Please
note: If required, enclose a copy of your hunter education certificate or the year and state in which you completed your training. |
The historical graph below shows the most common types of hunting incidents in Washington. The "x" and the numbers at the bottom of the graph indicate approximate totals.
Careless handling is obviously a problem!
Incident category 9--careless handling-- is a continuing source of concern. In most cases, the muzzle was pointing in the wrong direction (towards a fellow hunter, at one's foot, etc.) when it discharged. Education, skills training and practice under controlled conditions are the best ways to prevent problems caused by careless handling. Incident categories 4, 6, 7 and 8 are all vision-related incidents. The best way to reduce these types of hunting incidents is by wearing fluorescent hunter orange. Remember that Washington State law requires all upland bird hunters and big game hunters using a modern firearm to wear a minimum of 400 square inches of fluorescent hunter orange clothing. (See the hunting season pamphlet for more details on hunter orange and requirements.) Even when it's not required, fluorescent hunter orange a good way to alert other outdoor users to your presence in the woods. Incident category
5 should simply never happen! There is no reason to carry a loaded
shotgun or rifle inside a motor vehicle….but every year we have
accidental discharges and sometimes tragic injuries when loaded guns go
off inside hunting vehicles. Let's be 100% safe around vehicles! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
