Safety first this hunting season

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sells about 600,000 hunting licenses each year so there will be a large number of hunters afield this fall in search of a variety of big and small game. The DNR says it’s important that each hunter put safety first to ensure an enjoyable and successful hunting trip.

“Minnesota is a very safe place to hunt and hunting is a very safe activity,” said Capt. Mike Hammer, DNR Enforcement Education Program coordinator. “The few hunting incidents we do have are almost always linked to a safety violation.”

Double-digit hunting fatalities were the norm in Minnesota during the 1950s and 1960s with a high of 29 fatalities in 1961. But with the help of mandatory hunter education classes that average has been greatly lowered.

Hammer believes most hunting incidents could be prevented if hunters apply what they learned during Firearm Safety training.

Minnesota hunters born after Dec. 31, 1979 must take a DNR Hunter Education Firearms Safety Training Course and receive a certificate of completion before purchasing a license for big or small game.

The firearm safety class consists of a minimum of 12 hours of classroom and field experience in the safe handling of firearms and hunter responsibility. The field experience allows students to learn and demonstrate commonly accepted principles of safety in hunting and the handling of firearms. It includes live fire on a rifle range. Upon successful completion of this course, students receive a temporary certificate. This certificate will allow the bearer to purchase a hunting license in Minnesota and other states where certification is required.

The DNR recognizes that courses can be difficult to fit into the hectic schedules of today’s fast moving lifestyles.