It’s a busy time of year for North Carolina hunters with blackpowder and gun deer hunting seasons starting, as well as duck, bear, small game and other hunting seasons.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Home from the Hunt campaign reminds hunters of firearm safety tips.
“Always positively identify your target before pulling the trigger,” said Carissa Daniels, engagement & education manager at the Wildlife Commission. “Sounds obvious, but it’s easy to let anticipation and excitement cloud your judgment. Collect yourself and be aware of your surroundings. To ensure the safest shot, make sure there are no houses, vehicles, powerlines, livestock or people in front of or behind your target.”
Additional important rules of firearm safety are:
Always point a firearm in a safe direction.
Treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Never assume a firearm is unloaded.
Use binoculars, rather than a rifle scope, to identify the target.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot.
Be sure of your target, as well as what’s in front of and behind it.