ND Game and Fish Hunting
By Doug Leier
As fall seasons get into full gear, hunters naturally think about licenses, limits, tags, gear and maybe taking a youngster afield. All of those things matter, but if one item belongs at the top of every hunter’s list, it is safety. Every hunt should start there and end there.
The 10 firearm safety rules are familiar, and they should be. Treat every firearm as loaded. Control the muzzle. Know your target and what lies beyond it. Keep barrel and action clear. Unload firearms when not in use. Never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot.
Those rules might sound like something repeated so often they become background noise. That is exactly when they matter most. Familiarity should never replace attention. A loaded firearm deserves the same respect every time, whether it is carried through a stubble field, rested beside a blind or handled while crossing rough terrain.
Common sense is not listed among the commandments, but it belongs there. So does the understanding that once the trigger is pulled, there is no taking back what happens next. A mistake made in a hurry, while distracted or assuming something is safe, can change a family’s life in seconds.
North Dakota’s hunter education program has been helping prepare hunters for decades. Voluntary classes began in the 1970s, and the requirement became law in 1979. Today, people
born after Dec. 31, 1961, with a few exceptions, must complete a certified hunter education course before getting a hunting license when required.
The program has seen more than 250,000 North Dakotans complete hunter education. That number represents volunteer hours and countless conversations about responsible hunting. It also reminds us that safety education is not something completed once and forgotten. It is something carried into the field every season.
The same thinking applies to waterfowl hunters. A duck boat can be a useful tool, but cold water leaves little room for error. Decoys, guns, dogs and other gear add weight, and sudden shifts can affect a boat’s balance. Capsizing or falling overboard can turn a hunt into an emergency.
A life jacket does not help if it is buried under decoys or sitting in a storage compartment. Wear it. Modern hunting jackets with built-in flotation are comfortable, and the department encourages hunters to use properly fitted life jackets. Cold water can quickly become life threatening after an unexpected fall.
There is another safety tool hunters sometimes forget: communication. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Carry a phone or emergency device even if you plan to keep it silent. If something goes wrong, that phone may become essential equipment when help is needed quickly.
So, before heading into the field, pause and think beyond the hunt. Check your firearm, review the plan, know your surroundings and make sure everyone understands the safety expectations. We all want to get away from it all, but getting home safely remains the most important part of hunting season.
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