DEC Releases Hunting Safety Statistics for 2017
During the 2017 hunting seasons there were 19 hunting-related shooting incidents, similar to the five-year average. About three-quarters of incidents involved two parties, and the other one-quarter were self-inflicted. Of the two-party hunting-related shooting incidents, almost 80% of the victims were not wearing hunter orange. Incidents involving two or more individuals highlight the importance of identifying your target and what lies beyond.
Hunting is enjoyed by over 500,000 New Yorkers each year, and thanks to DEC staff and volunteer hunter education instructors, hunting safety statistics continue to improve. Though the number of hunters is declining in the state, the hunting incident rate (incidents per 100,000 hunters) is falling much faster. Since the 1960s, the number of hunters has declined about 20%, while the incident rate has plunged more than 70%. The current five-year average is 3.2 incidents per 100,000 hunters, compared to 19 per 100,000 in the 1960s.
Every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable! Follow the rules of hunter safety:
- Treat every firearm as if it were loaded
- Control the muzzle, keep it pointed in a safe direction
- Identify your target and what lies beyond
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire
- Wear hunter orange
Posted: March 13th, 2018 under Adirondack Region News, General News, State Government News.