Hunting Hunting IncidentsIncidents

• those which cause personal injury or those which cause personal injury or death to any person as a result of a death to any person as a result of a person’s actions while huntingperson’s actions while hunting

• may be directly or indirectly related may be directly or indirectly related to the use of firearmsto the use of firearms

4 main causes of hunting 4 main causes of hunting incidentsincidents

1.Hunters judgment -lack of good 1.Hunters judgment -lack of good judgementjudgement

•victim moved in line of firevictim moved in line of fire

•victim covered by shooter victim covered by shooter swinging on gameswinging on game

•victim out of sight of shootervictim out of sight of shooter

•victim mistaken for gamevictim mistaken for game

Shot in the face due to hunter Shot in the face due to hunter judgment mistake:judgment mistake:

2. Violations of Laws or Safety 2. Violations of Laws or Safety Rules-Rules-lack of preparation, common lack of preparation, common sense and good habitssense and good habits

• improper crossing of fence or difficult terrainimproper crossing of fence or difficult terrain

•moving sporting arm from or placing it in moving sporting arm from or placing it in vehiclevehicle

•riding in vehicle with loaded firearmriding in vehicle with loaded firearm

•firearm falling from secure restfirearm falling from secure rest

•horseplayhorseplay

•using firearm as a club or stick to move using firearm as a club or stick to move branches or to lean onbranches or to lean on

3. Skill and Aptitude - lack of 3. Skill and Aptitude - lack of care and controlcare and control

•trigger caught on objecttrigger caught on object

•loading or unloading firearm or bowloading or unloading firearm or bow

•shooter stumbling or fallingshooter stumbling or falling

4. Mechanical failure - lack of 4. Mechanical failure - lack of preparation and examinationpreparation and examination

•obstructed barrel or improper obstructed barrel or improper ammunitionammunition

•defective ammunition/arrowsdefective ammunition/arrows

•defective firearm/bowdefective firearm/bow

Nationally and in Texas, the Nationally and in Texas, the most common incidents are : most common incidents are : hunter judgement mistakeshunter judgement mistakes

The second most common type of The second most common type of hunting incident are caused by: hunting incident are caused by:

safety rulesafety rule violations or violations or because of illegal actions because of illegal actions by huntersby hunters..

The third most common mistakes The third most common mistakes areare those which show lack of those which show lack of control and practicecontrol and practice

– when the going when the going gets rough, unload gets rough, unload your firearm firstyour firearm first

– use two-handed use two-handed carry when possiblecarry when possible

Ten Commandments of Ten Commandments of Shooting Safety:Shooting Safety:

1. Always point muzzle in a safe 1. Always point muzzle in a safe directiondirection

2. Treat ever firearm or bow with the 2. Treat ever firearm or bow with the same respect you would show a same respect you would show a loaded gun or knocked arrowloaded gun or knocked arrow

3. Be sure of your target and what is 3. Be sure of your target and what is in front of and beyond your targetin front of and beyond your target

4. Unload firearms and unstring 4. Unload firearms and unstring recurve and long bows when not in recurve and long bows when not in useuse

5. Handle firearms, arrows and 5. Handle firearms, arrows and ammunition carefullyammunition carefully

6. Know your safe zone of fire and 6. Know your safe zone of fire and stick to itstick to it

7. Control your emotions when it 7. Control your emotions when it comes to safetycomes to safety

8. Wear hearing and eye protection8. Wear hearing and eye protection

9. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or 9. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or take drugs before or while handling take drugs before or while handling firearms or bow and arrowsfirearms or bow and arrows

10. Be aware of additional circumstances 10. Be aware of additional circumstances which require added caution or safety which require added caution or safety awarenessawareness

The Unwritten Law: hunting The Unwritten Law: hunting ethicsethics

• hunting ethics are personal hunting ethics are personal codes by which we live bycodes by which we live by

• ethics deal with what is safe,proper ethics deal with what is safe,proper and fair.and fair.

• Ethics are sometimes known as Ethics are sometimes known as morals and morals are generally morals and morals are generally rightright

An Example:An Example:• it may be legal to shoot many times it may be legal to shoot many times

at an animal, hoping to hit it with one at an animal, hoping to hit it with one of the shots. But, is it ethical? Ethical of the shots. But, is it ethical? Ethical hunters will not take shots outside of hunters will not take shots outside of their their effective rangeeffective range

• Another way to look at ethics is Another way to look at ethics is the “4 C’s”.the “4 C’s”.

