For Release: Monday, November 13, 2006

DEC Commissioner Reminds Hunters to Follow Safe Hunting Guidelines

Asks Hunters to Enjoy a Safe and Successful Deer Hunting Season

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today urged people who hunt in New York State to follow safe hunting guidelines during the Southern Zone big game season, which begins Saturday, November 18, 2006.

"During this season, I ask hunters across the State to continue their tradition of safe hunting," Commissioner Sheehan said. "DEC values the contributions and safety of New York's hunters. I ask hunters to take a moment to review DEC's hunting regulations and guidelines and be thoroughly prepared for each hunting trip to ensure a safe and successful hunting season."

Last year was New York's safest hunting season in history. New York State experienced 29 injuries statewide. Fifteen of these injuries occurred during deer season. Unfortunately, three of the incidents in the popular Southern Zone hunting season were fatal.

Most hunting related shooting incidents involve members of the same hunting party, and virtually all are easily preventable. Every hunter has the power to prevent such injuries with safe gun handling and careful shooting. Each hunter can also help other hunters avoid mistakes by following five simple safety rules:

Assume Control from Trigger to Target, and Beyond

Assume every gun is loaded. (Unload guns when not in use, but never take chances with any firearm);
Control the muzzle - keep it pointed in a safe direction;
Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot;
Be sure of your target and beyond; and
Wear hunter orange.

"Following the five simple safety rules will prevent virtually all hunting related shooting incidents," Commissioner Sheehan said. "All hunters learn these rules when they take the safety course required for new hunters. As a graduate of New York's hunter education course, I appreciate the efforts of over 3,000 dedicated DEC volunteers who teach hunter education courses. Thanks to them, we now have a very safety conscious generation of hunters."

Below are select samples of tips for hunters:

Wearing Hunter Orange Saves Lives. The effectiveness of fluorescent or blaze orange safety clothing is evident in the hunter safety statistics. The only shooting victims who were mistaken for deer in the past decade were from the small minority of hunters who did not wear hunter orange. Even though hunter orange is highly visible to humans, studies show that deer are not alarmed by it.

Take Care Even When Not Shooting. Approximately one-third of deer hunting related shooting incidents resulted from unintentional discharges. DEC safety experts urge hunters to practice constant muzzle control, keeping the safety on at all times and fingers outside the trigger guard while carrying firearms. When not actually hunting, guns should be unloaded.

Friendly Reminders Can Save Lives. Hunters who see a partner's finger inside the trigger guard when he or she is not shooting or a barrel momentarily swinging in an unsafe direction owe it to themselves and their companions to remind them of proper safety rules. Most injuries from unintentional discharges are self-inflicted and the remainder injure friends and relatives.

Hunt at a Safe Pace. Hunters should avoid overexertion, pacing themselves within the limits of their individual endurance and physical limitations. Exhaustion can lead to carelessness in carrying firearms, as well as decreased shooting accuracy.

Know Where Other Hunters Are. Pay attention to anyone else who may be in the area. Plan your hunt and hunt your plan. This is especially important in "deer drives". Many of the people inured or killed while deer hunting were participating in deer drives. In addition, hunters shooting at running deer are less likely to notice their partners in the background. If hunters decide they need to put on a drive to push deer toward their hunting partners, they must have a well thought-out plan with definite start and end times and places, and good communications to make sure members of the party do not shoot in the direction of other members.

Use Caution on Tree Stands. While firearms-related hunting injuries are declining significantly, falls from tree stands are causing an increasing number of injuries. In recent years, dozens of hunters suffered serious, sometimes crippling, injuries in falls from tree stands.

To minimize the possibility of tree stand injury, hunters should obey the following rules:

Strap in FIRST. Use a full-body harness that supports the torso and legs, with a short safety line to prevent falls;
Never climb with a gun or bow. Raise and lower it UNLOADED with a rope;
Climb up and down the tree with a fall restraint. Most falls happen when climbing; and
Use a reliable portable tree-stand. Permanent tree stands, ladders and steps rot.

For more hunting tips, visit the DEC website at http://www.dec.state.ny.us and click on the Subject Index to look for "Hunter Safety."

DEC continually seeks experienced hunters and trappers to pass on the traditions of safety, responsibility, and conservation to the next generation. Volunteers can apply for free training to teach a variety of hunter education courses. If you are interested in joining DEC in this rewarding volunteer activity, call 1-888-HUNT-ED2 or visit the DEC website at www.dec.state.ny.us and click on the Subject Index to look for "Hunter Education."

DEC wishes all hunters a safe and successful hunting season.