Decline in Hunting Accidents

[jjb4900]

I was reading on DEC's website were they talk about the steady decline in hunting accident's, and they give credit to Hunter Safety Education,  I couldn't help but think that Hunter Safety Education is not what's solely responsible for this, but actually the way "we" hunt that contributes more to this trend............for the most part, gone are the days were groups of guys got together and still hunted, did drives and generally did a lot more moving around, nowadays it seems that hunting is becoming more of a solitude sport and the majority plant themselves in a treestand or blind and sit tight for the day, the few deer camps that I can remember have all but disappeared or been reduced to a few guys......make sense?

[Doc]

Yes, there is  lot more than simple training at work here. I think there are a lot fewer hours of actual hunting being logged these days as opposed to decades ago. I have made a thing out of watching the local state lands parking lots, and taking note of the actual amount of shooting that goes on locally. I have also noted that after opening day, it begins to sound quieter than your typical day o small-game season.

 

No there are no real records on such things. About the closest thing you can follow is license sales figures, but that does not indicate the actual hours afield. So the best you can do is simply get a feel for a perceived downturn in activity. Naturally a downturn in activity would cut severely into the number of accidents.

 

I also agree that the style of hunting can turn back accident numbers. Much of this is due to the fantastic hunting clothes that allow hunters to stay in one place without being froze out of their stands.

 

I know we like to take credit for our hunter safety programs being responsible, and I don't doubt that they too have an impact on the numbers. But I think there is a lot more afoot that impacts these numbers that is not really getting credit.

[Two Track]

I think are three major contributors.

 

Hunter safety courses have been around for about forty years.

Some states have separate courses for turkey licenses, re-enforcing the safety aspects again.

 

I think the decline in numbers of hunters is another part of this.  Decline in numbers is due to aging out (too old to physically be able to go out), loss of interest or places to hunt, increased costs of hunting leases/supplies, less youth learning to hunt, less game available, less time to hunt (more work hours, more activities at school, etc).

 

Past problems on certain game lands has increased patrolling by DEC and regular police officers to stop/reduce the problems.

 

Another part is alcohol awareness.  A lot of locations no longer allow alcohol, period (including at camp outs and picnics).

I remember tagging along in the 70's for rabbit hunting with my great-uncles.  They would crack open a beer or two, release the dogs and then hit the field and woods.  Now most people understand that guns or driving a car does not mix well with drinking alcohol.

 

Of course if you are stand hunting these days, you have harnesses to reduce deaths cause by falling out of the stand.

If you are up in a stand, you can usually see more to know if there is another hunter on the other side of a brush pile that can not be seen from the ground.

A stand will also tend to keep you out of the line of fire from hunters on the ground.

 

Re-inforcement of safe actions from home always help. My father always drilled into me and we are teaching my son the same thing, "when in doubt, err on the side of caution".

The is doubt defined as:

• distance of the shot
• good backstop
• possible good clear kill shot
• safe fire zone (buildings, roads, other persons)

Edited September 25, 2013 by Two Track