With only a small percentage of participants ever involved in a incident, hunting repeatedly shows itself as a safe sport.
Even with this minor chance for issues, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) still encourages hunters to review the ‘Four Primary Rules of Firearms Safety’ before heading to the woods.
Out of an estimated 642,000 hunters afield, Georgia reported only 36 hunting incidents. Over half of all incidents (20) were tree stand use related.
The following firearms safety checklist, comprised of only four items, is covered in all hunter education courses and easily can be remembered with the acronym ACTT:
- A: Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
- C: Control the muzzle of the firearm at all times.
- T: Be certain of the Target and what is in front of it and beyond it.
- T: Keep your finger outside of the Trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
For more information on firearms safety, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/hunting/huntereducation or contact the Wildlife Resources Division Hunter Education office at 706-557-3355.
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