Firearm safety can't be overdone
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 13 years, 3 months AGO
Nothing is harder to accept than the death of a child. Monday's Press report of the loss of a local 7-year-old to a hunting accident left a pain inside, and I don't know the boy or his family. This community is still small enough to mourn together.
It was a bizarre thing; the rifle went off as it was placed in a vehicle Saturday evening. In law school I had to view an autopsy for a forensics class. The cadaver belonged to a teenager, experienced in hunting. While showing a rifle to his cousin it fired on his thigh; he bled out before help arrived.
These tragedies are a sad reminder of how vital are gun safety rules, no matter how experienced the hunter or owner. Tips from state and federal hunter safety sites:
Treat every firearm as if it's loaded. Never assume a firearm is unloaded and never treat it that way, even if you watch as it is unloaded. Make it a habit to treat guns as loaded all the time, before, during, and after its intended use. There is no such thing as too safe with guns.
Check and recheck. Check hunting equipment before and after each outing and maintain it properly.
Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. About one third of all hunting injuries are self inflicted. That means the muzzle was pointed at some part of the body.
Be certain of your target and what's beyond. Positive target identification and surrounding awareness are necessities. To shoot at something without absolute certainty is gambling, possibly with human life. Most hunting fatalities are mistaken-for-game accidents. A hunter must also be sure there is a safe backstop for each bullet fired.
Keep fingers outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot. If a hunter stumbles with a firearm in one hand and nothing in the other, whatever s/he does with the free hand will automatically happen with the hand holding the gun. If a finger is inside the trigger guard, that hand is likely going to close around the pistol grip of the gun and on the trigger, causing an unwanted discharge.
Unload, lock, and open. Unload the firearm and leave action open, storing in a case when traveling. Take bolts out or break down shotguns. Store and transport firearms and ammunition separately and under lock and key in cool, dry places. Use gun or trigger locks and guards when not in use.
Idaho Fish and Game offers hunter safety courses in person and online; see http://fishandgame.idaho.gov or contact the Coeur d'Alene office at 2885 Kathleen Ave. (208) 769-1418.
Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholehjo@hotmail.com