Category: Hunting Safety

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How Not to Die in the Woods

Hunting is one of the safest sports there is. Let’s keep it that way.

Each year, about 700 American hunters meet their end while in the field. That may sound like a lot, but when you consider that the U.S. averages approximately 15 million hunting licenses per year, you’ll understand why, statistically, hunting is safer than golf and bowling. That doesn’t mean you should blithely stroll out into the fields unprepared. Here’s how not to die in the woods.

The Wrong Tree

Make sure you practice tree stand safety.

Interestingly, most hunting fatalities aren’t gun-related—the most common cause of death is falls from treestands. If you hunt from a treestand, here are some things you should do before the season begins to cut your risk:

  • Inspect your stand. Is it rust-free and in good working order?
  • Inspect your harness. Are there any frayed bits? Put it on—does it fit, or does it require adjustment?
  • Inspect your tree. Is it still alive and capable of supporting your weight?
  • And finally: Once the season starts and you’re hunting in earnest, wear your harness at all times—no exceptions!

Wear Your Orange

Wearing your orange is absolutely critical.

The next easy way to safeguard yourself is to wear blaze orange. The beauty of blaze is that it’s highly visible, even to colorblind people. When you wear it on your head, it helps highlight the unique bipedal motion of a human being walking, which reduces your chances of being mistaken for a deer to virtually nil. If your state’s hunting laws don’t mandate blaze orange, wear it anyway—at a minimum, on your way in and out of the woods.

Tell Someone Where You’re Going

Make sure someone knows exactly where you’ll be. | (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amanda Morris)

We can mitigate our risk in the outdoors, but we can’t eliminate it. Even the most seasoned outdoorsman can get caught flat-footed by weather, get lost or just trust the wrong treestump. Of course you should have your cell with you, but you should also make sure someone back home knows where you’re going, and when you expect to be back. That way, if something unexpected happens, they can alert the authorities to start looking for you right away.

Don’t be a Donut

Never forget the lessons of gun safety instruction. | (U.S. Air Force photo/Steve Kotecki)

You’re out in the woods, no range officers in sight. So it’s cool if, just this one time, you don’t unload your rifle before you go over that rock wall, right? Or if you let the muzzle wander somewhere it shouldn’t? Well, we can’t stop you, but although there aren’t any hard statistics on this point, we’re pretty sure that nearly 100 percent of gun-related accidents happened right after someone broke a gun safety rule just this one time. Don’t be a donut. The rules of gun safety are even more important when you’re far from transportation and medical attention.

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Safety Tips to Create Better a Hunting Experience for Everyone

With hunting season around the corner, hundreds of hunters are now ready to step into the woods.

But then not everyone can have a good hunting experience because most of them either don’t know or don’t follow the safety tips to help create a better hunting experience for everyone.

Since, hunting comes with a few obvious dangers, participation is this adventurous, exciting and thrilling sport requires a range of safety precautions. These precautions are not just for the hunter’s safety but for nearby hunters as well. May it be deer, coon, fowl or moose hunting, an attitude of precaution and safety can save many lives.

So, if you want to follow some safety tips to help create a better hunting experience for everyone, then consider the safety tips discussed below as a strong starting point to have the safest and thrilling hunting experience this season.

Gun Safety

When you are hunting with a gun, you must keep some fundamental safety measures in mind. To begin, weapon safety must be prioritized at all times and until you are absolutely ready to fire at the quarry. Keep your gun pointed in the direction of the quarry and away from others as well as yourself. Remember to adhere to this precaution at all times. Moreover, always ensure adequate care of weapons to avoid the possibility of misfire and its consequences.

After all, it goes without saying that beginner hunters should always attend a gun safety class to know and learn more about safety tips to help create better a hunting experience for everyone, along with some additional valuable information which would help in saving someone’s life.

Bow Safety

Bow skill requires a lot of energy and skills, and it comes with just as many safety tips as we consider for gun hunting. To start, make sure you have checked the bow thoroughly before heading into woods. If the wire or string looks frayed, simply replace it prior to using your bow. An improper or snapped bowstring might not only make you miss your important target but if it hits on the face, this can be really painful as well. Similarly, don’t forget to wear adequate arm guards to prevent yourself from numerous injuries that might come from string rebound or snapped strings.

Another bow safety aspect is to have a bow which would fit the strength of the shooter. While many hunters consider pulling a heavier bow as a badge of honor, this may result in serious and painful injuries. So, take your time and slowly work up to use a heavier bow as you must not neglect the safety tips to help create a better hunting experience for everyone.

