Hunting Safety Tips

The hunting season can provide one of the greatest excuses for braving the outdoors and living at one with nature. Your enthusiasm for an upcoming excursion may sometimes overshadow the thought of making the proper plans and precautions. However, it pays to understand how a simple hunting trip can go badly wrong. Our article will provide information that will allow you to confidently prepare for the event that you encounter problems while hunting.

Hunting Trip Preparation

First, it's always advisable never to hunt alone. Hunting alone means that any accidents or injuries that occur could leave you helpless in the middle of nowhere and with no way to signal for help. That being said, many prefer to go it alone. This requires extra preparation and should only be considered by the most experienced of hunters. Whether you're an individual or within a hunting group, you should always let somebody know your destination and when you will be back. If you find yourself lost, then giving out this information could save your life.

Preparation for your hunting trip can also mean knowing well the area in which you will hunt and which spots may be prime for hunting. Areas with dense thickets or vegetation are usually more likely to house animals than well-trodden or well-known hunting areas. Many hunting injuries happen either when not sufficient preparation has been done for a trip, or when individuals do not expect to be staying overnight in the wilderness. Therefore, you should be ready for the worst, even if the hunting is planned for only a day.

What To Take Hunting

Three of the most important things to carry with you on your hunting trip is your weapon, ammunition, binoculars, and sufficient clothing. Camo wear such as our Kryptek Stalker Long Sleeve Cotton T-Shirt, Kryptek Stalker Camo Hunting Pant, and Kryptek Aegean Waterproof Camo Duffel will help you blend in during the hunt while also keeping you safe from the elements. Other essentials include necessary first aid equipment, a sharp knife, a compass and map, orange clothing or a luminous orange vest, waterproof matches, cell phone and perhaps even light sticks, flares, and a whistle, in case of emergency. You should know exactly how much orange is required by law, as this differs depending on where you are located.

Know Your Limits

You should learn to recognize any signs of frostbite or hypothermia. These include small, white spots on your skin for frostbite, and stumbling, disorientation and shivering for hypothermia. If you notice any potential signs, you should immediately increase your body temperature by building a fire, changing out of wet clothes, and putting additional layers. Wearing a sturdy pair of hunting boots can also keep your feet and toes warm: Many hunting boots like our Kenetrek Men's Mountain Extreme Ni Hunting Boot have insulation layers.

Common Hunting Failures

Knowing the most common causes of hunting accidents can help you to avoid making the same mistakes. While we are all human, neglecting to consider some essential pieces of safety information can not only cause harm to yourself but also to others.

The first and most important thing to emphasize is that you should know your firearm inside out. This means that you must always, always assume that it is loaded and never forget that the weapon you hold in your hands was designed to kill. Any hunter should also be able to use their firearm confidently. This means hours of training and practice, and knowing all safety precautions by heart. Human error is the number one cause of hunting injuries. Under absolutely no circumstances should you fire impulsively at anything which moves as this could be a member of your group, passersby, or a domestic animal. For this reason, you should know the whereabouts of your team when hunting; you should never risk misfiring in the vicinity of others, and you should have a clear view of anything which you intend to fire upon.

Taking Your Shot

When taking a shot, you should not only have a clear view of your target but should also remain patient. Just before taking a shot, you should stand up as quickly as possible. Since this is the movement that will alert an animal to your presence, the faster, the better. Don't rush at this point, though. Finally, remain as still as possible when making the shot.

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