Published: November 27, 2008 08:46 am            

Good luck and hunt safely | Game commission program paying dividends

We are blessed to live in a region teaming with wildlife. And come daybreak on Monday, hunters will descend upon the great outdoors as traditional deer season opens.

Fathers and mothers, accompanied by sons and daughters, will keep a long and storied tradition alive by joining the hunt. Families should relish these times together.

With that in mind, we’d like to discuss safety.

In Pennsylvania, all first-time hunters are required to successfully complete a safety course before they are eligible for a license.

Since the program was launched in 1959, the game commission says, more than 1.7 million new hunters have been certified, while hunting injuries and fatalities have dropped dramatically.

The training – which includes such topics as the handling of firearms, game laws, first aid and responsibility and ethics – clearly makes a difference in keeping hunters safe in the woods.

And we urge all hunters – new ones and veterans alike – to review safety procedures before heading out to the woods on Monday.

Here are the basics:

* All hunters must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined at all times.

* It is unlawful to have a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

* Firearms cannot be discharged within “safety zones” – defined by the state as within 150 yards of any structure or dwelling.

* Hunters are not permitted to chase or drive deer within 150 yards of any occupied building without permission.

* Any hunter who takes a deer must fill out the harvest tag and attach it to the deer’s ear before moving the carcass.

Additional rules and laws can be found on the game commission’s Web site.

And there are other safety considerations as well.

Hunters should dress appropriately – mindful that we’ve been experiencing temperatures as much as 20 degrees below normal this year.

Hunters should be aware of others around them and should shoot only at clearly identified targets.

Hunters should be aware of the state of their own health, and those with existing conditions such as heart trouble should not overexert themselves while hunting.

And adult hunters should always set the proper example for younger hunters, practicing gun safety, being respectful of other hunters and property owners, and never mixing alcohol with guns.

Hunting – especially deer hunting – is a great tradition in our region.

Let’s make this year’s hunting experience a safe and enjoyable one.

Good luck, and don’t forget to send The Tribune-Democrat some great shots of the successful hunt.

        

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