Safety Courses for Hunting

As briefly mentioned earlier, hunters who are new or going for the first time must always opt for a hunting safety course. This is also important for those who have not been hunting for some time and need to refresh the hunting fundamentals and benefit from the valuable information offered in these courses. These hunting safety courses are not just about gun safety or its proper handling but they also teach hunting basics and other important information that might be forgotten if not used.

With that, these courses also cover specific hunting laws in a particular area. Additionally, these courses are also best for all those individuals who are not hunters by themselves but they reside in heavily hunted areas.

Proper Equipment

When you prepare for a hunting trip, keeping right supplies and weapons serves as the basic step and starting point. For instance, if you are planning a deer hunt, you cannot keep a standard pistol as the primary hunting weapon. This is an inappropriate type of gun. Instead, you need to be equipped with a rifle or a crossbow as the right weapon for the job. Similarly, keeping a rifle used for moose or deer hunting is also an inappropriate choice as these guns are way too powerful to be used for deer hunting.

Therefore, before leaving for your thrilling experience, take time and make sure to properly research the equipment and also learn its proper usage in terms of your hunting requirements.

Nevertheless, there is no harm in acquiring experts’ insight and taking their assistance in making your hunting experience memorable. You might learn some safety tips to help create a better hunting experience for everyone. While there are a lot of aspects attached to hunting safety, above-discussed provide a general idea about how to have a safe and enjoyable hunting experience.

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How to Become a Hunter

Hunting is truly a wonderful activity.

It allows you to enjoy the outdoors and learn a lot more about yourself and the value of life. Many hunters feel that they still have a lot to learn, even when they have been hunting for years. If you have the question of how to become a hunter, then you have come to the right place. Here are a few important points to help you become a confident and successful hunter.

Do a Safety Course

The first step on your way is to attend a safety course where you learn about how to survive in the wild. You learn the basic skills that you will need during hunting trips. This also prepares you for the next step, which is to obtain a license.

Get a Hunting License

The next step is to get a hunting license in your state. If you prefer to hunt in other states, you can then find out how to get registered in multiple states, but only when you have already been on some successful hunting expeditions in your state.

Getting Comfortable with Weapons

The next step is for a bonding partnership with your tools. These are the weapons that you intend to use on your hunting. The answer to how to become a hunter lies in following a course of action, which you have chartered for yourself. Many people like to get fancy and buy weapons such as bows, crossbows and powerful rifles.

It is important that you start with basic weapons, such as a handgun or a semi-automatic shotgun. This allows you to practice shooting and build up your skills on a targeting range in a gradual manner. If you are wondering about how to become a hunter, then a key point is to learn about all the gear that you need for hunting trips.

An important tip to remember is that your weapons behave differently with different types of ammunition. This is especially true for shotguns that have a spread with buckshot but a much more of a rifled trajectory when using slugs. You should also find an expert and ask them about the wounds created by different weapons and rounds. This will allow you to know where to aim when taking down a whitetail or a wild hog.

Go with a Hunter

All successful hunters build up their skill over several years. You should ask a proven hunter if you can accompany them. You should plan not to attempt hunting on the trip. The main purpose of your trip must remain the obtaining of an answer to how to become a hunter. You should follow the practices and movements of a proven hunter and find out how they behave in certain situations.

You should go on hunts in different areas but ones that are primarily targeting the animals that you want to hunt. It is better that you start with small game animals, such as ducks and squirrels. Once you are experienced enough to learn how to become a hunter, then it is time to go for the big and prized game animals.

Remember, your aim of accompanying the hunter is to become an apprentice and learn everything there is to know how to become a hunter. You should find out about the right way of stalking the prey, learning about creating vantage positions and other important ways that hunters use during successful trips.

Get the Gear

Now that you have already spent some quality time with a hunter, it is time to buy your gear. This includes your hunting clothes, knife and other survival tools, excellent footwear and other equipment. You should have learned about the ideal gear for your hunting needs, with the time that you spent with your mentor. Use this experience and make sure that you have bought everything that you need before you go out on a hunting trip.

Remember, the answer of how to become a hunter is not to buy expensive gear. You should only buy what is necessary and ensures that you remain comfortable on a hunting trip. With the right tools in your gear, it is time to head out.

Develop a Hunting Strategy

You have finally learned about hunting, when you develop a hunting strategy. Remember, there are different ways to successfully bag a prized game animal. You can lay an ambush, go out looking for animals at the local water hole, create feeders or follow your own customized solution for a successful hunt.

We believe that our stepwise guide ensures that you learn about how to become a hunter by following these steps. Ready with a strategy? It is time to get a game animal!