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Hunting safety paramount in light of recent fatalities
11/15/07
Frankfort, Kentucky. - Five hunters have died in Kentucky since September, including three fatalities reported Tuesday.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources officials are urging hunters to follow safe firearms handling rules and to always hunt with safety in mind. While specific details of the incidents are not being released due to pending investigations, preliminary evidence suggests nearly all could have been prevented. Four of the five deaths involved firearms.
"It's a matter of going back to the basics," said Sgt. John Anderson, with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's Law Enforcement Division. "Of all the incidents I've heard about, they all could have been avoided by following the basic safety rules."
Those rules include the basics of safe gun handling, laws that require hunter orange clothing during firearms deer and elk seasons, mandatory hunter education requirements and tree stand safety. These rules, when followed at all times, make hunting a safe sport for all participants.
"Almost all hunting incidents involve a lapse in following safety rules," said Bill Balda, hunter education program supervisor for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.
Basic gun safety rules include the following:
◦ Always point your firearm in a safe direction.
◦ Keep the firearm's action open and the firearm unloaded until you are ready to shoot.
◦ Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
◦ Know your target. Do not shoot at sound or movement.
◦ Know what is beyond your target. Make sure there is a safe background that will stop your bullet behind the target.
◦ Do not hunt or shoot after drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Some prescription medications warn against operating machinery after taking them and should not be used when handling a firearm.
Kentucky law requires hunters to wear unbroken hunter orange clothing visible from all sides on the head, back and chest when hunting during a gun deer or elk season. Hunter orange clothing makes hunters more visible and ensures they are not mistaken for game. It also makes hunters visible in the background beyond someone else's potential target.
The law also requires adults to accompany at all times kids under the age of 16 who hunt deer, elk or turkey with a firearm. The adult must remain in a position to take immediate control of the child's firearm at all times. Adults may not accompany more than two youth hunters at the same time.
Additionally, adults must accompany kids under the age of 12 hunting for any species with any equipment, if the child has not yet passed a hunter education course. Accompanying adults must remain beside youth hunters, in a position to take immediate control of the child's bow or firearm at all times, and must meet Kentucky's hunter education law.
"All too often, what we'll see is an adult taking a child hunting, but the adult wants to hunt himself, so he takes up a position within sight but some distance away," said Sgt. Anderson. "When hunting with a child, the child has to be the priority."
Statistics show that hunting is one of the safest sports people can participate in. "In the last 15 years since hunter education became mandatory, we average 4 ¼ incidents per 100,000 participants each year," said Balda. This compares to a national average of more than 2,000 incidents per 100,000 participants in both football and basketball and more than 1,000 each in soccer and baseball. "The problem with accidents in hunting is a higher proportion of fatalities," said Balda.
Up to one-fourth of hunting incidents involve the use of tree stands, and many of these are fatal. Hunters should always wear a safety harness to minimize risk.
"It takes extra effort to be safe going up into a tree stand," said Balda. "You need to be tied off going up, tied off while you're in it, and tied off when you're coming down."
Balda admits that many hunters do not go to those lengths when using a tree stand. But taking the time to do so could save a hunter's life.
"If everyone tied off going up and down a tree stand, and everyone made sure of what they were shooting at, hunting would be even safer than it is - and it is one of the safest sports you can take up," said Balda.
More than 300 hunter education courses are offered throughout Kentucky each year. The courses teach firearms and tree stand safety, hunting ethics and more. Hunter education is required for all hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1975, except kids under 12 and hunters who are license exempt. A one-time temporary hunter education exemption permit is available for $5 online at fw.ky.gov, which allows hunting for one year from the date of purchase without a hunter education card. All hunters who take advantage of the exemption permit, even if they are adults, must be accompanied by an adult who meets Kentucky's hunter education law. Hunter education is strongly recommended for all hunters, even for those not legally required to take a course.
Following safety rules at all times can prevent hunting incidents and save lives. For more information on safe hunting and to study Kentucky's official hunting safety course, visit www.hunter-ed.com. For information on hunting regulations, including full details of Kentucky's hunter orange clothing law and rules for adults hunting with kids, call 1-800-858-1549 or pick up a copy of the 2007-08 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available wherever licenses are sold.
-30-
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information about the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.