Hunting Ethics: personal Hunting Ethics: personal codes by which we live bycodes by which we live by

4 C’s of Hunting Safety and Ethics:4 C’s of Hunting Safety and Ethics:

• CarefulCareful

• CourteousCourteous

• ConsiderateConsiderate

• CapableCapable

CAREFULCAREFUL

• A hunters commitment and attitude A hunters commitment and attitude to basic rules of safetyto basic rules of safety

COURTEOUSCOURTEOUS

• A hunters behavior. To be courteous A hunters behavior. To be courteous means to be polite or graciousmeans to be polite or gracious

CONSIDERATECONSIDERATE

• A hunters respect for othersA hunters respect for others

CAPABLECAPABLE

• A hunters ability including A hunters ability including marksmanship, outdoor skills, marksmanship, outdoor skills, knowledge level and good judgment.knowledge level and good judgment.

Who enforces the unwritten Who enforces the unwritten law?law?

• ALL OF US DOALL OF US DO

• just like peer pressure can encourage just like peer pressure can encourage us to violate laws and ethics, peer us to violate laws and ethics, peer pressure can help us act responsiblypressure can help us act responsibly

Alcohol and DrugsAlcohol and Drugs

• important to make responsible important to make responsible choices about these two thingschoices about these two things

• Responsible hunters never go afield Responsible hunters never go afield while they are intoxicated or under while they are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol and drugs.the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Body Functions Affected by Body Functions Affected by AlcoholAlcohol• fine motor control(marksmanship)fine motor control(marksmanship)

• judgment(safe zone-of-fire, judgment(safe zone-of-fire, background,foreground)background,foreground)

• hearing(locating game or other hunters)hearing(locating game or other hunters)

• color perception(game identification)color perception(game identification)

• reaction time(quickness)reaction time(quickness)

• vision(game ID, safe zone-of-fire)vision(game ID, safe zone-of-fire)

• coordination(aiming,muzzle control)coordination(aiming,muzzle control)

PERSONAL CHOICEPERSONAL CHOICE

• Hunters who follow safe, legal and Hunters who follow safe, legal and ethical practices come to the level which ethical practices come to the level which allows them to make personal choicesallows them to make personal choices

• personal choices are influenced by many personal choices are influenced by many thingsthings– how and where you were raisedhow and where you were raised– your experience with hunting traditionsyour experience with hunting traditions– your understanding of conservationyour understanding of conservation

Examples of Personal Examples of Personal ChoiceChoice

• Baiting deer with corn or protein Baiting deer with corn or protein pelletspellets

• shooting birds on the ground or in shooting birds on the ground or in treestrees

• shooting from a vehicle/boatshooting from a vehicle/boat

• shooting animals which are harmful shooting animals which are harmful or cause damageor cause damage

Landowner’s complaints Landowner’s complaints about huntersabout hunters

• hunters think landowners owe them hunters think landowners owe them free huntingfree hunting

• don’t get permission to huntdon’t get permission to hunt

• don’t tel the landowner when they don’t tel the landowner when they arrive or leave the propertyarrive or leave the property

• make too much noisemake too much noise

• leave litterleave litter

• carry loaded firearms in vehiclecarry loaded firearms in vehicle

• drive off ranch roaddrive off ranch road

• leave gates openleave gates open

• shoot too close to neighbors homesshoot too close to neighbors homes

• leave fires unattendedleave fires unattended

• violate game lawsviolate game laws

• drink alcohol to excessdrink alcohol to excess

• complain about poor successcomplain about poor success

Safety DilemmaSafety Dilemma

• You are hunting quail. You and your You are hunting quail. You and your companions just flushed a covey of quail and companions just flushed a covey of quail and are now heading towards the spot where a are now heading towards the spot where a few landed. You are in the middle and one few landed. You are in the middle and one companion on your right. The companion on companion on your right. The companion on your left disappears behind the thicket. your left disappears behind the thicket. Suddenly three quail explode from in front of Suddenly three quail explode from in front of you. Two quail head toward the thicket to you. Two quail head toward the thicket to your left. One flies toward an area in front of your left. One flies toward an area in front of your companion on the right.your companion on the right.

• What would you do?What would you do?

• Shoot at one which flew leftShoot at one which flew left

• Shoot at one which flew rightShoot at one which flew right

• Not shootNot shoot

Legal DilemmaLegal Dilemma

• You are blood-trailing a deer that you You are blood-trailing a deer that you shot two hours earlier. You look up ahead shot two hours earlier. You look up ahead and see the blood trail cross onto posted and see the blood trail cross onto posted property on which you do not have property on which you do not have permission to hunt. Both trespassing and permission to hunt. Both trespassing and game waste are illegal in your state. You game waste are illegal in your state. You know that the deer could not go much know that the deer could not go much farther. IT STARTS TO RAIN!farther. IT STARTS TO RAIN!

• What would you do?What would you do?

• Go into the posted propertyGo into the posted property

• attempt to reach the landownerattempt to reach the landowner

• attempt to reach the game wardenattempt to reach the game warden

• consider that you made every effort consider that you made every effort and leave it goand leave it go