Make This Year’s Hunting Trip A Safe One!

Hunting is a very popular sport around the world, but of all the sports we participate in hunting is also the most dangerous. There are many safety precautions you should take to make this year's hunting trip a safe one!

Safety precautions keep you and others safe. In a split second a hunting accident can cause serious injury or death. Whether you are hunting for deer, rabbit, coon, moose, elk, duck or other fowl, you need to play safely.

Always make sure you have the proper weapon and supplies for the game you are hunting. If you are hunting deer your standard pistol is not appropriate. You’ll need a crossbow or a rifle. And your moose rifle isn’t the right gun for hunting deer because it’s way too powerful.

You should always wear the proper clothing so that other hunters can see you and do not mistake you for a target. You need to wear a bright orange hat and vest for sure, and other bright clothing is also advised. The more you stand out the safer you will be. Forget the camouflage. Sure the moose can’t see you but neither can your fellow hunters, and you just might become the hunted.

Heavily forested areas are often shared by hikers, joggers, campers, and seasonal hunters. During hunting season this can be a dangerous mix. If you are going to be using an area that is used by hunters make sure you always are wearing bright clothing and reflectors so that you are not mistaken for game. It’s never a good idea to bring children into an active hunt area.

If you are planning to hunt on private land you need to get the landowners permission before entering. Some landowners will allow you to access their land, others will not. You need to respect their wishes as it is their land. If you cannot obtain permission then look for another area to hunt. Never hunt in areas that are high traffic areas with either people or vehicles, never hunt in an area where discharging a firearm is prohibited, and always obey all local hunting laws.

If you are hunting with a gun you should have the safety on at all times unless you are preparing to take a shot. Even with the safety on, you should never point your gun towards others and it should also always be pointed away from you. Should the safety fail and misfire for any reason as long as the gun is not pointed at anyone there won’t be any catastrophes.

You also need to take good care of your gun. This means cleaning and oiling it properly and at regular intervals. A gun that is well looked after presents minimum risk for misfiring, jamming, or worse.

Guns aren’t the only way to hunt for game, many hunters prefer to use a bow. Bow hunting takes a lot of energy and a great deal of skill too. A bow is just as dangerous as a gun so there are many safety precautions for it as well.

Before every hunting trip you should thoroughly check your bow to make sure it is in optimum condition. Check for frayed wire, check your arm guards, and your arrows.

Your bow needs to fit you correctly and it needs to fit your strength ability. If the bow is too heavy for you could get hurt. If you need to use a heavier bow because of the size of game you are hunting them make sure you get into shape before going hunting.

If you are new to hunting or haven’t been hunting for awhile it’s a great idea to take a hunting safety course. In fact even if you are an avid hunter the course is a good reminder. A hunting safety course will cover safe handing of your gun, care of your gun, hunting laws, and other precautions relating to hunting.

Besides having the correct weapon for the type of game you are hunting you need to make sure you have everything you’ll need to clean and dress the animal after you’ve killed it.

Hunting is a sport enjoyed by many. There’s nothing like the thrill of hunting your favorite game. Always take the time to make sure you have followed all the safety precautions and make this year’s hunting trip a safe one!

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.