzle from debris, place your firearm on the ground with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction away from where you plan to cross the fence.

Step 3.

Cross the fence, retrieve your firearm, load, engage the safety and continue your hunt.

Crossing a Fence With Another Person

Step 1.

If you are crossing a fence or other obstacle with another hunter, unload all firearms first. Pass your firearm to the other hunter with the action open and visible.

Step 2.

Once the second hunter is safely holding both firearms, the first hunter may cross the fence.

Step 3.

With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, hand your firearm to the other hunter, cross the fence, and have the other hunter hand the unloaded firearms to you.

Step 4.

While making sure the muzzle of each firearm is pointed in a safe direction, the other hunter can now cross the fence.

Zones of Fire

While hunting, there might be times when you will find yourself with other hunters to the right and left of you. Let's look at how to practice safe hunting in that kind of situation.

Hold your arms out in front of you at a 45-degree angle. As you look in front of you, the area in front of you starts out small and gets progressively larger into the distance. Your safe zone of fire is the space between your outstretched arms. It is important that you never swing the muzzle out of this zone of fire. If you do, there's a chance you will be pointing the muzzle of your firearm at another hunter.

What to Wear in a Hunting Area

Although camouflage is an essential part to hunting, Hunter, or Blaze Orange is usually ALWAYS required when hunting medium to large size game animals. Since fluorescent orange is not present in the natural world it is an excellent safety measure. It is clearly visible in both bright sunlight and in poor lighting conditions. When hunting big game or upland birds(Quail, Partridge, etc.) make sure there is Blaze Orange coverage on your front, back, both sides and head when you are in the field. When hunting waterfowl and turkey, only wear hunter orange when going to, and coming from your hunting location. Be sure to check local regulations for Hunter Orange requirements.

Misfires, Hangfires, and Squib Loads

Misfire

This occurs when the trigger is pulled and the firearm does not fire. It's caused either by a weak firing pin or a defective primer that fails to ignite the powder charge.

Hangfire

This occurs when the trigger is pulled and the firearm is delayed in firing. It's caused by a temporary failure of the primer to ignite the powder charge.

Squib Load

This occurs when the trigger is pulled and you hear only a slight pop and do not feel any recoil. It is usually caused by not having a powder charge in the cartridge or shotshell.

When any of these occur, keep the muzzle of the firearm pointed in a safe direction. Wait about 30 seconds, unload the firearm and take it to a gunsmith for inspection and repair.

Watercraft Safety

Using watercraft to hunt from, or to get to locations where others hunters do not frequent, can be a lot of fun - reminiscent of the adventures and exploration that our forefathers experienced. Hunting for ducks and other kinds of fowl involves being near or in various bodies of water - with or without the help of watercraft. Safe hunting requires that you plan and prepare for these special conditions.

These are the most common causes of hunting-related incidents that involve watercraft:

• Not following proper firearm safety and handling rules
• Standing in watercraft while shooting
• Not wearing an approved Personal Flotation Device
• Slipping or falling when entering or exiting watercraft
• Not knowing the safety rules for safe watercraft handling

Avoid making those kinds of mistakes by observing the following rules.

Plan Your Route

When operating watercraft, it's important to have a plan that covers where you are going to launch and land your boat, as well as an estimate of when you expect to return from your hunting trip. A safe hunter shares this plan with a family member or friend and keeps a copy in their car or truck.

Examine Your Watercraft and Licensing Requirements

Before embarking on a hunting trip, make sure that your watercraft is large enough to safely carry all hunters in your party, as well as all equipment. Also check local laws to see if a boating course is required before operating watercraft for hunting.

Check Your Equipment

Do you have enough Personal Flotation Devices for all members of your hunting party? What type should you have?

Safely Board a Watercraft

If you are hunting alone, place all of the firearms and equipment in the watercraft before boarding. Also be sure to put on your Personal Flotation Device before boarding. For groups, start by having one hunter board the watercraft while a second holds and steadies the watercraft. Once the first hunter is seated, the other can hand over all firearms and equipment for stowing.

Safely Transport Firearms in the Watercraft

Just like in a vehicle, all firearms transported in any water craft should be unloaded, actions open, cased and pointed in a safe direction.

