NCWRC reminds hunters to practice firearm safety when hunting or using firearms.
The Law Enforcement Division experienced an increase in firearm-related hunting incidents last year involving serious injury and fatalities.
For deer season last year there were ten incidents and four fatalities. For the entire fall 2023 hunting season there were 20 incidents, 12 involved a firearm; 6 incidents were fatal and three fatal incidents involved a firearm, according to WRC data.
Across the board the numbers were higher and more serious than the past three seasons combined with only one fatality between 2020 and 2022
Last year North Carolina ranked seventh in the nation for licensed hunters at 603,995, according to the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA). Many gunshot injuries occur when hunters fail to properly identify their target and mistake another hunter for game, or carelessly handle a firearm that results in self-inflicted injuries.
Hunting incidents can be reduced by practicing safe firearm handling. NCWRC said, offering the following rules of firearm safety:
- Positively identify the target before pulling the trigger.
- Always point a firearm in a safe direction.
- Treat every firearm as if it were loaded and never assume it’s 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 the target and that there are no houses, vehicles, powerlines, livestock or people in front of or behind it.
- Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs as they may affect judgment when hunting.
- Comply with blaze orange laws as required.
“Let someone know your whereabouts and approximate return time,” says a safety official. “We want everyone participating in hunting activities to keep safety as their number one priority and continue to make memories for many years to come.”
In efforts to reduce hunting-related incidents, NCWRC offers basic hunter education certification courses, both in-person and online.
“Through increased education, access to shooting ranges, and advanced educational opportunities, students and hunters become more skilled and proficient in the use of hunting equipment,” said Engagement and Education Manager Carissa Daniels. “They also help hunters become more knowledgeable and aware of measures they can incorporate for a safer hunting experience.”