Just six hunting-related incidents reported in Kansas for 2015 ties the record low set in 2013. Unfortunately, one hunter lost his life.
While six incidents is an amazingly low number considering hunters recorded more than 5 million hunter-days last year, it doesn’t lessen the impact on a family and community that lost one of its members.
Most of incidents were the result of careless firearm handling.
These types of incidents concern those involved in hunter education because they are preventable and stem from a violation of one of the four basic firearm safety rules: treat every firearm as if it loaded; always point the muzzle in a safe direction; keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire; and never climb a fence or other obstacle with a loaded gun.
There were also five elevated-stand incidents, including one fatality, in 2015. A full body harness/fall arrest system should be correctly used any time a hunter leaves the ground. A full body harness/fall arrest system is not a parachute, so it will not protect a hunter if he or she is not attached to the tree.
The trend in safe hunting is linked to the 700 Kansas Hunter Education Program volunteer instructors who have taught and certified more than 500,000 Kansas students since 1973.
Kansas residents can locate a hunter education class online.