Observe and Respect Zones of Fire in a Watercraft

When hunting from watercraft, it is crucial that you observe and respect zones of fire. This zone is always in front of the shooter. If there are two hunters and both are hunting, they should be sitting back to back.

If only one member of a group is hunting, that hunter should sit at the front of the watercraft. The others should sit at the rear to control the speed and direction of the watercraft. Consult local laws for regulations regarding the use of a watercraft while hunting.

Pack Appropriate Clothing

Ensure that you pack specialized clothing to keep you warm and dry.

Tie Down Equipment in the Watercraft

This is an extra precaution for when you expect to encounter rough waters. Your equipment will not be thrown overboard or lost if the watercraft capsizes.

Exit All Watercraft Safely

If you are alone, exit the watercraft and secure the landing first, then retrieve all firearms and hunting gear. For groups, one hunter should exit first and steady the watercraft for others on board. Always use 3 points of contact and keep your body low. Once the watercraft is secured, all firearms and hunting gear can be retrieved.

Know What to do if Your Watercraft Capsizes

If your watercraft capsizes, stay with it. Most will remain buoyant even when full of water. If you have a whistle connected to your Personal Flotation Device, use it to signal another person. If you are not very far from shore, slowly make your way back to shore. Get warm and dry fast.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDS)

There is always the possibility that a watercraft used for hunting it could capsize. This is why you must wear a Personal Flotation Device. Not only is it legally required, wearing one could save your life! There are many styles on the market today

Camouflage Personal Flotation Devices (PFDS)

There are PFDs designed especially for hunters. They are available in camouflage patterns and a range of styles:

Coldwater Immersion

Many drownings and boating related fatalities are a result of cold water immersion. When a person falls into cold water their body experiences a number of physiological responses which are affected by both the temperature of the water and the amount of time they are in the water.

Prevention

Vessel capsizing and falls overboard are the leading causes of cold water immersion. Capsizing is most often caused by overloading, poorly secured loads, improper boat handling and anchoring or loss of power/steerage.

In order to prevent cold water immersion, be sure not to overload vessels and always take weather and water conditions into consideration when operating. Falls overboard can be avoided by remaining seated and limiting how much you move around a boat when it is underway.

Stages and Effects

Step 1 - Initial Immersion Cold Water "Shock"

If a person falls into cold water - their body's initial reaction is a 'gasp reflex' which can include hyperventilation and muscle spasms. This initial reaction can result in water inhalation as well as significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure. These initial effects are present for the first two or three minutes of immersion.

Step 2 - Short-Term Immersion - Impaired Function

In cold water, you may begin to experience the loss of basic motor skills after only a few minutes. Between 3 and 30 minutes after immersion a person's hands quickly lose strength and sensation and subsequently their ability to swim (even strong swimmers). In cold water immersion cases, boaters often drown as a result of swimming failure before hypothermia ever has the chance to set in.

Step 3 - Longer Term Immersion - Immersion Hypothermia

Following 30 or more minutes of immersion, hypothermia (a drop in body temperature below the normal level) will begin to set in. The persons overall body temperature will continue to drop until it reaches the same temperature of the water. As the body's core temperature falls, a person will eventually lapse into unconsciousness.

Step 4 - Post Rescue Collapse

A drop in blood pressure which may lead a person to become unconscious or to stop breathing at the point of rescue or up to several hours afterward.

Surviving Coldwater

If rescue is not imminent, your number one priority is to get yourself out of the water as soon as possible. You can do this either by climbing onto your capsized boat or any other floating objects, or if it is within reach by swimming to shore. The sooner you can get your body out of the water the greater your chances of survival will be.

If rescue is imminent - you should conserve energy and body heat. You may extend your survival time by wearing your lifejacket.

H.E.L.P. - 'heat escape lessening posture.' You want to keep as much body heat as possible from escaping. If you are alone, cross your arms tightly against the chest and bring your knees up close to the chest

If other passengers are in the water as well, use the 'Huddle' technique to maintain body heat. Get the sides of everyone's chest close together with arms around the back and legs intertwined.

Additional Cold Water Protection:

• Floater suit - a full nose-to-toes PFD
• An anti-exposure worksuit - a PFD with a thermal protection rating
• A dry suit - used in conjunction with a PFD and a thermal liner
• A wet suit - traps and heats water against your body
• An immersion suit - used in extreme conditions (usually off-shore)

Hunter Education Course