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Hunter education is credited with long-term improvement of spring turkey hunting
safety.
MDC
JEFFERSON CITY-The biggest news to come out of this year's spring turkey hunting
season has nothing to do with the number of turkeys killed, but rather with how few
hunters were hurt. For the first time in 35 years, the spring turkey season's
accident toll fell to two.
Safety has been an issue since the first modern turkey season in 1960. With turkey
numbers increasing, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved a three-day
hunting season with a limit of one. By 1963, when the Conservation Department began
keeping records of turkey hunting accidents, the season had been expanded to four
days, and there were 1,778 licensed hunters. There was also one firearms-related
turkey hunting accident, in which a hunter lost his life.
Over the years, turkeys grew more numerous, and so did hunters. Between 1970 and
1972 turkey hunter numbers doubled, from 10,000 to 20,000. During the early history
of Missouri's turkey season, the number of turkey hunting accidents averaged fewer
than two per year. Some years there were none.
Then in 1973 the number exploded to 16. After that, the toll gradually increased to
a peak of 29 in 1988. It is no coincidence that hunter education became mandatory
that year.
"The number of hunting accidents overall had become a serious concern," said Hunter
Education Coordinator Bryan Bethel. "Turkey hunting accidents weren't the only
reason, but they certainly were part of what led to mandatory hunter education."
Since 1988, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, has been required to successfully
complete an approved hunter education course that includes firearms and hunting
safety. Last year Missouri certified its 1 millionth hunter education graduate.
The results have been as dramatic as the conditions that led to mandatory hunter
education. From 1979 through 1988, the number of reported spring turkey hunting
accidents averaged 18 per year. From 1998 through 2007, the average has been 6.9.
Even more impressive than the reduction in accidents per year is the decline in the
number of accidents per hunter. In 1972 there were only two spring turkey hunting
accidents, approximately one per 10,000 hunters. The worst years on record were
1961 and 1973, when the Conservation Department recorded approximately one accident
for every 1,800 spring turkey hunters. In contrast, this year's average was
approximately one per 75,000 hunters, about 40 times fewer than in the bad old days
before mandatory hunter education.
"We still have some bad years," said Bethel. "As recently as 2004, we had nine
spring turkey hunting accidents, including one fatality. But the number of accidents
per hunter has dropped dramatically, and the trend is downward. When we have a year
like this, you can almost foresee the time when more than 100,000 hunters go through
a three-week hunting season without anyone getting hurt. That's the goal."
-Jim Low-
safety.
MDC
JEFFERSON CITY-The biggest news to come out of this year's spring turkey hunting
season has nothing to do with the number of turkeys killed, but rather with how few
hunters were hurt. For the first time in 35 years, the spring turkey season's
accident toll fell to two.
Safety has been an issue since the first modern turkey season in 1960. With turkey
numbers increasing, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved a three-day
hunting season with a limit of one. By 1963, when the Conservation Department began
keeping records of turkey hunting accidents, the season had been expanded to four
days, and there were 1,778 licensed hunters. There was also one firearms-related
turkey hunting accident, in which a hunter lost his life.
Over the years, turkeys grew more numerous, and so did hunters. Between 1970 and
1972 turkey hunter numbers doubled, from 10,000 to 20,000. During the early history
of Missouri's turkey season, the number of turkey hunting accidents averaged fewer
than two per year. Some years there were none.
Then in 1973 the number exploded to 16. After that, the toll gradually increased to
a peak of 29 in 1988. It is no coincidence that hunter education became mandatory
that year.
"The number of hunting accidents overall had become a serious concern," said Hunter
Education Coordinator Bryan Bethel. "Turkey hunting accidents weren't the only
reason, but they certainly were part of what led to mandatory hunter education."
Since 1988, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, has been required to successfully
complete an approved hunter education course that includes firearms and hunting
safety. Last year Missouri certified its 1 millionth hunter education graduate.
The results have been as dramatic as the conditions that led to mandatory hunter
education. From 1979 through 1988, the number of reported spring turkey hunting
accidents averaged 18 per year. From 1998 through 2007, the average has been 6.9.
Even more impressive than the reduction in accidents per year is the decline in the
number of accidents per hunter. In 1972 there were only two spring turkey hunting
accidents, approximately one per 10,000 hunters. The worst years on record were
1961 and 1973, when the Conservation Department recorded approximately one accident
for every 1,800 spring turkey hunters. In contrast, this year's average was
approximately one per 75,000 hunters, about 40 times fewer than in the bad old days
before mandatory hunter education.
"We still have some bad years," said Bethel. "As recently as 2004, we had nine
spring turkey hunting accidents, including one fatality. But the number of accidents
per hunter has dropped dramatically, and the trend is downward. When we have a year
like this, you can almost foresee the time when more than 100,000 hunters go through
a three-week hunting season without anyone getting hurt. That's the goal."
-Jim Low-