Media Contact:
Hayley Lynch (800) 852-0942 ext. 424
11/15/07
Frankfort, Kentucky. - Five hunters have died in Kentucky since September, including three fatalities reported Tuesday.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources officials are urging hunters to follow safe firearms handling rules and to always hunt with safety in mind. While specific details of the incidents are not being released due to pending investigations, preliminary evidence suggests nearly all could have been prevented. Four of the five deaths involved firearms.
"It's a matter of going back to the basics," said Sgt. John Anderson, with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's Law Enforcement Division. "Of all the incidents I've heard about, they all could have been avoided by following the basic safety rules."
Those rules include the basics of safe gun handling, laws that require hunter orange clothing during firearms deer and elk seasons, mandatory hunter education requirements and tree stand safety. These rules, when followed at all times, make hunting a safe sport for all participants.
"Almost all hunting incidents involve a lapse in following safety rules," said Bill Balda, hunter education program supervisor for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.
Basic gun safety rules include the following:
◦ Always point your firearm in a safe direction.
◦ Keep the firearm's action open and the firearm unloaded until you are ready to shoot.
◦ Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
◦ Know your target. Do not shoot at sound or movement.
◦ Know what is beyond your target. Make sure there is a safe background that will stop your bullet behind the target.
◦ Do not hunt or shoot after drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Some prescription medications warn against operating machinery after taking them and should not be used when handling a firearm.
Kentucky law requires hunters to wear unbroken hunter orange clothing visible from all sides on the head, back and chest when hunting during a gun deer or elk season. Hunter orange clothing makes hunters more visible and ensures they are not mistaken for game. It also makes hunters visible in the background beyond someone else's potential target.
The law also requires adults to accompany at all times kids under the age of 16 who hunt deer, elk or turkey with a firearm. The adult must remain in a position to take immediate control of the child's firearm at all times. Adults may not accompany more than two youth hunters at the same time.
Additionally, adults must accompany kids under the age of 12 hunting for any species with any equipment, if the child has not yet passed a hunter education course. Accompanying adults must remain beside youth hunters, in a position to take immediate control of the child's bow or firearm at all times, and must meet Kentucky's hunter education law.
"All too often, what we'll see is an adult taking a child hunting, but the adult wants to hunt himself, so he takes up a position within sight but some distance away," said Sgt. Anderson. "When hunting with a child, the child has to be the priority."
Statistics show that hunting is one of the safest sports people can participate in. "In the last 15 years since hunter education became mandatory, we average 4 ¼ incidents per 100,000 participants each year," said Balda. This compares to a national average of more than 2,000 incidents per 100,000 participants in both football and basketball and more than 1,000 each in soccer and baseball. "The problem with accidents in hunting is a higher proportion of fatalities," said Balda.
Up to one-fourth of hunting incidents involve the use of tree stands, and many of these are fatal. Hunters should always wear a safety harness to minimize risk.
"It takes extra effort to be safe going up into a tree stand," said Balda. "You need to be tied off going up, tied off while you're in it, and tied off when you're coming down."
Balda admits that many hunters do not go to those lengths when using a tree stand. But taking the time to do so could save a hunter's life.
"If everyone tied off going up and down a tree stand, and everyone made sure of what they were shooting at, hunting would be even safer than it is - and it is one of the safest sports you can take up," said Balda.
More than 300 hunter education courses are offered throughout Kentucky each year. The courses teach firearms and tree stand safety, hunting ethics and more. Hunter education is required for all hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1975, except kids under 12 and hunters who are license exempt. A one-time temporary hunter education exemption permit is available for $5 online at fw.ky.gov, which allows hunting for one year from the date of purchase without a hunter education card. All hunters who take advantage of the exemption permit, even if they are adults, must be accompanied by an adult who meets Kentucky's hunter education law. Hunter education is strongly recommended for all hunters, even for those not legally required to take a course.
Following safety rules at all times can prevent hunting incidents and save lives. For more information on safe hunting and to study Kentucky's official hunting safety course, visit www.hunter-ed.com. For information on hunting regulations, including full details of Kentucky's hunter orange clothing law and rules for adults hunting with kids, call 1-800-858-1549 or pick up a copy of the 2007-08 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available wherever licenses are sold.
-30-
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information about the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.
Media Contact:
Hayley Lynch (800) 852-0942 ext. 424
