As the weather cools off, there are some who may take advantage of the drop in temperatures by getting in some hunting. If you fall into that category, then there are certain precautions you must take to avoid an accidental discharge or other injuries, no matter the type of game you’re going after. The Department of Natural Resources of Michigan relates what some of those steps should be in a new report.
When you go in with the mindset that the gun is both loaded and ready to fire (even when you know it’s not), then you’ll naturally boost safety. The barrel should never be directed toward you or another individual, and when you are assessing a target, you need to make sure you have the animal in your sights and that there’s no chance you could be hitting someone behind or around it.
Until such time that you’re ready to fire that shot, keep your hands well away from the trigger, leaving the firearm tucked into the body with the barrel pointed toward the ground at all other times. Running, climbing, and jumping should not take place when carrying a gun; you should always hoist it up after you.
Finally, you need to stay in the right mind while hunting, and that means no drugs or alcohol when you’re out on the hunt.