blake
Life Member
Youth Season & Gun Safety
Hopefully the 2008/2009 hunting season will be among the safest on record for hunters. This will only be accomplished if we all practice and teach young hunters to follow 10 rules of firearm safety on every hunt.
You may wish to copy these Firearms Safety Rules and tape them to the dashboard of your pickup truck, the kitchen refrigerator, the mirror over the bathroom sink or on the wall and read it every time you see it.
If you have young hunters going into the field this season carrying & hunting with firearms please be sure that they are aware of these safety rules. Then, while in the field, follow the rules religiously.
Ten Rules of Firearm Safety:
1. Treat every gun with the respect due a loaded gun.
2. Watch that muzzle! Be able to control the direction of the muzzle even if you stumble.
3. Be sure the firearm's barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that you have only the proper ammunition with you for the gun you are carrying.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it before you pull the trigger. Always know the identifying features of the game you are hunting. Firearms are dangerous when not properly handled. Shotguns shoot several hundred yards, a .22-caliber rifle will shoot over one mile and some big-game rifles will shoot several miles.
5. Unload all firearms when not in use. Always have the firearm's action open and the chamber empty except when actually hunting. Transport guns in cases, or secure storage racks in vehicles. Always handle a gun by the stock, never the barrel.
6. Never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. Guns are not toys for play. They are tools to be used properly and safely.
7. Never climb over or under a fence, into or out of a tree, or jump a ditch with a loaded gun.
8. Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or water. In target practice or hunting, be sure your backstop is adequate.
9. Store guns and ammunition under lock and key. Keep them out of reach of children and careless adults.
10. Avoid alcoholic beverages, medication and other mind-altering drugs before and during shooting and hunting outings. Don't use anything that impairs judgment, decreases your motor skills, degrades vision and hearing and other important functions when hunting.