The following safety tips are leftover from Thursday's outdoors column. Read them and share them with your hunting buddies.

Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.

At the shooting range this rule must be followed or the shooter will be asked to leave. But this is a tough one to follow when in the field. Wearing eyeglasses that are able to double as eye protection takes care of half the rule. Ear protection is a more difficult dilemma. One solution is to wear earmuffs that enhance outside noise, such as the footsteps of an approaching animal, yet they offer sound activated compression when the shot is fired.

Be sure the barrel of the firearm is clear of obstructions before shooting.

This is a simple rule, but so important. A shooter can run a cleaning patch down the barrel before loading the firearm for a hunt. Or keep one of the plastic devices that is bent at a 90-degree angle in the gun clean kit that is taken on every hunt. When placed into the chamber of the firearm and exposed to light, such as a flashlight, it will light up the barrel.

This is a safe way to view the barrel from the muzzle end, because the plastic makes it impossible to place a cartridge into the chamber. A hunter must also make sure the barrel is clear of dirt, snow, mud and other debris while hunting.

Don't alter or modify a firearm.

Consult a qualified gunsmith when there is a need to have work accomplished on a firearm. Think of the situation this way: Professional craftsmen designed and manufactured the firearm. Why have a person who is not a professional alter it?

Besides any alteration or modification will usually void any factory Warranties.

Learn the mechanical actions of the firearm you are using and the handling characteristics as well.

Consider the case of a driver sitting in the driver's seat of a new vehicle. Before driving it the location of the headlights and the windshield wipers should be noted.

It is the same with a rifle, pistol and shotgun. Where is the safety and how does it work? What is the proper way to load and unload the firearm? Although some items may seem basic in nature, not knowing may result in mistakes.

At this point, I'm going to add another safety tip, number 11:

A hunter should not take the safety off until ready to fire.

My father taught me to slip the safety off as I was raising the rifle or shotgun to my shoulder.

Imagine this scenario, which happens often to me. When in a duck blind with three other hunters and we spot approaching ducks, I hear the click of the safety of three firearms well before the birds are within range.

Instead, imagine the ducks circling again and again and finally setting their wings to settle into the decoys. The person in charge gives the signal to take them and four hunters stand up, raise their shotguns to their shoulders and, in doing so, slip off the safety.

This action may seem minor and simple in nature, but teaching the youth and other hunters to follow this procedure will keep the safety on until a second or two before the firearm is to be fired.

Additional tips:

Safe storage of firearms at home.

After returning from the shooting range or the hunt, the safe storage of firearms in the home is mandatory.

Consider: Double checking and make sure each firearm is unloaded.

Making sure there is a gunlock on every firearm. The National Shooting Sports Foundation provides gunlocks for free. Most police departments have them and will pass them out on request.

Store firearms and ammunition in separate locations. Remove the bolt or other action from firearms and store in separate locations. Doing so will make the firearm useless in the hands of youngsters and teenagers.

The one exception:

Make sure the firearm you use for home security is properly stored and can be retrieved only by you.