Wilderness Wisdom: Tips for Safe and Responsible Hunting

Being outdoors during autumn is the best way to exercise and get fresh air. For most, fall could also mean hunting time, which sometimes comes with risks, sending many hunters to a hospital or even worse. Broken bones, injured backs, and heart attacks are one of the common medical emergencies during hunting.

Hunting is a sport for everyone to enjoy. However, as a hunter, you must ensure nothing spoils your time outdoors. To help you achieve that, the following are tips that will ensure responsible and safe hunting:

1. Let Your Companions Know Where Your Current Location Is

Whether or not you are familiar with the place, like the back of your palm, letting your companions know about your current location is important for your safety. You may still get injured or stranded and find it hard to return to your companion.

To ensure you avoid such a scenario, let your friends or family know where you are going to hunt and at what time you expect to return. You must also carry a cell phone and a GPS in case you encounter threats.

2. Know Your Equipment and Gear

Before setting out to hunt, ensure you know your gear and weapons. The things you carry using hunting backpacks must be properly cleaned and in pristine working condition. You should know how to control them, what to expect from them, and how you can use them.

You need to ensure you have the right gun. For instance, standard pistols aren’t a good option to hunt deer but rifles are. Research weapons as well as ask experienced hunters to recommend the right weapon for hunting.

3. Practice Safety When Using Firearms

A firearm makes catching games from any distance easier. However, things may go wrong even when following safety best practices.

Before you head out for the next hunting trip, brush up or learn those fundamental rules of using firearms safely. Always be keen where you are pointing firearms. Make sure your weapon doesn’t point at anyone when unloading or loading your gun.

4. Avoid Hunting Alone

If possible, hunt with one or two partners. Hunting together means you will watch out for each other. When either of you gets involved in an accident, there will be someone to give first aid and dial 911.

In addition, it is important to have a hunting guide or partner. This is important when exploring unknown territories. With other hunters, it will be much easier to navigate tough terrains and have a great hunting experience.

5. Consider Wearing Hunter Orange

Don’t dress in all colors or camouflage that can easily be mistaken for animals, like white, tan, and black. Wear reflective gear or hunter orange whenever necessary to ensure other hunters see you.

Remember that you won’t account for other hunters around you even when you think you have enough hunting skills.

Successful hunts don’t necessarily mean harvesting games. Instead, they mean you, as well as everyone involved, going home safely. You won’t be able to pass on hunting heritage if you’re no more. So, prioritize these safety tips, and you will pass on the heritage.